Levine: Cubs will try for Church through waivers p.18

[RammyFanny]

Surprised we all forgot about Church. He's having a so so year, but he still would be an interesting name to put in center if the price is right. Church this season: .267/.342/.420/.790, though i'd expect his slugging % to improve a little more later into the season. Last season he had a .890 OPS.

 

Scouts from various teams, including the Angels, Braves, Cubs Diamondbacks, Indians, Mets, Padres, Phillies, Tigers and Twins, have been watching the Nationals.

 

Relievers Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch, first baseman Dmitri Young and second baseman Ronnie Belliard have been the main players who have been mentioned in trade talks, but, according to a baseball source, outfielder Ryan Church is on the block. The source said contending teams see him as an extra outfielder down the stretch.

 

"If he played a full season for those teams, he would get no more than 220 at-bats," the source said.

 

Last winter, Church was one of the names bandied about during the Winter Meetings. The Nationals have been scouting opposing teams' prospects. On Saturday, they were watching players at Double-A Erie, the Tigers' affiliate.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070723&content_id=2103882&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Edited July 31, 2007 by RammyFanny

[rawaction]

I'd take him. He's at least better than Jock right now.

[rickrolled]

I think Church could definitely put up some solid numbers if given enough AB's. I wouldn't mind him in a Cubs uniform.

[JeffH]

That would be one-stop-shopping for Hendry. Church and Rauch.

[Soriano12]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

[anabiono]

totally would not have a problem with church...none

 

especially if jones is gone is the process!

[Post Count Padder]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

QFT. If we're gonna get another outfielder to start, he had better be a Griffey or a Dunn or someone that would be worth keeping over Murton.

[CoolHandLuke]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

QFT. If we're gonna get another outfielder to start, he had better be a Griffey or a Dunn or someone that would be worth keeping over Murton.

 

Isn't Church adequate in center field though?

[GaborBako]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

[Soriano12]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

[inari]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

 

The real valid argument is that he can play center field every single day.

[VVMattVV]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

 

Which we don't really need.

[RynoRules]

To me, Church projects as a better player than Murt b/c he has more power. I wonder if playing cavernous RFK is hurting him? I like him as an everyday RFer rather than just a 4th OFer.

 

His slugging at home (.392) is 60 points less than on the road (.450). That seems pretty significant to me. He's capable of putting up a .360 OBP. If he slugs .450 with the Cubs that's an .810 OPS. Not great, but not bad.

[YearofDaCubs]

Do it Jim! I think Church would improve this team.

[DiamondMind]

At this point, I would rather have Church, Pagan, DeRosa, or Floyd in RF than Murton. Why is the conversation about Murton. He's the 5th or 6th OF on the organization depth chart depending on where you place Pie. He's had how many AB's now? And I don't want to hear the complaints about playing time, you EARN more PT, it isnt just handed to you. See Pagan, Theriot, Fontenot, Marmol, etc.

 

I would package Murton and Hill/Marshall in some sort of combination for a REAL upgrade for C/SS/RF in about .0001 of a second. I'm not sure if Church falls into this category, but still, I really would like to see Murton be traded at a decent point in value, he's not going to see serious PT here.

[anabiono]

At this point, I would rather have Church, Pagan, DeRosa, or Floyd in RF than Murton. Why is the conversation about Murton. He's the 5th or 6th OF on the organization depth chart depending on where you place Pie. He's had how many AB's now? And I don't want to hear the complaints about playing time, you EARN more PT, it isnt just handed to you. See Pagan, Theriot, Fontenot, Marmol, etc.

 

I would package Murton and Hill/Marshall in some sort of combination for a REAL upgrade for C/SS/RF in about .0001 of a second. I'm not sure if Church falls into this category, but still, I really would like to see Murton be traded at a decent point in value, he's not going to see serious PT here.

 

here, here...the hill/marshall thing...i am still a little worried about...unless we can swing some crazy deal for santana and then get griffey

 

boy oh boy

[Transmogrified Tiger]

At this point, I would rather have Church, Pagan, DeRosa, or Floyd in RF than Murton. Why is the conversation about Murton. He's the 5th or 6th OF on the organization depth chart depending on where you place Pie. He's had how many AB's now? And I don't want to hear the complaints about playing time, you EARN more PT, it isnt just handed to you. See Pagan, Theriot, Fontenot, Marmol, etc.

