Ike Davis to meet Mets in Florida; surgery still uncertain

Ike Davis hasn't felt any pain after running the past few days and is expected to meet the Mets in Florida later this week to begin baseball activities.

"Obviously it's a really good sign," Terry Collins said, before adding that there still is no determination on whether Davis needs to undergo surgery.

The manager said the next step is to see how the first baseman's ankle responds after taking batting practice swings and fielding grounders.

General manager Sandy Alderson said on Monday that the team will make a decision on surgery before Labor Day.

But his assistant, John Ricco, said before Wednesday's Mets-Marlins game at Citi Field that Sept. 5 wasn't a "drop-dead date."

"We're going to use the fact that we're playing down there as an opportunity to have our staff look at him and we'll make a decision at that time," Ricco said. "We're probably going to have him continue his rehab at our complex. Since we're so close it makes sense to have him drive down there, but we'll see. There's a lot that can happen even between now and then."

Davis has been on the disabled list since May 11 with a bone bruise and cartilage damage inside the left ankle.

Asked if it's better Davis has surgery or not, Ricco said: "On the medical side I'm not sure, but I think it's generally considered better if you don't have to have surgery. An invasive procedure like that, you'd like to avoid if you could. I think it's always been deemed a positive if he doesn't need to have surgery. It means he's healing on his own."