Ryan Church speaks (and probably shouldnt have, like almost always)

[Dave B]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022803969.html

For Church, the situation has fewer layers of complexity. He was rarely happy in Washington, where he felt he was always expected to prove himself but rarely was given a fair and complete chance to do so.

"They'd play me, sit me, play me, make a trade, sit me," Church said of the Nationals. The trade he is referring to is the one that brought Wily Mo Peña to Washington in mid-August, after which Church started just 13 games.

"It's a business, and I totally understand that, and not everybody is going to like it," Church said. "But I think I lost about 100-something at-bats, and there was a reason for that. People who were there know [what that reason was]. You could see it. There's a business side."

Church paused briefly. "There's arbitration," he continued. "There's this . . . "

Church holds up his hand and rubs his fingers and thumb together, the universal sign for "money." The implication is clear: The Nationals, Church believes, benched him to hold down the salary he could earn via arbitration for 2008 -- a notion Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden strongly denied.

"That is absolutely not true," Bowden said. Church "was benched because we traded for Wily Mo Peña and then started scoring one more run a game. I promise you that is not true."

Church makes little attempt to conceal his contempt for the Nationals' front office, and his praise of Mets GM Omar Minaya is loaded with hidden jabs.

"Omar told me he's always looked at me as the kind of guy who, if I could just go out and play and if people would leave me alone, I'll produce," Church said. "People have confidence in me here. It makes me feel like they believe in me."

As strange as it is to get traded within the same division, this one was made even more awkward by what happened down the stretch last September, when the Nationals torpedoed the Mets' season by beating them five times in six games, including a crushing three-game sweep at Shea Stadium, as the Mets handed the NL East title to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Schneider drove in six runs in those six games against the Mets, while Church homered twice and drove in eight runs in just three games. Schneider said he expected to catch some ribbing, good-natured or not, from his new teammates when he arrived this spring. But not only has it gone unmentioned, so, too, has the entire collapse.

"For the most part, no one here talks about it, which is a good thing," Schneider said. "You don't want to harp on the past. Everyone's just focused on this year. And besides, everyone knows we weren't worried about [the Mets'] situation [last year]. We were trying to avoid last place. We were battling the Marlins. We were worried about ourselves."

Being traded within the division also means Schneider and Church will be facing their former teammates 18 times this season -- plenty of opportunities to visit with old friends, regard what was left behind and settle old scores.

"I hold no grudges against them," Church said of the Nationals, "but I'm looking forward to taking it out on them."

I've always felt that Church isnt the brightest guy out there. This is just more evidence.  Also, didnt he get a chance to "just go out and play" for the first 4 months or so last year?  I hope his contract says the Mets fans and media have to leave him alone. But then again, nothing could compare to the heat brought on him on the Nats message boards

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I just blogged about this. It's really sad to hear him say such things.  He did have a fan base here in DC and it's horrible for him to crap on it.  Oh well, if he wants to take it out on us, he'll get his chance.  We'll be waiting.

It's amazing how much he praises Omar, after all he had been through with this franchise.

[Ray D]

It's amazing how much he praises Omar, after all he had been through with this franchise.

I think the key is (as DaveB points out) he's just not too bright. Not bright enough to keep quiet for even just a short while.

[ronnynat]

A GM should never say "I promise you" to a reporter, even if he's being honest. Sounds too desperate.

[Dave B]

A GM should never say "I promise you" to a reporter, even if he's being honest. Sounds too desperate.

i dont know how desperate Bowden is to make that claim. we scored one more run a game, got a player who is three years younger, has more potential, might be better now, and costs about the same or less.

but yes ryan church, we really just wanted to keep you at a cheap price instead of finding a much better replacement. f-ing guy

[ronnynat]

i dont know how desperate Bowden is to make that claim. we scored one more run a game, got a player who is three years younger, has more potential, might be better now, and costs about the same or less.

It was probably more how I read it than the actual way he said it. It just looked funny to me.

