NEW YORK -- Similar to how it's been throughout Ryan Church's attempt for a return to normalcy, another phase of an evolving plan has been set forth. He'll leave for Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Saturday, start working out Sunday and potentially participate in games next week.

Here, there or anywhere, manager Jerry Manuel wants to see Church play. Although Church has sported a fine swing in the batting cages, Manuel doesn't expect to see Church at all next week, and he won't have to bide his time in right field. As it has been for much of the season, Church will stay out of Manuel's mind.

"He could run sprints out there all day," Manuel said. "For me, I want to see how he responds after playing in games.

"We'll just see how he's doing. We'll probably evaluate him after three or four games, speed up the process, slow it down or whatever."

While the incumbent right fielder breaks himself back into shape with five-inning stints as a designated hitter and then running down fly balls in full games, Manuel will still maintain flexibility in the Mets' lineup. Fernando Tatis is solidly in place at both corners, and the hot play of rookie Daniel Murphy and a serviceable first-year player in Nick Evans has allowed Manuel to mix and match from game to game.

Of course, Church will be a welcome addition, because his left-handed bat stretches out the team's depth even further. And while second base is in the capable hands of Damion Easley and Argenis Reyes, mainstay No. 2 hitter Luis Castillo could return as early as the Pirates series, according to Manuel.

This many options with 13 players currently on the disabled list will eventually allow Manuel the luxury of maintaining a consistent rotation at positions that might have depth, such as the outfield and second base.

"The whole key to that will be to keep everybody fresh," Manuel said. "If we can do that, we can have some value there, we can have an asset instead of not."

Murphy, taking a .500 average into Saturday, batted ahead of No. 3 hitter David Wright on Friday. His veteran-like patience at the plate has been a pleasant surprise for Manuel. In the seventh inning, Murphy was down 1-2 in the count but took three consecutive balls to induce a walk, loading the bases.

Many other young hitters would have swung away, Manuel said. Such pickiness couldn't have been something Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez would have anticipated when searching for a sure out with two already in the books. It would actually be Wright who would ground out to end the inning.

"From a manager's point of view, if I'm sitting in the other dugout, I'm thinking I have an out there," Manuel said. "And I don't want to waste another pitcher because David Wright's on deck. Easily could have been blown up by Wright there, just because [Murphy] walked. A very professional at-bat."

Surveying his roster for all possible rotations, the only player Manuel said he can't stand to lose is shortstop Jose Reyes. He has thought about the possibility of resting the speedster, but that would depend on how well the rest of the lineup is swinging at the time and who the Mets were playing. In the event that Reyes sat, Easley would probably play shortstop.

More likely, Manuel would like to see Reyes cut down on his busy pregame regime, which originally was put in place to prevent the leg injuries that hampered him earlier in his career. Now, for the sake of maintaining freshness throughout the order, Manuel could ask him to cut down on those activities.

"I'd like to say, 'Hey, come, sit at your locker, put your uniform on ... go play,' " Manuel said with a laugh. "It's very, very, very kind of a position where you have to wait for how a guy feels, but he's one of those guys who you just can't afford to lose."