Opinion

The Mets started the year off with Ryan Church as their starting right fielder in his second year with the team. 

Though an average batter, Church has a great glove in right field.

Ryan Church routinely made spectacular plays but just couldn't do much with the stick. 

He also wasn't on manager Jerry Manuel's good side. Jerry Manuel won't admit it, but he disliked Church, which is putting it nicely.

Jerry would usually ignore Church in the dugout and, most likely, also in the clubhouse. 

There was no question that interest in first baseman Adrian Gonzalez would come from all different sides, but there was a question about whether the Padres would or could trade him.

This Column Originally Published at GetOutofMyBallpark.com

Who makes the most money in professional baseball?

A-Rod? Nope.

CC Sabathia? Try again.

Mark Teixeira ? Give up, you aren’t even close.

The man who makes the most money in professional baseball would have to be agent Scott Boras.

The Rockies' 2010 starting outfield should again be a source of strength, both defensively and offensively. Let's take a look at the five players likely to be manning the spacious outfield grass at Coors Field for the Rockies in 2010. (Player ages at the start of the 2010 season are in parentheses.)

As we wait out Russell Branyan and look into signing Nick Johnson or trading for Andre Ethier, the Oakland Athletics may have done us a big favor.

They non-tendered Jack Cust.

His production slipped a little last year, which is a cause for alarm. He wasn't driving the ball like he had done before, as most of his flyballs found outfielders' gloves rather than one of a twelve year old in the right field stands.

On Thursday, the Kansas City Royals released first baseman Mike Jacobs.

Should the Chicago Cubs give Jacobs a call?

There are a couple reasons Jacobs intrigues me as a free agent, the biggest of which is that he would bring something the Cubs' bench currently lacks: power.

It’s the night of the Non-Tendered, a scary, Halloween-like time when perfectly healthy baseball players are culled and cut from the body that loved and nurtured them.

It’s the baseball version of “The Night of the Living Dead."

With the arbitration deadline set for 8:59pm PST, the San Diego Padres are going to try and work out a deal with right hander Kevin Correia.

If they're unable to do that, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock, the Padres will attempt to trade him instead of letting him go for nothing. Problem with that notion is, why would any team trade for Correia if they know they can sign him without giving up another player?

This year, we had a replay of the 1950 classic, the last time the Phillies and Yankees met for the World Championship, with both teams showing off their shiny new ballparks.