Analyzing Anthony Reber’s Proposed Trade: Ike Davis for Dellin Betances
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday, the New York Yankees placed first baseman Mark Teixeira on the 15-day disabled list. This led to Anthony Reber of Newsday reporting that the Yankees should trade Dellin Betances to the New York Mets for Ike Davis.
Teixeira had been the Yankees’ starting first baseman this season until he sustained an injury in Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was forced to leave the game with a strained right hamstring, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
His injury turned out to be serious enough that the Yankees placed him on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. They recalled catcher Austin Romine from Triple-A and they have been using Kelly Johnson as their first baseman.
Johnson has struggled mightily for the Yankees this season. Entering Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, he had record four hits in 18 at-bats for a .211 batting average.
His struggles this season combined with Teixeira’s injury most likely led to Reber proposing an interesting trade. Reber proposed that the Yankees should give up a young bullpen arm like Betances in exchange for Mets’ first baseman Ike Davis.
The last time the Yankees and Mets made a trade was in 2004. In 2004, the Yankees traded Felix Heredia to the Mets for Mike Stanton, according to Reber.
Analysis from the Mets’ perspective:
The trade makes some sense from the Mets’ side because they have Lucas Duda.
Mets’ manager Terry Collins appears to want Duda to win the first base competition with Ike Davis, according to Reber.
"Even on Friday, when manager Terry Collins said he was giving Duda a chance to win the job, he still qualified the decision with tons of maybes and hedges.”"
Entering Monday’s game, the Mets have given Duda more playing time this season than Davis.
Duda has played in six games for the Mets this season. In those six games, he has only two hits in 16 at-bats for a .143 batting average.
Both hits were home runs. Davis has performed better than Duda in fewer games.
Davis has played in four games, thus far. In those four games, he has four hits in eight at-bats.
One of those four hits was a home run. Davis has been mostly a bench player this season and he told Reber how he is handling the role.
"That’s basically going to be my role… I’m obviously not going to hit a home run every time, but you’ve got to be ready for those big at-bats. Hopefully, I can take advantage of it… As long as Duda keeps hitting, I’ll probably just stay in the same situation… All I can do is in the at-bats I’m allowed is put my best effort forth and hopefully, I get in there again.”"
Davis appears to be handling his bench role with class. Having a former first-rounder coming off the bench is a waste of a roster spot for the Mets.
The Mets could really use some pitching help.
Entering Monday’s game, their pitching staff has an Earned Run Average, ERA of 4.75 this season. This ranks 13th in the National League and 24th in MLB in Earned Run Average.
On Wednesday, the Mets placed Bobby Parnell, their closer, on the 15-day disabled list with a torn medial collateral ligament, according to Rotoworld.com. It turned out that the injury was so serious that he will have to undergo a season-ending Tommy John surgery.
One pitcher Reber suggested the Mets should trade Davis for is righthander Dellin Betances.
Betances has been a member of the Yankees’ organization since he was 18-years-old; 2006. He is in the midst of his third season with the Yankees; part of 2011, part of 2013 and this season.
His career MLB statistics are terrible. In 10 appearances, he has a 0-0 record, he has struck out 14 hitters in nine innings pitched, he has given up eight earned runs, he has a 2.22 Walks and Hits in Innings Pitched, WHIP, and he has a 8.00 ERA.
Betances is only 26-years-old and he is performing much better than his career statistics this season.
In two appearances, he has a 0-0 record, struck out two hitters in 1.1 innings pitched, given up zero earned runs, 0.00 ERA, and he has a 1.50 WHIP. He has three primary pitches that he has used this season.
Betances is throwing a fastball that is averaging 95.1 miles per hour, mph, a cutter that is averaging 96.9 mph and a knuckle curve that is averaging 82.6 mph, according to fangraphs.com.
The Mets are in the midst of a ‘rebuilding’ season where they are trying to put together the best possible team for the future. Having Davis as a bench player, does not help them in creating a good team in the future.
A spacious stadium like Citi Field could make Betances into a consistently good or really good reliever.
This hypothetical trade offer is good for the Mets because they would be getting rid of a player that has underachieved in the majors, Davis, for a position of need; relief pitching.