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During last night’s win over the Nationals, Johan Santana allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out three through seven innings, while also going 2 for 2 at the plate.
Santana had the following to say after last 
night’s game, speaking about ‘pitching,’ his catcher, and the difference between the National League and American League…
“The National League is a little bit different than the American League. You work by innings, and you’re trying to set everything up, and you’re trying to see who is coming up the next inning – and that’s what we’re trying to do. At the same time, the pitching coach is going to let you know what’s going on. Brian Schneider did a pretty good job, he knows these guys and we’re trying to stay on top of the game at all times – and we’re trying to set everything up hitter by hitter and inning by inning…[Schneider helps] a lot. I’m new here in this league and so far everything has been good. He’s a pretty smart guy. He has a lot of knowledge of the game. He knows the league pretty good. He makes your job a lot easier because he knows how to call a good game.”
…oddly, the 7–8–9 hitters were 5 for 7 against johan early in the game…usually, it’s the other way around…the pitcher dances around the top of the lineup, some times even allowing them to reach base, knowing he can just mow through the bottom…
…that said, i love knowing it is all strategic with santana…i’m sure he must enjoy this, in that, in the American League, it’s simply about getting this batter out, the next batter out, etc…in the National League, as he explained in the quote, there is a bigger picture in place, because of the weaker lineups and how they are stacked, plus knowing the opposing pitcher will eventually be pulled in favor of a pinch hitter…i can only assume this is more fun for a guy like santana, who clearly enjoys the art of pitching…not just throwing…also, it’s a lot of fun to watch…
For more on Santana, read David Lennon in Newsday.
Johan is also a decent hitter and very athletic. I wonder whether he would ever be considered for pinch hitting duties, since the bench seems rather thin right now.
yea, he probably should have PH for Marlon Anderson last night. …wait a minute…
yea, I’m not so sure our $137M ace pitcher will be used for pinch hitting duties, lol
when that missed strike three call happened I was mildly bother knowing Santana could work through it.
But now that it was the only thing between him and a shutout I’m more bother by it. Nieves 2-2 count, inside breaker gets two inches of the plate and is called a ball as Santana was walking towards the dugout. He then singled to Church, and the pitcher smoked him. If not for that bad call and the ~5 extra pitches he had to throw there is no way he doesnt throw a shutout. We all missed out on greatness because of one bad call.
which happened to be 1/2 inning after a terrible strike 3 call on Castillo….. that ball was well below his knees
Nothing can be below Castillo’s knees. His knees are as low as you can go.
Not directed at anyone in particular, but I don’t hear too many Willie haters.
To all the Willie haters, a few suggestions:
-Dont always take what he’s saying literally. When he talks to the media a manager is now a politician. Giving the perception that everything is alright and will be alright.
-Willie can’t react as quickly as us, the fans, want him too. We cant demand that he keep Church in the 2 hole and bury Castillo after such a small sample size with each lineup. Lets see now how can he find out how Luis will react in the two hole, oh yeah he has to play him there.
-The man can only work with what he has. He didn;t have an arm to go to in the pen during the collapse and then you say its his fault. But in 06 when our pen was one of the best and permforming well, he’s a genius.
-These fans that react to Willie prematurely make me sick. Please think of the alternatives
I’m a Willie doubter. And that hasn’t changed after 1 game in which our ace beat the worst team in the league, which was supposed to happen in the first place. Willie didn’t win yesterday’s game. But, to his credit, he didn’t lose it either.
Suggestion 1: So, basically, we shouldn’t believe what Willie says? Are you kidding me? Managers are not politicians, and to state that as a qualifier is ridiculous. The best managers tell it straight and reveal how things are going to be fixed. They should have a plan. Wake up….This is a .500 team for nearly the last 162 games played, So Willie’s status quo “all is fine” approach is tired, ineffective, and only going to continue that trend. And you may think he is talking to only the media, but in fact, he is actually talking to the fanbase. We fans go on what he says on the radio/press conferences, and if his message is tainted, veiled, and not straight-forward, then the fall-out is on him….not us. I would get fired for that ineffective communication technique.
Suggestion 2: How do you discount that Willie actually DID react correctly to Castillo’s downturn by putting Church in the 2-hole? Now, for whatever reason, he took him out after it was actually working. Don’t give me this small sample size crap….Castillo is not performing in April, just like he wasn’t last September. He’s a shell of his former self. He’s not even healthy and even requested days off. You can’t have a revolving door 2-spot on a team that is struggling to score runs. The top needs to be consistent. Willie does not HAVE to bat Castillo #2. Where do you get that from?
Suggestion 3: If you think that Willie not having an arm to go to in the pen was the sole reason for the collapse, then who knows what you were watching last September. The team, overall, choked on offense, defense, starting pitching, managing, tactics, fundamentals, and relief pitching. That is on the Manager more than anyone else. After all, he is ‘THe Leader’.
Being a Willie Hater may be premature and sickening, but being a blind Willie Apologist is no better and just as ignorant.
Now thats the fire I’m looking for.
First know that I’m a watch every pitch of every game type of fan, or at least I try my best to.
Reaction 1: All that matters is what happens in the clubhouse. Willie moved Delgado to the 6th spot, look at is actions and theirs the reply I’m lookin for. When he met with the media, he said Delgado had a few good rips, which we all know he looks like garbage and Willie know it too, Hence dropping him in the lineup.
Reaction 2: So youre saying Castillo is washed up and done. You watch the game last night. He ripped a couple. Let the guy build confidence. Have you played sports and recovered from an injury before, I have. You have to build confidence in yourself, no matter what your stats page says. I’m not blind, I know baseball and I see Luis looking at strike after strike and its frustrating, but lets not make him out to be Delgado, two different situations.
Reaction 3: I know all about the collapse, offense, defense, pitching hitting, blah blah blah. I know it took all spects of our game to collapse. What I’m saying is whe you watch almost EVERY game and watch the bullpen blow lead after lead, your left with an impression of a glaring hole.
I by know means am Willie on a pedestal. The collapse sucked I wondered like we all did what the hell he should be doing to motivate. But lets not forget that when these PLAYERS were working on all cylinders in 06 he was a candidate for manager of the year.
so do you really think willie can turn this into a Championship caliber team on the field?
Santana is officially leading MLB in strikeouts.
1 Santana 32
2 Hernandez SEA 31
2 Smoltz ATL 31
2 Wellemeyer STL 31
5 2 more tied with 30
i think that is also a bit misleading…from what I can tell, he has 1 more start than all of them….
Its nice for now, but once its more definite later in the season, it will be better :)
Maybe for this small sample size we have in the season, but stats are stats and Johan is always a top K pitcher. Hell, he won the triple crown….
In fact, I worry sometimes that Ks are more on his mind than getting a ball in play.
.
Not to be nitpicky, but he actually have 4 last night, not 3 as Matt posted.
Man, wouldn’t it be nice if Ollie had the same mental capacity to understand pitching? OP is a thrower that often doesn’t seem to have any plan. Pretty much the opposite of a Pitcher like Santana.
hope hes at least taking notes
It makes me smile every time I think about Johan.
Again, those people who booed him should be banned from Shea and Citi Field.