On 2010 Pirates: Ryan Church joins list of players on the downside of their career

By John Perrotto

It isn’t easy to be outsmarted by former Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield but I was at the winter meetings in Orlando in 2006.

The Pirates had a chance to obtain outfielder Ryan Church from the Washington Nationals at those meetings in a trade for right-hander Ian Snell. While the Pirates spent most their energy during those three days on obtaining first baseman Adam LaRoche, who they eventually pried loose from the Atlanta Braves a month later in a trade for closer Mike Gonzalez, I was advocating a move for Church.

Church had hit 17 home runs in 390 at-bats in 2006. As a 28-year-old left-handed hitter with emerging pop in his bat, I thought he would be in position to blossom for the Pirates at PNC Park.

Littlefield turned down the Nationals’ offer and I can’t say I blame him. Church hasn’t amounted to all that much in the three subsequent season, hitting .273 while averaging 10 home runs and 53 RBIs a season. That’s pretty much only one step above Brandon Moss.