How Pittsburgh Pirates' Acquisition of Ike Davis Gives Them a Complete Lineup

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired a solid hitter Friday when Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported Ike Davis was traded from the New York Mets for Zack Thornton and a player to be named later. 

According to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, Heyman said the player to be named is "fairly significant," meaning this trade could work out nicely for both teams. For now, however, it looks like the Pirates are cashing in on this deal, as they just added a much-needed bat to the lineup. 

Davis, a 27-year-old first baseman, has been very good at times and very bad at others. He blasted 32 home runs for the Mets in 2012 but then went on to hit only nine last season. 

Still, the Pirates have to feel they made the right decision agreeing on this trade, as Davis could fit very well in that lineup. 

Platooning at first base in 2014 are Gaby Sanchez and Travis Ishikawa. Ishikawa got off to a very hot start, but has since seen his batting average fall to .212. 

Sanchez has not seen as much time due to the lack of lefty pitchers in the National League Central Division. In the 27 at-bats he has, however, Sanchez has performed well, blasting three home runs and driving in five runs. 

It is probable Davis will slide right into the slot Ishikawa currently sits in, as Davis is simply the better hitter at this point. 

The Pirates are struggling at the plate as a team, ranking 25th in the league with a .231 batting average.   

Now, they have another dangerous hitter in their lineup, and a trade like this can really get a team going. Davis can hit in almost any spot in the lineup, as his presence will give protection to hitters like Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Russell Martin. 

Perhaps a change of scenery will give Davis the spark he needs to get back to his 2012 form when he was clearly the most powerful batter in the Mets lineup.

As for Pittsburgh, it is getting a player who has shown the potential to be great, and the organization made a smart choice by acquiring him.   

*Statistics Courtesy of Baseball Reference.