Results tagged ‘ Ryan Church ’
Outfielder Swap
It proves how bad your team is doing when they trade a player for virtually himself. That’s what the Mets did yesterday. They traded Ryan Church for Jeff Francoeur. The only major difference is that Church is lefty and Francoeur is righty. They say Francoeur has a better arm but Church has a cannon too. Also, Francoeur is younger and they hope he can become a big star. I say that won’t happen. He is 25, the Braves thought he was the next Mickey Mantle, but he has been mediocre the last two years. The Mets made this deal for the sake of making a deal. They wanted to shake things up. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it. I’ll see how I like it after it pans out.
Do Not Trade Beltran
There have been some rumors popping up over the Internet that the Mets are considering trading Carlos Beltran. One rumor is him to the Yankees for Robinson Cano and two pitching prospects, one of them probably Ian Kennedy.
But as far as I am concerned, Carlos Beltran is the best defensive outfielder in all of the Majors and he is in the top 10 offensive outfielders. As much as people want the Mets to make a trade and as much as you could get for Beltran trading him is not the answer. There are already enough outfield problems as there is and trading Beltran not only would open up another hole out there but it would lose an outfield mentor for Daniel Murphy. With Church injury prone and Murphy/Evans inexperienced and Moises Alou (if he can come back) is not going to be a good defender at all.
People are saying that there is not enough power at the bottom of the lineup. Well trading Beltran would remove power from the top of the lineup too. And Beltran is a quiet leader. In the dugout and the clubhouse he is a guy younger players look up too and he can get real fiery in a competitive spirit. Remember when Jimmy Rollins said last year the Phillies were the team to beat? At the beginnning of this year Beltran said at the end of an interview, “and to Jimmy Rollins this year the Mets are the team to beat”. This sparked a fire between the Phillies and Mets and there were rumors that the two teams would have a brawl on April 9 (the Mets home opener). There was no brawl (I was looking forward to it and Chase Utley breaking his neck and missing the season!) but teammates never looked at Carlos the same way.
Carlos Beltran is important to this team. You can’t trade him. You need to stick with what you have and don’t trade anybody. Release guys like Heilman and Luis Castillo and build from the ground up with your prospects like Eddie Kunz and Bobby Parnell.
I guess whoever sparked this rumor also has too much time on there hands (see previous post).
Al Reyes, Ryan Church, and Luis Castillo
The Mets signed Al Reyes to a minor league contract the other day. He was released by the Rays earlier this year. Reyes will report to AA and will probably be called up later this year. He won’t be the Mets closer solution (Wagner should be back in 3 weeks) but he can still help the bullpen.
Ryan Church was finally taken off the DL and is starting tonight’s game in right field. He will share a right-lefty platoon with Fernando Tatis. Robinson Cancel was sent down.
Luis Castillo will be taken off the DL tomorrow, since his 20 day rehab stint is over. The Mets don’t want to do it, but they are forced to. Chances are Brian Stokes will be sent down, because Argenis Reyes has done such a great job.
This is What Makes Jerry Manuel Successful
We were all holding our breaths last night, just waiting to see Joe Smith or Pedro Feliciano blow the save. When Eddie Kunz didn’t come in during the ninth inning I thought Jerry Manuel was off his rocker. But it worked. Just like all of the wierd moves he makes for no apparent reason, it worked. And that is what makes Manuel a success as a manager. He makes all the right moves, and he has a great presence in the clubhouse. All of the players respect him, and they all have a great relationship with him, but he isn’t afraid to get down and dirty when need be. Jerry Manuel takes a situation where you have one everyday outfielder, no second baseman, a backstop that is constantly taking turns getting hurt, and a pitching staff that is never has a full 5-man rotation, and he scraps together a playoff-calibur team with a bunch of no-names. Incredible.
2 trades were made in the past days. Adam Dunn was shipped to the D-Backs for 2 players to be named later. There are rumors that Micah Owings might be one of them. And Paul Byrd was traded to the Red Sox for a player to be named later or cash. I say neither trade will have an impact, because I predict the Dodgers winning the NL West, the Rays winning the AL East, and the Twins winning the AL Wild Card.
Gary Sheffield was placed on waivers after complaining he doesn’t like his DH platoon role in Detroit. Should the Mets place a claim? I don’t think so. Sheffield has an option for 2009 in his contract, and with Fernando Martinez around the corner, and the emergence of Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans, the Mets just need a rental. Sheffield also has a history of ruining the team chemistry, which throughout the bullpen woes and hitting slumps, remains the Mets high point. I say stick to what you have now. Let the prospects show what they can do in a pennant race, it will have to happen sooner or later. Ryan Church should be back soon so there really is nothing to do. When Wagner comes back the bullpen should be solid again, so I say no worries.
