Tag Archives: Ryan Church

Ryan Church had an MRI yesterday that did not reveal a tear in his right hamstring, according to SNY.

Church told reporters yesterday that he is feeling a lot better than he did over the weekend in Boston.

That said, Omar Minaya told reporters the team is still considering whether to put Church on the disabled list, while saying Mets 20–year-old prospect Fernando Martinez could be among Church’s possible replacements.

“I want to be there,” Martinez told the Buffalo News.  “I don’t know when, but I hope pretty soon.”

…i want to see martinez as much as the next Mets fan, believe me… however, if church is put on the disabled list, that roster spot has to be used to promote someone who can play shortstop… or, just put Ramon Martinez on the disabled list, too, and promote fernando and Jonathan Malo at the same time…

Martinez is batting .291 with 25 extra base hits, 28 RBI and a .337 OBP in all 42 games for the Bisons this season, during which he has struck roughly 18 percent of the time. 

“The guy, for 20 years old, is just mature,” Triple-A manager Ken Oberkfell told the News.  “He knows how to play the game.”

Tagged Ryan Church |

The good news is Francisco Rodriguez jogged out to the bullpen today and warmed up, hours after collapsing from back spasms that sent him the hospital.

That said, following today’s game, Jose Reyes told reporters that his leg is still not feeling good, and said there is ‘no chance’ he will start tomorrow.

What’s more, Ramon Martinez was removed from today’s game in the eighth inning with back pain, Jerry Manuel explained.

According to Manuel, he considered starting Fernando Tatis at shortstop today, suggesting he could turn to Tatis tomorrow in place of Martinez and Reyes.

Meanwhile, prior to the game, Manuel said it is possible Ryan Church could be put on the disabled list, as he will have his sore right hamstring examined tomorrow.

Church also said he is experiencing pain his right hip.

…seriously, at what point does Omar Minaya step in and help manuel out, who is playing so short-handed right now, it would not shock me to get a call that i’m on deck to hit… i mean, omar, give the guy the tools he needs…

…from what i can gather, the Mets are reluctant to promote a player like Ruben Tejada or Jonathan Malo, because they are not on the 40–man roster… that said, manuel basically has two guys available on his bench at this point, and one is his back-up catcher… unreal…

By the way, Nationals 1B Nick Johnson was a late scratch today due to ‘stomach discomfort,’ according to the Steve Yanda of the Washington Post, who writes:

When you first heard that Johnson had been scratched from the starting lineup at the last minute, how many of you figured he had been traded… That was the consensus up in the press box. Turns out, Johnson is still a member of the Nationals… Manny Acta said Johnson should be ready to play tomorrow at New York.”

…honestly, at this point, if the Mets make a sudden trade, i bet it’s for an all-purpose infield type, like a Mark DeRosa, before it’s a one-position solution… or, minaya should trade for Ben Casey…

Tagged Nationals, Ryan Church |

Francisco Rodriguez told reporters he is feeling better today, and will decide after treatment whether he will be available to pitch today in Boston.

Rodriguez missed yesterday’s game with back spasms, and then went to the hospital following the game.

Meanwhile, according to the Daily News, “Ryan Church will be examined by team doctors in New York on Monday, and hopes to get a definitive idea of what’s ailing him and whether he will need to go to the disabled list.”

Lastly, Jose Reyes will again miss today’s game with tendinitis in his right leg, with Ramon Martinez starting at shortstop.

Tagged Ryan Church |

Yesterday, like I did on MetsBlog.com, talk radio and print media spent much of the day asking similar questions about whether there is a riff between Jerry Manuel and Ryan Church.

“I don’t have a rift with anybody on the team,” Manuel explained to reporters from Los Angeles yesterday.  “There is a certain level of play that you demand from all of your players regardless of who it is.”

According to Manuel, Church plays a critical role on the Mets, especially now that Carlos Delgado will be out of the lineup for 10 weeks.

“Ryan is a good player, and I like Ryan,” Manuel said, pointing out that he spends extra time with Church in the batting cage in hopes of helpping to develop his power.  “I probably spent more time with Ryan over the last week more than I have any player.  I’ve been throwing to him for days.”

In response to whether Church is ‘in the doghouse,’ Manuel said:

“I do not have a dog house.  I have little dogs.  If you’re in my dog house, you’re doing good, because I love dogs.  My dog house would probably be if you’re in Triple-A or something.  That’s a doghouse down there.  But a big-league dog house?  Come on, man, how you gonna have a dog house in the big leagues?  You got a suite.”

…from what i have been told, manuel believes church is the type of player who needs constant attention and who needs to be pushed from behind to remain focused, and so manuel has made a point since spring training to do so… and this may be getting misunderstood by fans and reporters who do not fully understand or know what their relationship is about…

Tagged Ryan Church |

In one of the more painful moments of the season, Ryan Church missed third base last night, while rounding the bag on his way to scoring what could have been the go-ahead run.

However, Joe Torre immediately called to the umpire for an appeal, who called Church out for stepping in front of the base – not on it.

To me, it looked like Church knew he goofed up, as he sheepishly looked over his shoulder while limping back to the dugout.