 

Murton was allowed to play through worse struggles last year and everyone reaped the benefits.

[KingCubsFan]

That would be one-stop-shopping for Hendry. Church and Rauch.

I'd like to see what Rauch could do as a starter

[Bixby]

I don't see why people are obsessed over the fact that he bats left handed. Aren't we dominating righties nowadays?

[OleMissCub]

I'd take him.

[GaborBako]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

 

I guess I imagined Murton dropping two routine flyballs in right field. I guess I imagined the three times early in the season when his crippling indecision as a runner at third cost the Cubs runs.

 

All you need to know about his future with the Cubs is that Lou has referred to him on several occasions as "the guy who played a little right field for us earlier in the year." Lou hasn't spoken Murton's name since he left. They called up the great Jake Fox and then Scott Moore instead of Murton.

 

Lou's "get me somebody who can run the bases and catch the ball tirade" was directed just as much at Murton as it was Barrett.

 

I know Murton's hitting .326 at Iowa. Good for him. I also know that Felix Pie and Ronny Cedeno are hitting .372 and .360 there. Apparently Des Moines has sprung a mountain range since we last looked and the I-Cubs are playing at altitude, it's the only explanation for why guys who can barely hit their weight in Chicago are excelling down there.

 

Murton's only position is left field and that's booked for the next seven and a half years. Try not to get too attached.

[Derwood]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

 

I guess I imagined Murton dropping two routine flyballs in right field. I guess I imagined the three times early in the season when his crippling indecision as a runner at third cost the Cubs runs.

 

All you need to know about his future with the Cubs is that Lou has referred to him on several occasions as "the guy who played a little right field for us earlier in the year." Lou hasn't spoken Murton's name since he left. They called up the great Jake Fox and then Scott Moore instead of Murton.

 

Lou's "get me somebody who can run the bases and catch the ball tirade" was directed just as much at Murton as it was Barrett.

 

I know Murton's hitting .326 at Iowa. Good for him. I also know that Felix Pie and Ronny Cedeno are hitting .372 and .360 there. Apparently Des Moines has sprung a mountain range since we last looked and the I-Cubs are playing at altitude, it's the only explanation for why guys who can barely hit their weight in Chicago are excelling down there.

 

Murton's only position is left field and that's booked for the next seven and a half years. Try not to get too attached.

 

well, several PCL teams ARE at a high altitude, and, overall, PCL pitching sucks, so there are a few more explanations

[CubinNY]

We already have a Ryan Church, he is playing in Iowa.

 

Sure, except this Ryan Church bats lefty, can catch a flyball and score from third on a ball hit to shortstop.

 

The only valid argument in that post is that he is a left handed bat.

 

I guess I imagined Murton dropping two routine flyballs in right field. I guess I imagined the three times early in the season when his crippling indecision as a runner at third cost the Cubs runs.

 

All you need to know about his future with the Cubs is that Lou has referred to him on several occasions as "the guy who played a little right field for us earlier in the year." Lou hasn't spoken Murton's name since he left. They called up the great Jake Fox and then Scott Moore instead of Murton.

 

Lou's "get me somebody who can run the bases and catch the ball tirade" was directed just as much at Murton as it was Barrett.

 

I know Murton's hitting .326 at Iowa. Good for him. I also know that Felix Pie and Ronny Cedeno are hitting .372 and .360 there. Apparently Des Moines has sprung a mountain range since we last looked and the I-Cubs are playing at altitude, it's the only explanation for why guys who can barely hit their weight in Chicago are excelling down there.

 

Murton's only position is left field and that's booked for the next seven and a half years. Try not to get too attached.

This post is a veritable cornucopia of knowledge and hard hitting analysis.

 

May I subscribe to your news letter.

[Rob]

Side note:

 

Given how ridiculously non-agressive Quade has been at third base, how on earth do we know it wasn't him holding Murton up? Even forgetting the Murton stuff for a moment, Quade has been a huge failure as 3B coach, IMHO. I'd say it's pretty likely he had some part in the screwups there.

[Guest]

Hard-hitting indeed. Greatly illuminates why the Cubs have gone 99 years.