Mets' Ike Davis On Struggles: 'I Can't Do Any Worse'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Ike Davis is having a hard time with everything right now, from slow curves to soft grounders.
Brandon Phillips bounced a bizarre double over Davis at first base to snap a ninth-inning tie, and the Cincinnati Reds completed a three-game sweep of the struggling New York Mets with a 7-4 victory Wednesday.
"Anytime you lose a game it's not fun — especially on a play like that," Davis said. "Everything that can go wrong right now for me is going wrong."
Despite growing calls for his demotion, Davis won't be sent down to Triple-A before Friday's series opener against the Braves, according to the New York Daily News.
"Maybe after the weekend," a source told the paper.
It's been a frustrating season for Davis, batting .147 with nine RBIs after getting off to a miserable start last year, too.
"I know I'm going to play better, especially hitting-wise. I can't do any worse," he said. "If my teammates weren't behind me, it'd be the worst thing in the world."
Fans are losing patience, and plays like Wednesday's killer in the ninth won't do much to help his cause.
With the score tied at 4 in the ninth, Shin-Soo Choo legged out a leadoff double against Bobby Parnell (4-1) and reached third on a groundout. Joey Votto was intentionally walked before Phillips hit a cue shot toward first base.
The ball hit the baseline and bounced over Davis' glove in front of the bag. Determining he had no chance to throw out Choo at the plate or start an inning-ending double play, Davis shied away from touching the ball — thinking it would go foul. But it bounded over the bag and was called fair by umpire Phil Cuzzi.
"Instinct told me not to catch the ball," Davis said, adding he still wasn't sure if it was fair or foul even after watching replays. "It just wasn't the right play, I guess."
Choo scored the tiebreaking run and Davis was left shaking his head as Mets manager Terry Collins came out to argue. Pinch-hitter Todd Frazier fisted a two-run single into center to make it 7-4.
New York fell to 2-11 in its past 13 home games.
Davis has one hit in his last 38 at-bats after going 0 for 2 with two walks Wednesday. He flied out to the center-field warning track to end the sixth, leaving him hitless in his last 25 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
"He feels absolutely great this year and had a great spring," manager Terry Collins said. "So this is baffling to everybody. We base what we're doing on the fact that we're looking down the road, we're trying to look at the big picture here, and we've got to get this guy going, because we've got to figure out, where is he going to fit?"
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