Coleman's Corner: The Future's Looking Brighter For Ike Davis

By Ed Coleman
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Ike Davis was wearing shades  -  possibly because his future's so bright.  That's still to be determined, but the present is looking a heck of a lot better lately.  The young Met first baseman joined his teammates in Miami on Labor Day, proclaimed that he most likely will not need surgery on his injured left ankle, and was very encouraged by how the ankle has responded to a busy workload.

Davis ran pain-free at his home in Arizona for a week, then went to Port St. Lucie over the weekend while the Mets were in Washington.  He hit off a tee, took grounders, played catch, moved from side-to-side, all to test the ankle further to see how it would hold up.

Positive indeed.  It certainly brought a smile to manager Terry Collins' face.

Davis will continue working out with the Mets here in Florida over the next couple of days, then go back and see the doctors in New York, according to Collins.

And Davis was asked if the doctors give him the thumbs up, what follows that.

Without surgery.  Ike did caution, though, that he is not all the way back just yet.

After wearing a boot on his ankle which actually hindered the healing process shortly after the injury, Davis will not be wrapping or taping his ankle and foot too tightly in the future.

It's hard to believe that come this Saturday it will be exactly 4 months since that seemingly innocent collision with David Wright on an infield popup at Coors Field in Denver on May 10 ruined Davis' season.  It's been one heck of a learning experience for Ike.

Collins has dreamed all season of having his young power hitter back in his lineup and would love to have him for the final 20+ games that remain.  But after watching him take BP on Monday, he'll settle for a healthy Davis in 2012.

It would have been easy for Ike to sit back and say "woe is me" as this lengthy process has unfolded.  He was asked if he ever had a moment when he felt sorry for himself or felt like he threw away a year at a young age?

That's an attitude  -  and personality  -  that will serve him well moving forward.

C U soon
Eddie C.