Brewers May Be Mets Last Hope To Deal Davis

If Sandy Alderson has been trying to wait out the market, the time to pounce may be upon is. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting the free agent first baseman, James Loney, is on the verge of signing with the Tampa Bay Rays. 

This comes on the heels of reports that the Rays had shifted their interest to fellow free agent, Juan Uribe. That now looks like a ploy to get Loney signed. 

The Brewers were the other team in on Loney and having lost, may shift their sights to Ike Davis. The Mets have requested Tyler Thornburg in exchange for Davis. A demand the Brewers has refused to date. If the Brewers get desperate, things could obviously change. 

With that said, the Brewers are now the only team really in on Davis. If they go elsewhere, the Mets could be left high and dry. One way or another, we should have a resolution soon. 

Mets May Not Be Able To Move Ike Davis At All

The Mets ultimately fell short of their goal of moving Ike Davis before the end of the winter meetings this week.  They did however have productive discussions with several teams in an effort to do so.  Unfortunately, talks don't always lead to actions and in the latest string of news, the teams who figured to be major suitors for Davis may look elsewhere.

With regards to the Milwaukee Brewers, FOX's Ken Rosenthal said the tweeting the following this morning:

Sources: #Mets, #Brewers still talking on Ike Davis, but Brewers still won’t part with RHP Tyler Thornburg.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 13, 2013

More recently, he reported this in regards to the Tampa Bay Rays:

Sources: #Rays interested in free agent Juan Uribe. Would play mostly at first, some at second and also back up Longoria at third.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 13, 2013

Pickens be gettin' slim... Here's the problem. It was originally thought that whoever lost out on the James Loney sweepstakes would settle for Ike Davis via trade. Should the Rays sign Uribe, the Brewers could end up the lone bidder for Loney. The only other team in play for Davis, the Pittsburgh Pirates, is reportedly focused on trading for Mitch Moreland.

If those dominos fall in that order, the Mets may have overplayed their hand with Davis.  Being unable to unload Davis may have twice the consequences. The roughly $3 million the Mets would save was to be used to bolster the bullpen. The pitching prospect the Mets seek, provided theoretical depth should the Mets trade pitching for a shortstop. 

They team's from office may still be basking in the afterglow of a successful Winter Meetings, but they have a very problematic situation brewing in Davis. If he ultimately cannot be moved, the team could stand to bring an understandably unhappy Davis to spring training which would have all the makings of a media nightmare.