That’s the word this morning, with DK saying the Pirates and Church are “in talks” while Jon Paul Morosi says the two sides are “nearing a deal.” As fourth outfielders go, Church is an excellent choice. He’s a very good defender (his career UZR/150 is 5.7, but over 210 games in right field it’s 14.2) and before last season he was a pretty decent hitter.
Considering the Pirates interest in Rick Ankiel, Church would be a great signing. He’ll be cheaper than Ankiel and it’s not immediately apparent to me that Ankiel will be a better player than he is in 2010. Plus, Church, McCutchen, and Milledge could make one hell of a defensive outfield late in games.
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