Ike Davis saw familiar face and opportunity with Texas Rangers

Ike Davis knows the chances of supplanting either Mitch Moreland or Prince Fielder at first base are unlikely.

But a chance to resurrect his career under the eye of a manager he knows well was motivation enough to sign a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. Davis was in the Rangers’ Surprise clubhouse Wednesday morning a week before position players are due to report.

He had major surgery on his left hip in September. The hip issues began in 2013 and resulted in a strained left quadriceps that ended his season a year ago. Doctors re-attached a torn labrum, shaved down the bone, and removed eight bone chips.

“It was pretty gnarly in there,” he said. “If I come out and play like I used to before the hip stuff and get my game back where it was I think I could make a difference on the team in a lot of different ways.”

The was a comfort knowing Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who was the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates when Davis was traded there in 2014 after four seasons with the Mets.

Davis hopes to add some outfield work this spring to make him a more valuable option. He played there some in college. Of course, mainly he needs to show the pop has returned to his bat. Several teams were interested in signing Davis before the Rangers called.

“Having to spend some time in Triple A at least there’s familiarity there and if something happens he knows what he’s getting,” Davis said. “Trades, injuries ... who knows what will happen.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Ike Davis saw familiar face and opportunity with Texas Rangers."