MONTREAL —- There won't be a coronation. Terry Collins will take Ike Davis and Lucas Duda aside after Sunday's team workout at Citi Field or perhaps only hours before the first pitch of the Mets' season on Monday and tell one he has the job.
To the loser of the first-base competition goes a seat on the bench with the hope maybe something will change over the ensuing days and weeks.
"They have got to pick the best guy for the job, and that's it," Duda said before the Mets faced the Blue Jays in an exhibition game Friday night at Olympic Stadium. "I am going to be happy for Ike if he's the first baseman and that's the best situation for the Mets."
One notion is the Mets might be more comfortable beginning the season with Davis as the starter because, unlike Duda, he has never been a bench player.
The Mets also might view Duda as the safer pick for the job and therefore want to give Davis a chance to sink or swim early, with the idea they can always revert to Duda if Plan A fails.
On the flip side, if the Mets truly believe Duda is the better option, wouldn't it just be prudent to hand him the job?
Of course, the situation might have been clearer had both players stayed healthy this spring and turned the first-base job into a shoot out. But Davis' calf injuries and Duda's sore hamstring wrecked that plan, turning both players into spectators for most of camp.
"Other than the fact it was cut short, I'm happy with it," Duda said, referring to a spring in which he was batting .200 with two homers and three RBIs in 20 at-bats entering Friday's play. "I am happy with where my swing is at. I am excited for the season to begin."
Davis, who was batting .259 with two homers and seven RBIs in 27 at-bats this spring, indicated his mindset hasn't changed with the finish-line in sight.
"It's the same as before," Davis said. "Nothing has changed."
In recent days, general manager Sandy Alderson has said he expects to begin the season with both Davis and Duda on the roster. Eventually, one could get sent to Triple-A Las Vegas or traded to create roster flexibility.
Collins pointed to a thick binder on his desk as a tool that may find playing time for the loser of the competition – there are certain games the manager will pick a starter based on the match ups. That doesn't include the playing time Josh Satin figures to receive at first base against many lefties.
"I think if you're going to get production in the lineup out of those guys, somehow you've got to figure out how to get them playing time," Collins said.
In the manager's view, Davis and Duda have shown a willingness to break old habits that previously haunted them. In Davis' case that has meant quieting the hitch in his swing. And Duda has used the entire field, as the Mets have preached.
"One of the things I liked that I saw was the adjustments that both of them made to correct some of the things we thought they had to change to be better hitters," Collins said. "I thought both of them did that, so I was anxious to see what the results would be with multiple at-bats, if they continued to get it going and make the adjustments as pitchers adjusted to them."
But Collins' hopes were dashed by the injuries that kept both players sidelined for most of the spring.
Even with Duda's hamstring problems, Collins hasn't ruled out the possibility the lumbering first baseman could play occasionally in the outfield.
Duda spent the first 2 1/2 months of last season as the starting left fielder.
"If the time comes where you can't get either of them out of the lineup, you certainly have to consider running Lucas out there somehow," Collins said.
Duda said he wouldn't mind it.
"Whatever the situation is, I will embrace it," he said. "I have to get better."
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