Ike Davis, Lucas Duda Fates Linked

It was fitting that Ike Davis and Lucas Duda each homered in two separate innings Friday night — I think their fates are linked to each other. I just hope it doesn’t turn out the way I suspect Sandy Alderson wants it to.

I believe that before he goes to bed every night, Alderson prays that Duda can regain his stroke. We all wish for that, but Alderson wants it so he can trade Ike Davis and move Duda to first.

Let’s face it — Lucas Duda is not an outfielder. His regression out there is just embarrassing. He belongs at first base, where I can’t imagine he is very good, either, but at least he presents a huge target to which infielders can throw.

Alderson and crew do not seem very enamored of Davis. There were whispers all last season that they don’t see Davis as the long term answer at first.

In contrast, they seem to love Duda for some reason. Yes, he is big and strong and when he connects with a ball it goes a very long way. But how often does that happen?

Another overriding factor for these Mets is that Davis is getting expensive. He is earning $3.125 million this season in his first year of arbitration. That bill will steadily increase. Duda has one more season of servitude before he strikes gold in arbitration.

I believe the plan is for Duda to learn how to hit, allowing Alderson to trade Ike Davis to a team desperate for a first baseman in exchange for a power hitting outfielder.

I also hope Duda hits, only so Alderson can trade him to a team desperate for a first baseman in exchange for a power hitting outfielder. I have far more faith in Ike Davis for the future than I do for Duda.

But I have a feeling Alderson feels the opposite, and if/when it happens, it will be a fateful decision for the Mets franchise that will have a negative impact for years to come.