Church, Manuel Say No Rift

Despite Questionable Moves, Mets Manager Says He Likes Churchie

LOS ANGELES -- Months of Internet conversation and drive-time chatter came bubbling over in Dodger Stadium's visiting dugout prior to Tuesday's game, when Mets manager Jerry Manuel came clean on his relationship with Ryan Church.

Merely a day after referring to Church as "that guy" and expressing both anger and bewilderment when Church stepped over third base, costing the Mets Monday's game, Manuel said that the public perception regarding his relationship with Church couldn't be further from the truth.

"I don't know what you all talk about on the radio, but Ryan is a good player," Manuel said. "I like Ryan.

"I don't have a rift with anyone on the team ... I don't know why people think I have a deal with Ryan Church -- I really don't. I don't have a problem with Ryan. Not at all. I like to egg him on and mess with him a little bit like I do with everybody, but I love to see Ryan every day. He comes to the park every day early. I love to see Ryan Church."

And Church, for his part, returned the sentiment. Recalling a conversation he had with his manager early in Spring Training, Church said that Manuel had prepared him for some harsh treatment this season, wanting to toughen up a player that he called a "critical" piece for the Mets.

"You want somebody on you," Church said. "You take it as a positive thing. His door is always open. He's one of those guys, he's approachable if you ever have something wrong. That's the thing -- I don't read too much into this stuff. People are yelling stuff in the stands -- 'doghouse!' -- that kind of thing. But they're not here, they're not around me, seeing what the relationship is."
It's something that first came under scrutiny in Spring Training, when Manuel publicly challenged Church's ability to hit in the clutch and called young Daniel Murphy a better hitter -- strange statements considering Church's veteran status and struggles last season with post-concussion syndrome.

Often, Church was assigned to long bus trips during Spring Training -- trips usually reserved for the younger members of a team. Despite Church's hot start, Manuel benched him on several occasions in April. And later in the month, the Mets acquired Gary Sheffield, further cutting into Church's playing time.

All of that seemed to convey the sense that a growing tension had hatched between Manuel and Church -- something that both parties refuted on Tuesday.

"People read too much into it," Church said. "If they were in here, they'd see it's different."
"Back in the day, me and old Frank Thomas had some issues, but that was that," Manuel said, referring to his time as manager of the White Sox. "That was me and Frank. But I don't have a problem with Ryan. I like Ryan. We need Ryan Church. We need every guy in there, but Ryan Church is the guy that we feel has the potential -- if he gets right -- he can really carry us."
And the fact that Manuel openly criticized Church after Monday's game, he said, was a product of frustration -- a good player making a bad play.

"Oh, you doggone right I was mad at him," Manuel said. "I could have strangled him. If it had been my son, I'd have strangled him. How in the world you do that, boy? But that's that. If my son would have missed third base, I would have treated him the same way."

Church's chances to play Wednesday improved when Dodgers left-hander Eric Stults was scratched from his start with a jammed left thumb. Church is 2-for-3 lifetime against Stults' replacement, the right-handed Jeff Weaver, who will be opposed by Livan Hernandez.

Anthony DiComo / MLB.com