Besides the much needed bounce back win that the Mets got courtesy of Livan Hernandez (now with more upset stomach), was the triumphant return of Ryan Church, who went 2-5 with a run scored in the 7-0 win.And now, with an off day to ponder, Snoop has a very interesting question to ask himself. With three lefties set to go this week against the Mets, it wouldn't look like an optimal situation for Ryan Church to get playing time. But can the Mets afford to put Church on the bench for three games and waste opportunities for Church to see live major league pitching for the first time in three weeks?
Better yet, can the Mets afford to put Church on the bench for one game? We know that Sheffield, if he was healthy and ten years younger (not necessarily in that order) would be a slam dunk to start these three games. And we know that the brass would prefer for Fernando Martinez to play as much as possible while he's in the major leagues. But this isn't a finishing school. This is a major league baseball team that has been starving for runs lately. Someone's going to have to sit.
If Snoop is serious in saying that if he had a doghouse that Ryan Church wouldn't be in it, then Church has to be in that lineup against J.A. Happ, against Cole Hamels, and against Jamie Moyer. Yeah, you risk sending him into a tailspin giving him a steady diet of lefties, but to me it's a bigger risk to sit him down. A lefty is going to have to be in that lineup anyway ... I'd prefer a veteran to a rookie hitting .200, no matter what his name is. And with Sheffield's health an issue, Martinez is going to play at least one game anyway if not two. (If I was a betting man, I'd say Sheffield was a shoo-in for the game that Hamels pitches.)
Riddle on that for two days ... and hope that Snoop can solve it by then.
5 comments:
These three Phi Lefties are the type that should not give a LH hitter big trouble as they are FB/CH guys and dont use the curve/slider that much. The CH will drift back to the LH hitter.
Hi Honey, I'm back.
Ah. Just back from a weeklong vacation. A cruise, actually. Good fun and all. No games to watch, though. I mean, we do get ESPN in the room, but it's some international feed that showed lots of French Open and Soccer, has no crawl at the bottom, and when "Sportscenter" came on one night it was hosted by two English guys showing rugby and cricket highlights (and no, I am not kidding.)
So, what'd I miss? I trust since the Mets were playing the Pirates and Nationals this week they went a crisp 7-0, with all their players back and healthy, ready to face the hated Phils and Yanks this week. Rolling, I say, this team is rolling!
The Mets and Minaya/Manuel should be creative and deal for these players:
SS J Reyes*
2B L Castillo**
CF C Beltran
3B D Wright
RF R Church
1B D Murphy
LF F Martinez***
C O Santos/B Schneider
P J Niese, D McGee
And just play them and see what these new guys can bring to the team. They're affordabl and they'll cost no prospects. You can even save $$$ because their contracts are already printed.
It'll also save me the cost of a $5scorecard.
* Currently playing for a team called Disabled List in some far-away league.
**Who needs O Hudson? Castillo is a monster of a leader!
***M Alou was a young and vibrant 40. Ibanez? Everyone knows that dude is over-the-hill...
Damus, Dude, WTF
I thought I'd never have to see you use the G word again....yet there he is in your poll.....
Have we already forgotten his last start here and his post game reaction?
UGH.
And you KNOW Church will be sitting tomorrow, just like Murph after his 5 rbi game....
I really wish Omar would go get Jermaine Dye - he is the Cliff Floyd type (though much more productive) that this team needs.
Tommy,
I'm surprised he got as many yes votes as he did.
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