Mets, Ike Davis Avoid Arbitration

The Mets have reached a deal with Ike Davis for one year/$3.125M to avoid arbitration, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The slugging first baseman was arbitration-eligible for the first time this season. Davis had filed for $3.7M with the Mets countering at $2.825m before the two sides settled just below the mid-point.

Davis struggled early in 2012, starting the season off hitting .185/.241/.309 in April and .154/.214/.282 in May , but he recovered to finish with a respectable 227/.308/.462 line and 32 home runs. Strikeouts were a major issue for him; his 24.1% rate was the highest of his career, but he continued to show a keen eye at the plate walking 10.4% of the time.

Davis was also victimized by a .246 batting average on balls in play last year, which dragged down his average severely. He is unlikely to ever hit for high averages consistently given his big swing, but last season was an extreme case fro the young slugger. Defensive, Davis is well-regarded, especially for his ability to pick balls out of the dirt.

Davis is a "super-two" player, so this is the first of four arbitration seasons before he will be a free agent. The Mets have just one arbitration-eligible player, Daniel Murphy, remaining unsigned at this point. Like Davis, Murphy is in his first year as an arbitration eligible player. He filed for $3.4M and New York filed at $2.55M.