[Steve Heezy]

Church can go pound sand .... what a dick. I was a Church supporter but after ignorant comments like this, I say we call up Detwiler for one game and watch him screw Church into the ground with that nasty bender that he has

[Air Zimmerman]

milledge >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> church

[Dave B]

It was probably more how I read it than the actual way he said it. It just looked funny to me.

i picturing bowden about ready to jump out of his skin at the ridiculousness of that assertion.  he was probably more than happy to respond with a promise because it was a slam dunk rebuttal, even if pena was not the sole reason we scored 1 mor run per game. 

[blue911]

I don't think Church is helping himself. The Nats weren't in a playoff race. They were in a building (I can't even say rebuilding) year. His statements can't endear him to Minaya. It just shows Church as another "Me first,last and always" type of person.

[Steve Heezy]

I think being on the almighty mets has given Churchie an unwarranted level of confidence to say whatever he wants and expects he can hide behind the accomplishments of the team and not his own. At the end of the day, I'd take our outfield over theirs.

Nats = Pena, Milledge, Kearns
Mets = Alou, Beltran, Church

Manipulate the positions a little bit ... so ... Pena v. Beltran ... Kearns v. Alou  ... Milledge v. Church and we have much younger (our oldest guy is 2 years younger than their youngest) and almost equally productive outfield.

[Kenz aFan]

It's amazing how much he praises Omar, after all he had been through with this franchise.

Ryan Church is a like a dead hand in cribbage (19), they're both hands I don't want in my game. I miss him the same as I would the crumbs from a piece of toast that fall onto the table.

[MrMadison]

*yawn*

[Kenz aFan]

*yawn*

What he said...

[arkymark]

I thought the claim that they benched him to avoid arbitration was almost delusional.  But if he thought he was under some sort of unfair, pressure-filled microscope here, wait til he gets to July in NYC.  If he does.  Unfortunate development for him.

[PANatsFan]

I was mad at him for his religious comments, forgave him after he apologized (or was forced to do so by his team), but he really is a tool. Can't blame the walls at PNC if you suck this year, Churchie.

[spidernat]

Did you guys already forget how much of a "gamer" Ryan Church is?   Maybe he believes he was headed for a 10 millions dollar payday in arbitration. This only reinforces that he wanted things handed to him. He showed he was that type of player when he talked about not being aware there was competition for the CF position in '06.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Between this and Milledge's comments about the Mets' organization, it seems like the Nats/Mets rivalry really has potential to grow this year.

[spidernat]

Between this and Milledge's comments about the Mets' organization, it seems like the Nats/Mets rivalry really has potential to grow this year.

That's another thing, it's not like we didn't acquire value in return for trading him.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I was mad at him for his religious comments, forgave him after he apologized (or was forced to do so by his team), but he really is a tool. Can't blame the walls at PNC if you suck this year, Churchie.

From my understanding, the religious comments weren't really from him.  I think he was quoting something that a minister said.

[Dave B]

From my understanding, the religious comments weren't really from him.  I think he was quoting something that a minister said.

And being the free thinking intellectual he is...

I wish I had started a cult and new how to how to contact Ryan Church in early 2005. Could have at least gotten a couple grand out of him

[PANatsFan]

From my understanding, the religious comments weren't really from him.  I think he was quoting something that a minister said.

I read the whole article. The minister really incensed me, but Church asked, with a reporter nearby recording, "Is it true all Jews go to Hell?" Boneheaded.

[Ray D]

I read the whole article. The minister really incensed me, but Church asked, with a reporter nearby recording, "Is it true all Jews go to Hell?" Boneheaded.

Church deserves most of the criticism leveled at him. This incident however was blown out of proportion.  I was not offended, and I'm jewish.  It was a private conversation between him and the minister, it should never have been made public.

[Air Zimmerman]

i'm willing to bet church is revoked of his starting duties sometime during the season. sooner rather than later i think. nyc demands instantaneous production, and church isn't going to be able to provide that. as soon as he starts to inevitably struggle, he'll get the ax.

like i said

milledge >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> church

[spidernat]

daisy dukes is a troll and will never quit trolling.....