“I thought I touched it.  I thought I did,” Church said from his locker following the game.  “That’s why I kept going.  If I had any doubt I would have stopped.  I just feel terrible for not being able to touch the bag.  It’s a simple thing to do.  I didn’t do it.”

…yes, we know you thought you touched third… that’s the point… you thought you did, but you didn’t… ugh…

The other newsworthy element, though, is that Manuel essentially left Church out to dry – first, by not arguing the call, and later by not defending his actions during the post-game talk with reporters as he normally will do.

Honestly, I never bought in to the popular talk that said, ‘Manuel is no fan of Church,’ which started in spring training.  However, it’s hard to deny it following last night’s events.  I mean, Manuel literally turned his back on Church when he entered the dugout after the play.  Crazy.

Manuel clearly has no issue with arguing calls.  He does it a lot.  At minimum, he jogs out to clarify, last week he bumped the ump.  Yet, last night with Church, he did nothing.  Why?  Did he take his cue from Church’s body language, which suggested the ump would be right?  Did Razor Shines signal weigh out?  Or, did Manuel essentially quit on Church, for the final time?  If so, why?  What’s Manuel’s beef with Church, who’s hitting .276 with just eight RBI?

Here’s the thing, whatever the reason, something isn’t right, and this may end up being the beginning of the end of Church’s time in New York – especially since Angel Pagan is hitting, and with so many other options on the bench.

Mike Francesa, do you have anything to add?  I bet you do. 

Tagged Ryan Church |

Ryan Church will start in right field, but will bat eighth in the batting order.

Jose Reyes will bat leadoff, followed in order by Luis Castillo, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, David Wright, Daniel Murphy, Omir Santos, Church and Jon Niese

Church is hitless in his last last 10 at bats, and is batting .128 since April 17.

Tagged Ryan Church |

In the sixth inning, Ryan Church misread a routine fly-ball in right field, it hit the ground and rolled to the wall, allowing Padres hitter Luis Rodriguez to reach third base – two batters later he eventually scored the deciding run on a balk.

Church told reporters it was all his fault, and had nothing to do with the complicated dimensions in right field, saying, “It had nothing to do with the ballpark… I froze, did the blind turn, saw the ball peeling, and just couldn’t get there.”

…Daniel Murphy made a similar slip-up on Sunday, when he dropped a pop-up in San Diego that also led to the decisive run… in fact, last night, at home, when murphy caught a routine pop up with two hands, the crowd cheered loudly, nearly giving a standing ovation, in sarcasm… murphy smiled and tipped his hat to the crowd… good sport…

“Errors are going to happen,” David Wright told reporters following the game, when asked about Church’s mistake.  “Right now, it seems like we’re a little off.”

Tagged Ryan Church |

In St. Lucie last month, I talked with Ryan Church about what it means to ‘hit the other way,’ and how a batter makes such an adjustment, on the fly, within seconds, to be successful.

To watch the video of our disucssion, click play below:

In this video, Church talks with me about:

• How to hit the ball the other way.
• Why to hit the ball the other way.
• The purpose of Jerry Manuel’s ‘extreme,’ 80–pitch, batting drill.
• The up-beat, team-first message and attitude in camp.

Here’s a quick sample, from the final Q&A:

• Matthew Cerrone: It seems like they’re preaching discipline and focus a lot.  The camp feels a lot like a youth practice, there’s a lot of energy, a lot of cheering each other on, compared to last year – is that something that’s coming from Jerry and the coaches?
• Ryan Church: Yeah, it is, they’re trying to instill that in us.  Obviously, it’s working.  I think the biggest thing with that drill it really gets you to feel, when you’re exhausted and tired mentally, what can you do when you’re that tired.  I think that’s the biggest thing, getting back to concentrating, and, you know, when we get to that 60 or 70 pitch mark you may roll over on a ball, because I’m tired, and you’re trying to force it.  Instead, you tell yourself to relax, the ball gets deep and you go the other way.

For more additional Mets videos, go here.

Tagged Ryan Church |

Mike Pelfrey has picked Kansas University to win the NCAA Tournament, and J.J Putz picked Duke, while David Wright and Ryan Church each picked the University of North Carolina.

… i have no idea who i am picking…

…i have a crazy, intricate, tendency-based system i use for the same pool with the same people every year, which has put me in at least the Top 6 of 500 people during each of the last four seasons… now, i’m feeling a ton of pressure… and i don’t like it…

Tagged Mike Pelfrey, Ryan Church |

Angel Pagan was sent to New York for an MRI exam on his sore right elbow.

On the flip side, Luis Castillo is back in today’s lineup, after resting the last two games with a sore hamstring – as is Ryan Church, who missed the last few games with a bruised knee.

The Mets face the Univ. of Michigan in a split-squad game today at Tradition Field, which you can listen to here.

Tim Redding and Freddy Garcia are scheduled to pitch.

Meanwhile, Livan Hernandez will travel with Church to Viera to take on the Nationals, which you can listen to on WFAN.

Lastly, for a recap on how Mets players did in the World Baseball Classic yesterday, go to Hot Foot.

By the way, for the curious, Pudge Rodriguez went 4 for 4 with a double and two home runs, and Pedro Martinez pitched three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

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