#624) KANE DAVIS

The New York Mets acquired Kane Davis from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Corey Brittan on February 21, 2001. The hard-throwing right-hander was brought in to provide depth to the Mets bullpen. He made his Mets debut on April 3, 2002. Davis gave up a hit and struck out a batter in his 1/3-inning performance at Shea Stadium facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Elbow problems that had plagued him the previous season in Colorado had returned. At the beginning of March he received a cortisone shot in his right elbow. It reduced the inflammation, and Davis had some success initially. Kane struck out 24 batters in just 14 innings of work. By his last game on May 12th, his ERA had rose to 7.07 and something was obviously wrong. An MRI determined a tear in the flexor tendon. The team suggested the best course of action was rest. "I'm done with cortisone shots," Davis said. "All they do is mask the pain. The next time it happens, I just want to get it fixed and be done with it."

Season-ending surgery was performed on July 9, 2002. He was granted free agency at the end of the year and returned to pitching with the Iowa Cubs in 2003. Davis has been a part of several teams in the independent Atlantic League throughout the later years of his professional baseball career.

Kane Davis signed his card in the set for my friend, Lou before the Lancaster Barnstormers and Long Island Ducks game at Suffolk Sports Park in Central Islip, New York on May 11, 2010.