Church is Really Baaaack

RYAN CHURCH IS BACK! After 11 games off, after a two-page color photo in Sports Illustrated of him getting pounded in Atlanta when he received a concussion, Church returned to action Sunday night as if he'd never left.

Churchie boomed a two-run home run and a double to go 3-for-4 and lift his team-leading batting average to .320 as the Mets cruised past the Dodgers 6-1.

The Take on Church Before the Game

NEW YORK -- Ryan Church can't guarantee that he won't endure any more collisions with walls, players or other outfield impediments. All he can do is hope.

"It was just a freak thing that happened," Church said of his most recent concussion. "I've got to put that behind me and not worry about it, and just be cautious about things next time."

Now, that concussion -- his second in the span of three months -- is officially in the past. Church was back in Mets manager Willie Randolph's starting lineup on Sunday night, marking the first game he's started since suffering the concussion on May 20.

He felt no ill effects from running outfield sprints on Saturday, and lasted more than the required 48 hours without any concussion symptoms. So after discussing with his doctor over the phone on Sunday morning, Church told Randolph he was set to play.

How well he plays, however, remains to be seen. Batting .309 with nine homers before the injury, Church had established himself as one of the team's most productive players -- and might resume that role, if only he can cease "running into people."

Now, the symptoms are gone, and so are most of the worries. Neither Church nor Randolph expected Sunday night's long plane ride to California to pose any problems, and they'll operate under the assumption that everything is back to status quo.

"Because our team was struggling, I really wanted to get back," Church said. "But you see guys are starting to pick it up, and hopefully I'll just feed off them and be able to continue what I'm doing."

Sunday also saw second baseman Luis Castillo return to the Mets' lineup, two days after leaving the game early with a strained left hip flexor. Of their projected Opening Day lineup, the Mets are now missing only left fielder Moises Alou.

"We're starting to look a little more like a full squad," Randolph said.
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com

The Mets appear in San Francisco Monday and Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.