Mets and 1B/OF Lucas Duda avoided arbitration Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.6375 million contract. Duda requested $1.9 million and was offered $1.35 million from the Mets when arbitration figures were exchanged last Friday, so the two sides settled for a little over the midpoint. Ike Davis is still with the Mets despite being mentioned in trade rumors all winter, so Duda projects to begin the season as a backup first baseman/corner outfielder and left-handed bench bat.