Atlanta Braves Designate Ryan Church For Assignment

In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Rafael Soriano, the Atlanta Braves have designated OF Ryan Church for assignment. Church came to Atlanta in the Jeff Francoeur trade in the summer of 2009 and hit .260 with two home runs in 44 games for Atlanta.

 

The Braves have 10 days to either trade him or release him.

Okay, so I talk about when I am right on my baseball opinions and now I will talk about when I am wrong. I was dead wrong on my thoughts of the Francoeur for Church trade.

I thought, at the time ,it was a good trade for the Braves. I thought Church was mistreated in New York and he would find a new life in Atlanta.

As it just so happens, things were the other way around.

It was Francoeur who blossomed with a change of scenery and Church continued his downward spiral. I have come to the realization that Church will never be the same since he suffered that concussion in the spring of 2008.

When Church was traded to the Mets from the Washington Nationals along with Brian Schneider for Lastings Milledge before the 2008 season, I thought it was a good deal for the Mets. In his first 43 games, Church made it look like a great deal for the Metropolitans.

In those first 43 games, Church hit .315 with nine home runs and for the first time in Omar Minaya’s tenure with the Mets, it looked like he pulled off a steal of a trade.

Then the night of May 20 against, ironically, the Braves happened.

Church slid into short stop Yunel Escobar’s knee at second base and suffered a concussion. It was Church’s second concussion in less than three months.

The Mets of course in typical Mets fashion made things worse by inexplicably making Church fly to Denver in the high altitude right after the second concussion.

Church hasn’t been the same since.

I am guessing the Braves release Church and Church shouldn’t have a problem finding a job with another team. His lifetime .813 OPS versus right-handed pitching should make him an attractive option as a left-handed hitter off the bench/forth outfielder.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg