Comments on: Quote: Church is my Right Fielder

By: PhillyMet

PhillyMet — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:00:52 +0000

Actually, I do like Church overall and the trade was a good one. However, I also agree that Delgado is the biggest question mark, which is why I said Church is not the biggest “if”. A return-to-form Delgado will cancel a out most of the other “ifs”. You need an RBI guy behind the top 4 guys.

By: sylvan

sylvan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:19:43 +0000

I know we all have rose-tinted memories of Nady, but Church is already significantly better than him. Nady has never hit anywhere close to 40 doubles, and he certainly can’t match Church’s defensive skill or plate discipline.

By: ravi3

ravi3 — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:08:13 +0000

I was thinking about Murton last night, when I read that the Cubs would look to move him if they got Johnson…I think it would be a fantastic move by Omar to acquire him…I checke out his statline last night, and he does very well against the lefties, and as a two way player would be a very good addition to the team…hopefully the Mets have the pieces to get him…Gotay would likely have to be in the package, however.

By: sylvan

sylvan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:56:20 +0000

Of course, Church’s 84 RBIs came in the “watching your Washington Nationals teammates fail to get on base over and over” spot…and in 150 fewer ABs. He’s not chopped liver, is all I’m sayin’.

By: gameball

gameball — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:38:52 +0000

Of course Jose’s 81 RBIs came in the leadoff spot.

By: gameball

gameball — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:35:30 +0000

Funny thing, I read about Joe Smith, how he was disappointed that the EA Sports computer-simulated Joe Smith threw a straight, four-seam fastball, and not his sinking two-seamer. Ryan Church, who homered off the pitch at Shea last year, hears this and says “It may come in two-seam, but it goes out four-seam.”

By: sylvan

sylvan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:07:29 +0000

Ryan Church’s career away stats, outside of the hitter’s death trap that is RFK stadium:

498 AB
41 2B
19 HR
84 RBI
52 BB
.279 / .355 / .484

It actually looks very similar to Jose Reyes’s 2006 line, except in 150 fewer AB, and of course without all the stolen bases. Reyes hit .300 / .354 / .487 with 19 HR, 81 RBI and 53 BB.

By: TugTheMan

TugTheMan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:54:06 +0000

Funny thing is that Church is not my biggest concern with less than a week to go. Church will be a fine RF, nothing outstanding but fine. I could see him at the end of the year giving us a average of .275 to .280 with about 15 to 20 homers and 75 to 80 rbis. And that would be fine because he wasnt brought in for offense alone..his D will be huge.

However with that said I’m really more concerned with Degado. If Delgado does not come through and start hitting close what he was before last year, then the offense has a problem. And I’m not asking for 40homers and 120 rbis, but rather 25-30 with 100rbis and as a batter that is respected/feared in a lineup.
If last year’s Del shows then that puts the weight on guys Church who are the supporting cast members not the lead.

By: Mister Koo

Mister Koo — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:13:45 +0000

We’ll see how it goes. I’m not expecting him to put up huge numbers or anything. I just think he is capable of a modest improvement where he can put up Nady-type production (20 home runs, 40 doubles) and good defense.

By: PhillyMet

PhillyMet — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:09:02 +0000

Church is one of the many “ifs” at the bottom of the lineup, but not tthe biggest. With Alou out, they are extremely top-heavy offensively. If Beltran is not getting RBIs, who’s gonna pick them up after him?

I love the way the pitching is panning out going into April, but I feel that depending on Pagan/Endy, Church and Schnieder at the bottom of this order is dicey. I do lean on the hope that one of these guys can get hot early and we can ride them.

My hope is that the rotation carries this team through the first 6 weeks and Alou can come back strong in mid-May.