As noted last night, Jerry Manuel told reporters yesterday that Ryan Church 
will likely return to the Mets for tonight’s game.
According to Manuel, Church could start in right field tonight and Saturday, while getting a day off on Sunday.
Manuel explained that Fernando Tatis will see less playing time, given Church’s pending return, while Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans will continue to split time in left field.
Manuel, speaking about Church, to reporters, yesterday afternoon, said:
“He was a very good player for us for a while. Probably our best player for a period of time. So I’d
like to see him get back to that level…(Murphy and Evans) will stay in left field and Tatis will probably spell Ryan in right field against left-handed pitchers to keep him sharp. You’ll have two or three ways to choose from, depending on who gets hot or who has a good matchup.”
Tatis, who is batting .246 in his last 70 at bats, later told reporters that he is fine with whatever way Manuel chooses to make out the lineup, adding, “Whatever is good for Church is good for me.”
I like this, because, out of all the players in this scenario, Tatis has shown the ability to hit from the bench, which is not as easy as most people would like to think it is.
In 15 pinch-hit at bats this year, Tatis is hitting .333 with two RBI.
{ 39 comments }
any word on who goes down? Cancel?
I say Cancel for Church
and
Reyes for Castillo
all done by tonite
why would you send a.reyes down for that bum castillo? just have him sent to st. lucie for rehab game until sept 1st callups..
Castillo is a jinx. He stays in the bathroom.
Because Castillo is better. Hits the ball twice as far..gets on base twice as much..
hits the ball twice as far in to a infield pop-up. Atleast a.reyes gets a base hit once in awhile and has played better defense.
Gets on base once in a while? The guy had to have a career game to get his OBP over .300. It’s at .303 right now. 62 POINTS LOWER THAN CASTILLO.
Do you guys ever research what you say at all?
you must be smoking something to want castillo the cancer back in any way, shape or form.
At least I can read stats.
he’s a mush, GET IN THEQ BATHROOOOOM
Is Lugo still on the roster? Can we send him down instead of a reyes? Lugo hasn’t done anything, and I like having reyes around, he shows good D
Lugo’s been gone for quite awhile. I think he went down for Stokes.
Lugo is long gone, went down when Maine came off the DL, I think… or when Stokes came up.
I think they’ll keep Cancel, that way they could bring up a 4th catcher just to have around.
Gustavo Molina is still on the 40 man roster…
If they send down Cancel now they can call up Molina on Sept 1st meaning they wont have to wait the full 10 days for a 3rd catcher to return.
no doubt we will see both on the team when the AAA season ends as they will have about 20 pitchers on the team to choose from. Got to have someone to catch them all…
church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LIKE TATIS’ ATTITUDE.
i have liked his addition to this team from the start.
he has done everything the team has asked and he has become a big part of the team.
sny caught cameras caught a glimpse of his enthusiam in the runway after the game last night.
no reason why he can’t contribute to the mets in a part time role for next couple of years — he’s still a young man.
one of the good moves on minaya’s ledger.
Yep, he has a winning attitude that is contagious.
The 2008 Jose Valentin, if you will.
Church on Friday! Wow I have waited for this day for so long.
Tatis = team player.
He is just so happy to have a Major League job, he’d pitch if the team asked him to.
He reminds me A LOT of Jose Valentin in 2006. Winning teams always seem to have players like this.
Another Platoon!!! Wow so the only one that isnot part of a platoon or starter will be endy and he plays every day closing in theoutfield
Try to guess tonight’s lineup
J Reyes
Murphy
Wright
Delgado
Beltran
Church
Easley (god career numbers vs Oswalt and brak up lefties)
Schneider
Santana
Looks correct to me
I think for now he may have Church in the 2 spot to see if he can jump start him.
I’m thinking reyes at second against the righty
1 Reyes
2. Reyes
3.Wrighrt
4 Delgado
5 Beltran
6. Church
7. Murphy
8. Schneider.
ding ding ding your are correct
“which is not as easy as most people would like to think it is.”
Who said it was easy?
I did.
Daniel Murphy says its easy ;)
“Pinch hitting is easy” -Lenny Harris
I’m starting to feel good about the depth of the team. I’m more than fine with going with corner OF platoons. Can you imagine if we had this kind of depth in 2006, especially in the playoffs? We were relying on Julio Franco, an injured Cliff Floyd, Michael Tucker?
Well actually Chavez was in for Floyd and Green started in right….but depth never hurt anyone!
i like this idea, it keeps our injury prone outfield fresh, while keeping them sharp as both corner outfield spots are platooned.
good things for the mets to come.
does anyone know the particulars of tatis’ contract? is he locked up for next year? i want to see him back next year, he definitely deserves it
And, so far so good for Ayala. He may not be a ‘Top Flight” releiver at this point in his career but you have to like the way he goes after hitters. So refreshing to see a releiver that’s not afraid to go after hitters, he’s no “Nibbler”.
I was at Tuesday’s game and the crowd cheered when his first pitch made Infante hit the deck.
More pitchers should be doing this. Ayala deserved more praise for that – it was a gutsy but obvious move.
The bullpen was very good during the Atlanta series, let’s hope that keeps up. I don’t want to be greedy, but since the ‘Stros swept us in their park, I think the Mets should be looking sweep here. Keep the pressure on Philly, extend their lead in the division, and maybe knock the Marlins out of this thing.
This is a big series, and I’m really happy that Church is back. Even if he doesn’t play well (and I don’t think we can really expect him to), it’s a huge lift for the team mentally to have one of their studs back.
Lets Go Mets!
Does this mean that Marlon Anderson is not coming back at all this season? (not like he did much when he was in!!!)
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