One last note, John Maine was taken off the DL and the Mets optioned down to AAA Carlos Muniz. Maine will start tonight and there is a possibility that he will then move to the bullpen, although I say the Mets rotation will stay intact.
Stokes to Start Tonight
It was announced yesterday that former Devil Ray Brian Stokes will get the ball tonight in the spot start of John Maine, who is ready to come off the DL soon. When asked why top prospect Jon Niese was not chosen, GM Omar Minaya said it was because he didn’t want to call up Niese for one game and then have to protect him on the 40-man roster. I agree with this reasoning, but there was also the point of the Marlins having a mostly right-handed lineup against a lefty Niese. Nice move, Omar. Now lets wait and see if you are proven an airhead again tonight.
In other news, Brian Giles was almost traded to the Red Sox, but he vetoed the deal, because San Diego is his home town. Could this perhaps mean that the Mets picking him up are slim? Even if Giles would allow a trade to New York, I doubt it would happen. Ryan Church was just cleared by doctors to play baseball again, and he will work out with the Mets tonight. I am thinking he will be in the lineup by this time next week, but there is still no timetable on his return.
And by the way, I am stunned by Aaron Heilman’s 6-up-6-down save performance last night. This guy is waaaaaaaay too inconsistent, and Brandon Eddy of metsblog.com threw around the idea of Heilman starting again. If neither Pedro Martinez or Oliver Perez return, I don’t see why Heilman can’t get a shot in Spring Training.
Some More Trading
I was going to post an entry earlier this morning, but something told me to wait. Now I know why.
First off, let me talk about the Nady trade. That’s right, Xavier Nady was traded to the Yankees last night along with LHP Damaso Marte for 4 minor leaguers, including Ross Ohlendorf. What does this meaan for the Mets? I say its actually a good thing. From the way things were looking, the Mets were nowhere near to making a deal with the Pirates for Nady, and I completely gave up all hope that they would about 4 days ago. The benifit for the Mets here is that some other NL club, like the Braves, who aren’t dead yet, didn’t get him, so they won’t have to deal with him.
The next trade had a bit of a bigger impact for the Mets. The Dodgers acquired IF/OF Casey Blake for 2 minor leaguers earlier today. Blake was on the list for possible outfielders for the Mets, but not anymore I guess. Raul Ibanez, Jaun Rivera, Adam Dunn, and Mark Kotsay still remain available, but Omar Minaya said yesterday that he doesn’t plan to make a big move. I think Dunn would be a great fit for the Mets, who could definitely use a little more power, but I don’t thikn the Mets could afford to give up the prospects for him.
And lastly Anthony Reyes. The once-top-prospect-but-now-lowly-regarded pitcher was sold to the Cleveland Indians. The Mets, along with the Phillies and Braves, had expressed some interest in the righty, but any talks that happened were quickly put aside as not serious.
At this point, I would say if the Mets do make a trade, it would be for Padres OF Brian Giles. Giles used to be in the Mets organization, but was traded for Jason Bay (I forget, if anybody could just jog my memory I would appreciate it). With Ryan Church just recently cleared for light activites, I think this would be a great acquisition for the Mets because I think Church is not ready to come back. I think he is going to get hurt again, so any outfield coverage at this point would be nice. There is no way Chavez and Tatis can keep this up for 2 (hopefully 3) more months
Various Entries from Abroad
I was going to make an entry a couple days ago, but my Internet wasn’t working very well. Sorry.
I was going to post about the All-Star Game, but since that news is old already, I’ll just say this. The NL team lost for reasons out of its control. Let me first say that both managers managed an extremely good game. But it all comes down to 1) Corey Hart not deserving to be an All-Star, he should have gotten Morneau out at the plate, I actually think he was out but there should have been a better throw and 2) the NL was down a pitcher. While the AL had the required 12, the NL’s Tim Lincecum had a flu and couldn’t play. Brad Lidge did not need to pitch 2 innings. He is not that kind of pitcher.
Omar Minaya, you need to make a deal RIGHT NOW! The Phillies just traded 3 minor league prospects for Oakland’s Joe Blanton. Blanton is only 5-11 this year, but his contract has his locked up through 2010. Time is running out, and so are the starters on the market. Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez got hurt again in his rehab start, so don’t expect him. Pedro Martinez will miss his scheduled start on Sunday, but he should pitch Tuesday. Outfield should be fine, as Ryan Church should be back around the series against the Cardinals. Angel Pagan, though, may need season-ending surgery. Tatis and Chavez continue to play great ball, so even if Church and Pagan can’t come back, I’m not too concerned. And with the way Argenis Reyes and Damion Easley are playing, Luis Castillo will stay on the DL.
Another trade was made Thursday, although it won’t affect the Mets as much. Tony Clark was sent to the D-Backs to Minor League pitcher Evan Scribner. Big deal.
The Yankees signed Richie Sexson to a deal for the rest of the year. He is getting payed only 150K, so why not go for it?
