Ryan Church: A Full Season Projection

OK, it's Monday, the Giants lost, and I am pissed.

Today should be an interesting day with the Hall of Fame announcement at 1:30 live on MLB Network.

Jim Rice fans are on edge.

We're also likely to get another half dozen Derek Lowe and Ollie Perez insights, including a purported Braves offer to Derek Lowe.

As for me, I am going to look at Ryan Church's numbers over the last 2 seasons and project his 2009.

We'll look at his second half of 2007 (61 games) and first half of 2008 (57 games), then give him 525 at-bats.

This is the methodology, it's simple, it's just math, and there are no park factors, trends, regression, etc...again, it's just math.

Last Half 2007/First Half 2008:

209 AB, 25 R, 55 H, 19 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 17 BB, 52 K, .293 BA, .354 OBP, .532 Slg, .886 OPS

205 AB, 40 R, 63 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 19 BB, 50 K, .307 BA, .370 OBP, .512 Slg, .882 OPS

Now let's combine those numbers.

414 AB, 65 R, 118 H, 29 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 69 RBI, 36 BB, 102 K, .300 BA, .362 OBP, .522 Slg, .884 OPS

Now let's look at those numbers over 525 at bats.

2009 Projection:

525 AB, 83 R, 150 H, 37 2B, 3 3B, 23 HR, 88 RBI, 46 BB, 130 K, .300 BA, .362 OBP, .522 Slg, .884 OPS

OK, that was fairly unscientific, but I would wager that would be close to what we would expect out of Church over a full season.

In fact, if you look back at his 2006 campaign, a year in which he had 460 at-bats, those figures are pretty close. On a more positive note his 2007 September, followed by his first 2 months of 2008, was even better than these numbers suggest.

You know what else? I'll take it.

Mark it down now: Ryan Church wins Comeback Player of the Year.

MLB Network is Here...and We Love It!

The diehard baseball fanatics that were amongst the 50 million subscribers that witnessed the debut of MLB Network were treated to some great baseball chatter and the broadcast of one of the seminal games in baseball history.

Coupling familiar faces such as Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds, with some classic broadcasts of the past and news of the day was enough for this baseball blogger to give the new network a big "thumbs-up."

My only wish is they would have done this sooner.

About MLB Network

Overall:

• MLB Network will launch on January 1, 2009 in approximately 50 million homes as the largest network debut in cable history
• MLB Network will air live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events
• The MLB Network studio is located at 40 Hartz Way, Suite 10, Secaucus NJ, 07094
• Named to honor Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth, "Studio 3" and "Studio 42" total 15,200 square feet, including 9,600 square feet for Studio 42 alone.
• Every video display in both studios will be fully native HD, as will all video produced at the studios.

Studio 3:

• Named to honor Babe Ruth, Studio 3 will be the primary home of the live nightly studio show, MLB Tonight.
• Measuring 5,600 square feet, Studio 3 features 62 video displays, including a 30x7-foot rear projection screen, 108" and 103" monitors, as well as a Perceptive Pixel touch screen display, which will allow MLB Network personalities to interact with and change graphics and images on-screen.
• The studio will feature a desk that can rotate to various stations and includes six distinct broadcast areas, including a balcony, stat center, and interview area.
• The ceiling is ringed by backlit logos of all 30 MLB teams and the entire studio features lighting that can be altered to give it the feel of day or night.

Studio 42:

• Named to honor Jackie Robinson, Studio 42 measures 9,600 square feet, and will be used as a demonstration center by MLB Network's on-air talent.
• Studio 42 is designed to be a replica baseball field, featuring a half-scale infield made of field turf measuring 45 feet from base to base and a pitcher's mound 30 feet from home plate that can be moved back for more realistic demonstrations.
• The studio also features a replica outfield wall, complete with padding, brick designs, three different seating areas that can hold up to 173 people, and an out-of-town scoreboard modeled after the scoreboard at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, which will be updated in real-time.

Executives and On-Air Talent:

• President and CEO: Tony Petitti
• Studio Hosts: Matt Vasgersian, Victor Rojas
• Analysts: Al Leiter, Joe Magrane, Harold Reynolds
• Reporters: Trenni Kusnierek, Hazel Mae