Well, my first impression is that the Church for Francoeur trade is a good one for the Mets...in the long run. This one move does not get the Mets back on track. Basically the Mets and Braves traded two similar players. Jeff Francoeur is a right handed, younger version of Ryan Church, perhaps better defensively and has more upside. But again, don't expect much of an improvement in team performance at least until some of the injured return.
The Braves will probably benefit sooner than the Mets because Church will get to play every day in a lineup that is not riddled with injury. So don't be shocked or dismayed when Church comes back to haunt the Mets as early as next weekend in Atlanta. But in the long run, the right handed Francoeur could fit in better than Church with the Mets in Citi Field. He's a gap hitter that could really benefit from Citi Field's huge dimensions.
For what ever reason, Ryan Church did not fit in with the Mets plans. He was injured most of the season last year and this year he was never really given a shot to play day in and day out. There was something about Church that the Mets did not like. We may never know what that is.
So to summarize, it's a good trade for the Mets but don't expect much change in the short term. With a healthy Reyes, Delgado, and Beltran eventually back in the lineup, Francoeur could fit in very nicely. The Mets will likely begin to change the attributes of the team. Francoeur is an excellent defender who has shown signs of being an outstanding hitter but has struggled at the plate the last couple of seasons. If the Mets can straighten him out, it could be a great trade. Time will tell.
