Church calls comments by Manuel a `low blow'

By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Ryan Church made it clear: He didn't appreciate
those recent comments by New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel.

After Mets slugger David Wright was hit in the head by a pitch
last weekend, causing a concussion, Manuel said Wright was a
"different animal" than Church, who missed much of last season
with New York following a pair of concussions.

Church, traded to the Atlanta Braves last month, took exception
to that, inferring that Manuel was questioning his toughness.

"It just felt like a low blow," Church said. "I saw it. I wasn't
happy. If he had a problem with me or anything like that, you'd
think he'd tell it to my face. I had plenty of opportunity to
talk while I was wearing that uniform. It just was like, all
right, now that I'm wearing another one, why would he come out
and say that?"

When he met with reporters before Tuesday night's series opener
against the Braves, Manuel was told that Church called the
comments a "cheap shot."

But Manuel said he meant no disrespect. He said he was simply
trying to explain that the players involved were different, just
like the concussions.

"There's no ill intent," Manuel said. "I don't mean to take a
shot at him. If that's how he felt, I apologize to him. I like
Ryan Church."

Manuel and Church appeared to have a strained relationship
during the outfielder's 1 1/2 seasons in New York, though they
both disputed that perception publicly.

The Mets were criticized for rushing Church back from his second
concussion last year, and Manuel said the two didn't communicate
very well about the injury.

"We didn't have clarity on the message that we were getting from
him," Manuel said. "I'm as much to blame as he is."

Church said he doesn't blame the Mets for how they handled his
injury, and he's ready to move on.

"It's water under the bridge," he said.

In other news, the Mets announced that they signed their top
draft pick, left-hander Steven Matz from nearby Ward Melville
High School on Long Island, about an hour drive from Citi Field.

The club gave Matz, selected No. 72 overall, an $895,000 signing
bonus.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Matz grew up a Mets fan and will report
to the rookie-level Gulf Coast Mets in Florida. He was at Citi
the ballpark with his parents and spoke with reporters in New
York's dugout, sitting on the bench next to general manager Omar
Minaya and amateur scouting director Rudy Terrasas.

"It's like surreal," Matz said. "It's really starting to set in
now."

Minaya said the deal got done only a couple of minutes before
the midnight deadline Monday night.

The Mets also purchased infielder Wilson Valdez's contract from
Triple-A Buffalo. He replaces Alex Cora, who will miss the rest
of the season because of two injured thumbs.

Cora was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to
Thursday, for the second time this season. He is scheduled to
have surgery on his right thumb Thursday. Five weeks later,
he'll get his left thumb fixed. Both need ligament repairs.

The move means the depleted Mets have used the disabled list 20
times (among 18 players) this season, most of any major league
team, according to the commissioner's office.