21
2009
Why Are The Mets Making Life Miserable For Church?
An article by 
I think everyone understands what signing Gary Sheffield was going to mean for Ryan Church. Obviously based on how much Sheffield has accomplished in his career, we all knew it would lead to some complications in terms of finding playing time for everyone.
That said, it was still tough to see one of our hottest hitters riding the bench last weekend and at some point I believe it’s going to come to a boiling point.
I believe the Mets are a better team when Ryan Church is in the lineup, but I’m not sure if the Mets feel the same way.
At the beginning of Spring Training, Manuel made the announcement that Murphy would play everyday in leftfield and that Tatis may platoon with Church in rightfield. Church was taken back by the suggestion and Manuel needed to speak to him and it still didn’t wipe the frustration from his face.
Church had a solid spring and any talk of him being platooned was now a distant memory until they boarded a plant to New York and found out that Gary Sheffield had been signed. Sheffield was not in any condition to play in the outfield yet, so Church went out and became the teams hottest hitter through their first nine games.
In an article by Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post this morning, he writes:
You wouldn’t think the Mets’ talented right fielder would need much defending, what with Church ranking among the NL leaders in batting average, on-base percentage, multi-hit games and doubles so far this season.
Oh, and that misplay at Citi Field last week against the Padres notwithstanding, the guy wields a pretty mean glove and throwing arm.
There seems to be a certain disconnect between Jerry Manuel and Ryan Church. It was the topic of conversation this afternoon by Eddie Coleman who was a guest of Mike Francesa this afternoon. Coleman is puzzled by the situation as well.
So why the hate coming from Jerry Manuel and the Mets’ front office?
Why sit him for Gary Sheffield in Sunday’s finale against the Brewers at Citi Field against right-hander Jeff Suppan, when all the lefty Church is doing this season is raking against righties (.387)?
It’s a great question and ironically in that same game, Church was later brought in to pinch hit a against a lefthander and struck out on three pitches.
Hubbuch ponders that the Mets have some resentment toward Church stemming from last years handling of his post concussion syndrome. But I disagree and believe there’s more to it than that. Sometimes personalities just don’t mesh and I think that could be the problem although I’m sure none would admit to it.
Church currently ranks among the NL leaders in batting average, on-base percentage, multi-hit games and doubles so far this season. He is hitting .333 against southpaws and looks much like the same player who the was the team’s MVP the first two months of the season last year before the concussion.
I just hope they can iron this thing out before things get out of hand. I really like Church and I wish they would just play him in rightfield everyday so we can get a good sense of what he can do over the course of a full season.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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I agree, just let Church play. He’s putting together nice offensive numbers and is well above average defensively. Sheff was a good player, but if it is true that he will accept a lesser role, then let him pinch hit and spot start end of story.
Iv’e been saying this for weeks. Personally, I think Manuel cant stand the guy. Trade him and Niese for a solid starting pitcher and promote F-Mart.
I wouldn’t mind seeing F-Mart with the big club but, if he’s going to be on the team, he needs to play everyday and not sit on the bench.
Church and Niese for Bedard.
I agree about trading Church. The mets dont want him, but at least a dozen teams would love him. Let the F-Mart era begin.
He’s in the lineup tonight!
The Church thing reminds me a little of when they had Lastings Milledge. I’m not saying that they should of kept him or that he’s going to be a great talent, but the organization just seemed to dump on him the whole time he was there.
Another thing, you dumped on Francesa pretty hard recently Joe D, but it looks like he was right on the Church thing. Francesa said Church wasn’t happy as a Met and there has to be some truth to that seeing as how they’ve treated him lately.
Ken, you might be right.
Yes, by all means lets get rid of a good solid rightfielder in favor of a 40 year old “has been” or a rookie who despite being a “can’t miss” is still down in the minors. It would be just like the Mets to get rid of him and then be embarassed when he comes back to haunt them. Memo to the Church hater(s) in the front office: Leave hime alone and let him play. Maybe we will all be surprised.
If they trade Ryan Church to give washed-up Sheffield more playing time, and to bring up a kid who has done ZERO in the minors the last 2 years except get hurt, I’m going to be furious.
We’ve got a guy in right field who is a potential gold glover, with an absolute CANNON for an arm, who is a doubles machine, and who during the early part of last season when NOBODY was playing hard, played so hard for us that he got his head scrambled.
Sheffield, other than his one homer, has done zero in every opportunity he’s had. This team doesn’t have time to wait for him to find a groove he may never find, and which may have been aided by a mysterious cream at some point.
I can smell a trade coming soon.
It’s strange how the Mets are quick to sit Church who has shown he is a productive leader on the team, while at the same time riding with Murphy who although playing well at bat is green in LF. They should have this the other way around. Church should be playing every day and Murphy resting with special coaching attention for OF defense or even putting in a spell at Buffalo for awhile. Church should not be traded and, if he is, it will come back to bite the Mets in the tail. Jerry Manuel is showing a lot of deficiencies as field mgr in my opinion.
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