There have been a lot of reports from Port St. Lucie since yesterday about Ike Davis having Valley Fever. It’s the same condition that held Conor Jackson to playing in only 30 games with the D-Backs in 2009. Although it’s not known if Davis definitely has Valley Fever, he has some of the symptoms and had an abnormal lung x-ray about 10 days ago that led the Mets to send Davis to see a specialist.
The Mets seem to be backtracking on their previous announcement that Davis was ready for spring training without restrictions. They issued another statement yesterday to the media:
Ike Davis underwent a routine physical exam after his arrival in PSL. The exam included an abnormal chest X-ray. Following additional tests here and in NYC, pulmonary and infectious disease specialists have concluded that Ike likely has Valley Fever, which is expected to resolve itself over time. Ike is not contagious, is not taking any medication for his condition and does not currently exhibit any of the outward symptoms associated with Valley Fever. However, Ike has been instructed to avoid extreme fatigue. No additional tests or examinations are pending, but Ike will have a follow up exam when the team returns to NYC in early April.
Now the situation is that Davis does have to participate in spring training with restrictions. It seems like the Mets still can’t get the right message out regarding medical conditions. I really thought that would end when Omar Minaya left the organization.
If Davis misses any considerable length of time this season, the Mets are in even more trouble than we thought they were. With a completely healthy team, the Mets aren’t expected to be competitive. Losing their projected cleanup hitter would be a devastating loss. It sure didn’t help Davis played in only 36 games last season because of an ankle injury. It would be a serious blow to the team if we have a repeat of Davis missing most of the season.
Davis is expected to face the media today in Port St. Lucie. I’m sure the team is coaching him up on what the message should be.
The Mets Report 
One thought on “Mets Ike Davis and Valley Fever”