Lineup shuffle

NEW YORK ? When the Mets posted their lineup ? which doesn?t include positions ? it could have taken on any sort of pick-a-name-from-a-hat configuration. Ryan Church, Gary Sheffield, Fernando Tatis and Nick Evans were all in the lineup ? but where? Not a center fielder among them. Two first basemen. Two left fielders or two right fielders. When it was sorted out, Mets manager Jerry Manuel explained that he was putting Church in center field ? a spot he had started 95 times in his career, but not at all in the last two years. On his sides would be the less-than-speedy Tatis and the less-than-healthy Sheffield. And Evans would handle first base. Church?s only hope was that if he was going to switch positions from his natural right field, it would be to the pitcher?s mound, where he boasted he possessed an arsenal that included a wild fastball and a knuckleball. For Manuel, it was just another day of necessity forcing creativity. Church in center field couldn?t be nearly as risky as a hobbled Sheffield in left or Daniel Murphy anywhere in the outfield or Tatis at shortstop, all moves that Manuel has had to write into the lineup card this season. With nine players on the disabled list, it?s just a daily exercise to figure out where to load the weak spots on defense and trying to maximize the little pop he has on offense. What has been most surprising about the lineups is that somehow they have been winning just enough ? including three out of four from St. Louis as they headed into the start of the Subway Series ? that they entered Friday night?s game just a half-game out of first place in the National League East. "I think it gives them confidence that they can play," Manuel said. "The guys that are not everyday guys or guys that are taking on more important roles as far as when they get in the lineup, those types of things, I think it gives them confidence that we can get this done. "It was very important for the psyche of the team when we lost [Carlos] Beltran and won three out of four. That was huge for us. It gives us ? even if we hit a bump in the road, we can still feel confident that, hey, we can still win games. And I thought that was the biggest thing." The Mets ? lineup Friday included just two players ? David Wright and Luis Castillo ? in their opening-day spots in the field. It included just as many players ? Omir Santos and Evans ? who were in the minor leagues at the start of the season. The Mets have managed to somehow stay above .500 and in the race while hoping ? and it is just hope right now ? that the cavalry will come around the bend at the All-Star break. "Regardless of what was happening, what Philadelphia was doing or what anybody else in our division was doing, it was just important that they were able to [beat] a good club," Manuel said. "That?s kind of where we are at this point. It can change. It can change at any moment, but the whole key for us again is we have to pitch well." That hasn?t made the losses of Oliver Perez and John Maine from the starting rotation and J.J. Putz easy to stomach ? not to mention the setback for Maine that was disclosed Friday afternoon. Perez and Maine are hoping to be back around the All-Star break. Jose Reyes hopes for the same thing, but ran for the first time Friday, a light jog in the outfield with no trouble. Beltran is hoping for the All-Star break while Carlos Delgado and Putz are hoping for August returns. But no help appears to be coming, other than the possible returns. Mets general manager Omar Minaya said that while he is searching, no trade appears imminent. Minaya admitted that offense is the first need ? and that he would prefer a player with versatility. Cleveland?s Mark DeRosa seems a fit, able to play outfield, first base as well as the other infield spots while providing more power than they have in the lineup right now. While Minaya is trying to resist the asking price from other teams ? youngsters Fernando Martinez, Wilmer Flores and Bobby Parnell ? he is not putting an untouchable tag over anyone for the right deal. "There?s nobody untouchable," Minaya said. "I don?t believe in untouchables. I always say if Babe Ruth got traded, anybody can get traded." E-mail: popper@northjersey.com