J.D. IS USED TO
Davis will get most reps at hot corner after defensive questions,
J.D. Davis preferred to stay offline this offseason. That was a good thing because when Mets fans on Twitter weren’t questioning his ability at third base, they were wondering whether Davis would be traded for a superstar third baseman like Nolan Arenado or Kris Bryant. There was, of course, a legion of Davis fans that defended his power arm and clutch bat in the lineup. But most of all, there was a lot of arguing about where Davis would end up.
As it turns out, Davis didn’t go anywhere because the Mets trust his abilities both at the plate and in the field. Manager Luis Rojas doubled down on his confidence
Wednesday, and said Davis will see most of his reps at third base in 2021.
“I’ve been in trade talks since, I don’t know, 2015-16. So the trade talks with me, it’s a business and I know in the long run there’s really nothing I can do about it,” Davis said in his first presser of the year. “I think it’s actually pretty cool to be in a package deal with Nolan Arenado and Matt Chapman and Kris Bryant. It says a lot where I’ve come from as a player.
“So it is what it is. I have full confidence in my capabilities. I’m a big leaguer. I’m a major leaguer and I’m going to stand behind that. And I love these guys. I love this organization. So
am I happy to be a Met coming in here? Absolutely.”
Davis’ defensive track record at third base and his offensive regression in 2020 were concerning factors for Mets fans who wanted to see a new face at the hot corner. But the club knew Davis was working hard in the offseason
to get in good shape and move around the dirt better.
Rojas said there are plans to give Davis “a lot of playing time” at third in the regular season, though the manager would like to see new infield addition Jonathan Villar competing for some reps there too.
“(Davis’) defense looks good, better,” Rojas said. “His physique is better than last year, and he keeps on improving.”
Davis said going into a spring training when he knows what position he’ll be playing makes a huge difference for him. In the past, he’s had to guess whether he should spend more time working in the outfield or infield. This offseason, Davis focused solely on his agility and side-to-side motion at third — which gave him a huge confidence boost coming into camp.
The key for Davis to return to his 2019 breakout season with the Mets will be staying focused, he said. He also looks up to leaders like Michael Conforto and Francisco Lindor to set the tone “from Day One” in continuously improving and not settling for average. Davis said their leadership
and guidance helps the young core of hitters on the team — like Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil — continue to develop, gain knowledge and resist getting comfortable.
Specifically, Davis said he feeds off shortstop Lindor — who he’ll be playing next to for the majority of the 2021 season. Davis said he’s inspired by Lindor’s work ethic.
“Knowing that type of player, that caliber of a player, is wanting to get better and is so focused on the details, it’s like why aren’t you doing it,” Davis said. “It comes with a little bit of a humble pie where you should be getting extra work in, working on this, working on that. Just because you’re a starter, you’re a third baseman this year, whatever it is, you need to get better. If (Lindor) is getting better and he’s that good and he still takes pride in his craft, then you should be doing it as well.”
faithful
the noise he was making.
“It was cool,” Rojas said of Smith joining camp. “He was everywhere ... I know exactly which field he was at when I was on another field. Guys were laughing and yelling about some sort of competition there. He got everyone going right away.”
NOAH PROGRESSING
Noah Syndergaard pitched a bullpen session Wednesday 11 months removed from his Tommy John surgery. Though it was obvious Syndergaard was holding back in his arm speed and overall intensity, it was a good sign to see the righthander back on the mound and throwing again.
Rojas said Syndergaard is still on track to return around June if he continues rehabbing without any setbacks. The skipper was pleased with how his fastball, changeup, and sinker came out in the short session. The Mets are not yet sure when he will face live batters. The focus, for now, is on controlling the intensity in his side sessions.
“He looked really good. Noah is a monster,” Rojas said. “He’s worked his tail off.”