Why Was Ryan Church Out Of The Lineup?

As much as I love Willie, sometimes I just have to question his logic. Case in point yesterday’s game against the Cubs…

The Mets have just lost two heart breaking games and they surely needed a win in the finale against the Cubs. Why on earth would you pick that game to rest Ryan Church?

Church is currently one of your best and most consistent bats in the lineup and his defense in rightfield has been superb. He was batting .338 (24-for-71) with two home runs and 11 RBIs, and is second only to David Wright on the team. Was the 29-year old outfielder so fatigued and exhausted that he couldn’t wait until Friday for a day off?

Why not give the struggling and aging Carlos Delgado a day off (or a week) instead? It’s hard to believe his miserable performance has earned him the right to have played in every single game?

If anyone should have been riding the bench yesterday it should have been Delgado. In fact the decision to bench Church rather than Delgado cost the Mets this game. It was the misplays by Pagan in rightfield and Delgado at first base that opened the floodgates for the Cubs.

Furthermore, with the return of Moises Alou on Friday, wouldn’t it have made more sense to give Ryan Church a breather then? At least his right handed bat would have been replaced in the lineup…

You already had regulars Luis Castillo and Brian Schneider out of the lineup, why weaken your lineup any further?

One more thing… When Ryan Church is in the lineup please put him in the two hole so that we can get him more at-bats than Luis Castillo and yes, Carlos Delgado.

Come on Willie! I know you’re a better manager than this…