Ike Davis, first position player to take the mound this season, has future as a ground ball pitcher

Two-hundred and thirty-eight days have passed since Blue Jays infielder Steve Tolleson pitched two-thirds of an inning on Aug. 26, 2014. That's a 238-day drought without a position player pitching in an MLB game. Tuesday night, A's first baseman Ike Davis ended that drought.

Davis took the mound for the eighth inning of the A's 14-1 loss to the Angels, throwing nine pitches and retiring the side:

Though Davis -- who, if this one-inning sample size is any indication, could make it in the Major Leagues as an effective ground ball pitcher -- has never pitched in a professional game before, he did toss 78 innings at Arizona State University. No wonder it was his idea to pitch Tuesday:

Melvin says Davis volunteered to pitch.

- Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) April 22, 2015