Church On Sunday…

Marty Noble, of www.mlb.com, reports that long-awaited, Ryan Church, will return to the Mets on Sunday.

Two former college teammates met by chance on Saturday morning in the corridor under the stands that connects the bullpens and clubhouses at Shea Stadium. And Darrell Rasner inquired about the health of Ryan Church.

"Feelin' pretty good," was Church's response.

"You going to play today?" Rasner said.

"Nah, probably tomorrow," Church said. "That's the plan."

Said Rasner: "Why don't you take a few more days off?"

The next interaction between the two products from the University of Nevada-Reno is likely to be on Sunday afternoon. Church will be the Mets' right fielder again and Rasner will be the Yankees' starting pitcher. They won't be talking.

Church is to return after missing 27 of the team's 35 most recent games because of the aftereffects of the concussion that he suffered on May 20 in Atlanta. After playing the outfield in two rehab games with the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones, Church said he is completely recovered and fully capable of resuming what had appeared to be a breakout season. He said on Saturday that his legs feel strong again; his leg strength and stamina had been issues.

Church might have returned on Saturday, but the Mets reasoned there was little sense in subjecting a left-handed hitter to Andy Pettitte when he would benefit from one more day of baseball activities and free from the strains of competition.

Manager Jerry Manuel characterized Church as a "real nice piece we've missed," and he noted that he relieves some of the pressure on Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado to produce runs. The manager noted he saw Church as capable of batting almost anywhere in the batting order -- second, fifth and sixth -- and he suggested that he might have planned to use Church as the No. 2 hitter, as Willie Randolph did 13 times, if Luis Castillo were not going to be available for the final game of the series against the Yankees.

"Hopefully, he can continue having the year he was having," Manuel said.

Church is batting .300 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs in 180 at-bats. He has had four hits in 19 at-bats since the concussion and before his assignment to the disabled list. Before the injury, Church was the lone Met having "a good year for us," Randolph said before his dismissal.

(It’s an understatement to say that Church has been missed. He’s been a wonderful surprise. My only concern is if he’s coming back too soon. I hope he’s all right, and not being rushed back.)