Audio: Church, Minaya Discuss Mets-Braves Trade
Here’s the announcement to the media from Omar Minaya discussing today’s trade with the Braves. Ryan Church and Jeff Francoeur and trading right fields in the NL East.
This is Ryan Church’s reaction to the news that he’s been traded to the Braves. He does a good job of showing class when he could have taken the opportunity to air grievances with his year and a half as a Met.
Reds 3 – Mets 0 July 10, 2009
At this point, I’ve almost gotten used to the Mets getting shut out. It’s come to that point. They got a decent start from Fernando Nieve going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs. That’s enough to make a game of it on most night… for most teams.
Once again, the Mets had nothing going on offense at all. They only had 4 hits in the game and two were by Daniel Murphy. Again, there were no extra base hits. It’s ugly.
Bronson Arroyo got the complete game shutout tonight for the Reds.
Video: Ryan Church- Jeff Francoeur Trade Analysis
Mets Trade Church To Braves For Francoeur
We have the announcement of a trade this afternoon with the Mets sending Ryan Church to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur and cash. It’s basically a swap of under-performing right fielders. Despite Jerry Manuel’s denials, I think we all knew that Church was in his dog house.
We all know Francoeur, we’ve seen him a million times with Atlanta. He’s got a huge arm in the outfield and decent range. He strikes out a LOT and last season was a nightmare for him and he hasn’t been able to turn it around this season either. He’s 25 years-old and in his fifth big league season. He’s making $3.375 million compared to Church’s $2.8 million. That’s why the Mets are getting cash back.
It sounds like a fair deal to me. It won’t change the fortunes of either team in any big way this season or beyond. Both players weren’t meeting expectations, so maybe a new start will work out for them.
Church never seemed like the same player after he suffered a concussion in Atlanta last May. Until then, he was the most valuable player on the Mets. Then the Mets botched his medical situation and flew him around the country with a concussion. He ended up on the disabled list and has never been the same. I like Church as a player but don’t think he’ll ever have much success hitting lefty pitching.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t give us any indication of the direction that Omar Minaya is taking at the trading deadline either. This move doesn’t really improve the team other than adding a right handed bat to a lefty-heavy lineup.
Game Preview: Reds at Mets [Game 85] July 10, 2009
Cincinnati Reds (41-43 Road: 21-23) at New York Mets (40-44 Home: 23-19) 7:10 pm
Bronson Arroyo (8-8 5.85) vs. Fernando Nieve (3-2 2.73)
TV: SNY Radio: WFAN
What to watch: The Reds come to town having lost four of their last five games. Arroyo has had three terrible starts in a row and the Reds have lost six of the last seven that he started. Nieve has lost his last two starts after a remarkable start with the Mets. Although the Mets are really hurting right now, the Reds may be the cure to their ills.
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