Manager Randolph Likes Church; Joel Wraps It

Church Gets Good Review

New York Mets manager Willie Randolph is not disappointed with RYAN CHURCH's spring batting average hovering around the .200 mark.

Here's what he told Mathew Cerrone's Metsblog:

"He's getting better and better. He's taking some pitches, and he's good that way. I just want to keep seeing him make progress hitting the ball the other way, and getting the ball through the middle, that's where he's gonna make his money. He's a little bit behind, so he needs at-bats."

Church, rememember, missed a week after his collision with Marlon Anderson, then two days when his baby, Mason, was born.

"If he just hits the ball the other way against lefties, he's gonna be fine. We want to see him get his hits to build his confidence, but I'm not looking at him as having to get hits to get on our team, obviously. He's going to be my right fielder."

The rap on Church was that last year he batted only .229 against lefthanders, but in all his previous years he hit lefties and righties equally well. He batted .272 overall last season.

"What I like about him and (catcher Brian) Schneider (who came from the Nationals in the same trade) both is that they don't give against lefties. You see some people, they lean a little bit and give-- I don't even mind that I have them back to back because they have decent at bats against lefties if they stay the other way-- and that's what we've been working on."

The lineup looks to have Church batting sixth or seventh, and Schneider eighth. The Mets close spring training Saturday in the Civil Rights game in Memphis against the White Sox. Then they open the season Monday in Miami opposite the Marlins.

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Joel Scores in CBI

Joel Smith wrapped up the college hoops season nearly in double digits as his University of Washington Huskies were nipped by Valparaiso 72-71 in the first game of the first-ever College Basketball Invitational.

Joel put UW ahead 71-70 with a three-pointer with 3:08 to play to complete a nine-point game. The junior guard also pulled down three rebounds and dished three assists in 20 minutes.

Smith spoke for the team after the game.

General Comments: "It's frustrating. We scrapped and tried get the job done. We just couldn't pull it out in the last couple of minutes."

On playing in front of few fans: "This is our home court. It shouldn't be a weird atmosphere at all no matter how many people are there. We still have to bring it to the floor."

On Valpo's inside play: "Coach stressed that they were a great three-point shooting team. He really didn't stress their inside game, but that still isn't an excuse to go out there and play like we did today."

On what the team needs to get better at: "We just need to go in the gym this offseason and work on the things that messed up our season. We definitely were a horrible free-throw shooting team this year and that's one of the keys that we need to focus on this summer as a whole. We pretty much bring it every other time, we just need to bring it together at once."

On the up-and-down season: "Once we come out and throw the first punch and keep hitting we do awesome. I can't put my finger on what is that when we go out there we just can't bring it every game."

Smith played in all 33 games, starting 11. He averaged 4.1 points per game and 15 minutes. His .424 average from beyond the arc led the team among players with significant minutes.