The current 10 game winning streak is the Mets’ first since 1991. Now they try and get only the fifth 11 game winning streak in club history. John Maine takes the rubber against Bronson Arroyo and the Reds. This should be a good test for Maine, as lefty sluggers Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn can hit the long ball. Maine has given up 10 homers this year, only less than Johan Santana and Oliver Perez on the Mets.
Super Subs to the Rescue!
Moises Alou: DL! Ryan Church: DL! Luis Castillo: DL! Have no fear! The Super Subs are here!
Introducing: Fernando Tatis: Left Field! Endy Chavez: Right Field! Damion Easley: Second Base! Argenis Reyes: Second Base! Ramon Castro: Catcher!
These “bench” players have all made Omar Minaya look like an idiot! Argenis Reyes is having a great first week as a rookie. He could be the future second baseman. And Damion Easley is on a tear! His 12 game hit streak helped to get to this 9 game win streak. These guys make the Luis Castillo 3 year extension look horrrible (as if it didn’t already)!
And how about Tatis and Chavez? Tatis (here’s a guy who was retired for 2 years!) has been hitting in the clutch, and I think the Mets would have lost somewhere along the line if he wasn’t playing like this. Endy has played spectacular defense, just like always, and he has shown that maybe he can be an everyday player. So did Minaya really have to give Moises Alou that second year?
And then there’s Ramon Castro. The guy deserves to be a No. 1 catcher and the Mets almost couldn’t sign him. Willie did just what I didn’t want him to do: Schneider every day, Castro backup. A platoon would be fine, and now that Jerry Manuel has taken over Castro is getting more and more playing time, and he has delivered his bat when it has been needed. Sure, Schneider is a better defensive catcher, but earlier in the season he was playing sloppy defense, and I haven’t really seen Castro let any important balls pass him or not throw a runner out when he shuold have. Keep in mind Minaya released Johnny Estrada, who could have been traded and maybe Lastings Milledge could have gone for someone more expensive. I sure hope Ryan Church stays healthy next year, because I really don’t want that trade to have been a waste. I can’t see Omar Minaya as the Mets’ GM at this time next year.
Injuries
Tony Armas continues the team trend of getting hurt. He was placed on the 15 day DL with a strained abdominal muscle. Carlos Muniz was called up. I still think Muniz needs more experience in Triple-A and I think they should have called up Claudio Vargas. Now who will be the long man?
Moises Alou was inserted into the starting lineup in a Double-A game and he was supposed to play the whole game. Alou left the game, however, with a cramped hamstring. This will hopefully prompt the Mets to acquire another outfielder before the July 31 trade deadline. Who knows, Mark Shapiro, the General Manager of the Indians, said the Mets had the propsects wanted to acquire Sabathia, so why can’t they get Matt Holliday? Colorado is 6.5 games out of first place. Let’s see if they decide to shop him. With the injuries of Alou and Church, I am glad that Tatis and Chavez are performing so well. If they can’t keep it up, big deal. Fernando Martinez is off the DL, so he should be ready to make his big league debut some time soon. Look for that to happen.
Mark Mulder, who made his first start since September, 2007 last night, got injured and had to leave the game after just 16 pitches. Perhaps this will prompt the Cardinals to trade for a starter? I wouldn’t count on it, but maybe Jonathan Niese or Oliver Perez could go for maybe Chris Duncan. The Cardinals usually have him in Triple-A, and he can play outfield and first base with some power. He would be a nice fit for the Mets.
And Johan Santana actually got some offense for him last night! How cool is that?
C.C. Sabathia and All-Stars
Before I forget, let me tell you that the first big trade of the year is official. C.C. Sabathia is now a Brewer. Milwaukee understands that he is most likely to enter free agency, so they will try to make the most of his 3 month rent. In return, the Indians recieved 3 minor leaguers, Matt LaPorta the big one, and a player to be named later.
Now I’ll talk about the All-Star teams. Click here for the article on the teams.
As you can see, Billy Wagner is the only Met on the team. I am very dissapointed that the Mets couldn’t produce another All-Star this year, although in my opinion David Wright is having a good enough year, Ryan Church would be an All-Star with at least 20 homers if he hadn’t gotten hurt, and of course, Johan Santana is having another superb year, but isn’t getting the credit. Why did Billy Wagner make it to the All-Star team anyway? Not because he is doing great this year, he isn’t, but because every team must be represented. So I ask, why Billy Wagner? Johan Santana is having a great year. He just isn’t getting the run support! He could be 13-4! This is my biggest gripe about this year’s rosters.
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David Wright all the way! He is having just as good a season as Chipper Jones. Jones just had a long hot streak, but he is cooling down fast now. David Wright continues to hit in the clutch and make great defensive plays. And Evan Longoria deserves a spot on th eroster, too. He should be Rookie of the Year. Great offense, and Gold Glove defense.
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