10/13/10

2011 ROSTER PROJECTION: - P - John Church


from: Cyclones
 Keeper #48.  - P - John Church:



6-19-10: - it figures it would be a pitcher if we are talking about a Sand Gnat player. Church is one of many young arms that is leading the SAL in just about every pitching stat that’s kept. The 23rd round 2009 pick has been in 21 games so far this season, pitched 35.1 innings and has posted stats of 3-0, 1.53, 1.13, 34-K, 12-BB. John turns 24 in November, so it’s time for him to get on to higher levels in the organization. The Mets have an interesting decision to make regarding the 2010 Savannah pitching staff. Firstly, there are 6-7 guys who have already mastered this level. Secondly, most are ex-college juniors and are getting a little long in the tooth, pitching at the A-level. Thirdly, not many pitcher are burning up the Lucie squad, fourthly, there is some pressure to keep most of these guys down in Savannah to keep up what seems like the only chance the team will have to create a minor league pennant winner this year. And lastly, no one has idea who to promote to Savannah of all these moves are made because the lion share of the effort right now is to staff the short season teams. Interesting couple of weeks ahead.


7-1-10: - Church is another of those interesting 2010 Sand Gnat pitchers, but this is a much different story than the rest. He was drafted in 2009 in the 23rd round, out of the University of West Florida. He signed right away and started the season as a reliever for Savannah. Twenty-one unspectacular outings later (1-4, 5.28, 34-H, 34-K, 29.0-IP), plus one appearance in Brooklyn and I didn’t even have him as a projected returnee this year. So what happens? He reports back to Savannah this April where he has aced the pen


7-16-10 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/7/16/1572497/mets-farm-system-mid-term-review  - Church is almost certainly the biggest surprise on Savannah's roster. Church began the year in Savannah's bullpen, but he's recently been moved into the rotation following Mark Cohoon and Brandon Moore's callups. And he's been great, as that ERA can attest. But what kind of prospect is he? Well, not a very good one. He's still 23 years old—a little on the old side—he still only throws 88-92, he still doesn't have a plus offspeed pitch. It's tough imagining much from a guy who's going to be a 24-year-old soft-tosser at St. Lucie next season. It's also important to note, that despite that incredible performance, we're just talking about 50 innings here. So how can I say his stock is up? Well, he wasn't on the radar last year, and now he's on the periphery. That's improvement. Right now I'm of the opinion that he's more of a Tobi Stoner type who'll stall at higher levels, but we'll see.


http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100816&content_id=13534492&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp  - Mets prospect John Church allowed one hit over seven innings, throwing his first career complete-game shutout in Class A Savannah's 1-0 win over Kannapolis in the first game of Monday's doubleheader. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out five and walked one for his seventh win. His only blemish came with two outs in the first inning, when Brady Shoemaker lined a single to right. He set down 11 consecutive batters between the first and fifth innings before working around a one-out walk to finish the fifth. The righty induced three straight grounders in the seventh to seal the win and improve to 7-1.

10-8-10: - 2011 Forecast:  Church found himself back starting by the end of the 2010 season and I bet he'll go back to Savannah again in the spring of 2011 to anchor the rotation. There's a lot of low level talent clogging him up, but he looks like he has the talent to fight himself through it.

No comments: