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During last night’s loss to the Braves, Johan Santana allowed four runs through seven innings on 12 hits and 90 pitches while walking nobody.
Brian Schneider, on Santana’s performance, while talking to reporters after the game, said:
“You sit there and scratch your head and say, ‘What just happened right there?’ He battled. He didn’t give up any longballs tonight. They just singled, and singled. It’s frustrating.”
…hooray, no home runs…seriously, though, he looked good through most of the game…what’s frustrating is that he was ahead of so many hitters with two-strike…each time, though, it seemed he would end up going full, then letting up a single…it happened over and over and over again…
On the year, Santana is 5–3 with a 3.36 ERA, while checking in at seventh in the National League with 56 strike outs.
The Mets are 7–3 in his 10 starts this season.
…as for santana on the year, i think he’s been good…not great…
…i think the ERA speaks for itself, and he seems to be striking out far less batters of late…also, he has kept his team in nearly every game, which would explain why the Mets have won 70 percent of his starts…
…at this pace, the Mets will go 22–10 in his projected 32 starts…
In late March, half of voters on MetsBlog.com said they expect the Mets to win between 22 and 25 games this season when Santana steps to the mound, while 29 percent expected between 25 and 29 wins – the rest expected less than 22.
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The concerning part for me is that his strikeouts are down…….
He really hasn’t been able to put hitters away……and that has been the story for him so far this season…..they keep fouling off pitches…..driving up his pitch count (he did a good job keeping it down tonight, but prob because they put a ton of balls in play) and forcing him out of games w/ 110+ pitches in the 6th inning.
I think its been documented that his velocity is down somewhat. I hope this is just because he warms up as the season goes along and is not anything larger.
Of course, it will only be option 1 if our luck changes……….
The thing that is concerning me is something that was posted yesterday but most of you disregarded it. His velocity is down from years past a good 3mph! He conisistanly threw 95 in Minnesota and now he throws 91-92 all game long.
Now, im not a guy thats huge on velocity but this has to be the reason hes giving up so many hits. By throwing the fb slower the changeup is easier to hit. Thus why hes not striking as many people out and hes giving up so many hits per game.
Hes been good thus far. Not great but good. the question is, in the middle of this contract how good will he be?
Awesome name……
Importer/Exporter?
Santana has been MUCH better in second halves of seasons. All in all, he has pitched well and based on his track record, you can expect him to pick ot up even more as the season goes on and end up with 17-20 wins.
Willie’s not the only one with his head on the block. I have to think Omar Minaya is also in trouble. The Wilpons fired a GM mid-season before, when they dropped Joe McIlvaine in favor of Steve Phillips, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Who to replace him? I would guess they’d approach former Mets assistant GM and current Tampa Bay President of Baseball Operations Gerry Hunsicker. Gerry did a great job as GM of the Astros, but given the success of the Rays thus far, it might not be realistic to think he’d be available or willing to take on the Mets job.
Whoops, sorry, I posted on the wrong thread…
Santana is gonna get killed by many fans today because these are the games that he was brought in to win. When the Mets go on slides like this, you figure that the Ace of Aces is supposed to be the one who stops the skid. So I can’t blame anyone for being a bit upset over the fact that Santana has yet to live up to expectations.
But then again, those expectations are unrealistic. With the exception of one poor start, every start this season has been either very good or great, regardless of the fact that he has given up an alarming amount of home runs (and he certainly has). And while I don’t know the exact statistic here, even after tonight’s loss, the Mets have won most of the games that Santana has started.
But that’s not what he was brought here to do, is it?
That’s not what he’s being paid a king’s ransom for, is it?
That’s not what the Mets traded away Gomez and a slew of other prospects for, is it?
And that’s why fans react as harshly as they do now. Bottom line today is, if you’re gonna accept a check for X-millions of dollars in order to play a game for a living, you better be perfect. Because as soon as you stumble, we’re gonna call for your head on a platter.
It’s not fair to look at it that way, but when most people make well under 100k per and struggle just to keep their heads above water, they’re bound to get a bit touchy when the platinum spoon-fed multi-millionaire doesn’t live up to expectations. And they certainly don’t appreciate it when they moan, groan, and complain about… well, anything!
Anyway, this was a game that Santana did have to give just a bit more in an effort to stop this skid and NOT lose a 4-game series to (of all teams) the Atlanta Braves. But I won’t kill him. Not yet. Because one starting pitcher who plays once every 5 days is not going to turn things around for this club. Especially when more often than not, his teammates don’t give him much to work with.
no way ……. santana has not been VERY good or GREAT…… no way…
his outing have been good……. we have seen NOTHING close to great or dominating…..
frankly …santana’s been slightly disappionting …so far…
Never used the word “dominating”.
Personally I feel as if he’s had a couple of great outings, and a few more very good ones.
But then again, that’s just the rational Mets fan in me.
Trust me. If you’ve been on this forum as long as I have (and I’ve been here since day 1), then you’ve read my posts and you know how IRRATIONAL I can be.
I just think you have to look at what the rest of the team has given him in each of his starts. Considering the Mets are 7-3 thus far when he starts, I’d say he doesn’t deserve to be called a slight disappointment.
Not yet anyway.
no no …. i didnt say you said dominating….. you took me wrong….. dominating is my word…. it’s what i expect from an ace…. not every outing of course….. but i feel he should of at least shown dominance once or twice so far….
it’s just my opinion. i’m not questioning how ya feel , just i dont think you can squeeze “GREAT ” into any of the starts…… pelfrey’s had a better start or 2…..
and i dont think saying “SLIGHTLY” dissapionting is a stretch …..
people expect an ace….. a man who was the best pitcher in baseball….to dominate a few games .. especially the first time through a new league……
all we heard was how he would be so tuff to hit in the nl….
Santana has been far from stellar, but you can’t blame him for this mess. He got a lot of money, but he also thought he was joining a contender. How much do you think he’s missing MN right now?
Jeez, can’t our offense muster more than two runs?
The number one problem is we can’t hit, the number two problem is mental mistakes (fielding, base running). Our pitchers are struggling but they also know that if we’re one run behind, we’re going to lose the game. You expect pitchers to keep you in the game. But, your not going to win many games scoring one or two runs.
We suck. SOmeone sadi the Willie watch will begin soon. i’v e been watching since September to no avail.
The Wilpons relayed a message to Willie through Omar that they want to meet with him when he returns to New York on Sunday night.
Where did you see or hear this?
I tried to post the link. It’s from the NY Post. If you want to look it up, the headline is “UNCONFIDENCE GAME
METS OWNERS’ SILENCE MAY SPELL DOOM FOR WILLIE”
This is from the article:
“Instead of hearing back from the Wilpons, Randolph was told in a phone call from GM Omar Minaya that Minaya was returning Randolph’s call on behalf of the owners.
Minaya also relayed to Randolph that the Wilpons wanted to meet with the embattled manager once the team returns from its current trip to Atlanta and Denver on Sunday night.”
I can’t type. This is upsetting
Lose today
Lose tomorrow
Send Willie packing Sunday morning so he can clean his locker out before the team returns to Shea
Move forward
Santana has always been a 2nd half pitcher.. I am not “too” concerned.
Willie However is another story.
THis is the first time this week when i actually thought he should go, his comments about Mets Fans having nothing before he got here really rubbed me raw.
If he does not take 2/3 this weekend, I think he is gone.
That 2nd half stuff is garbage. Last year Santana was dreadful in the second half for the Twins. So now that gets thrown out the window.
All in all, considering what Santana himself has to work with in terms of the team he has behind him, I’d say he’s done quite well.
Not spectacular… but quite well.
i agree………. well… and nothing more
Can’t wait for the confidence poll today.
Sorry, I dont blame Johan.
Defense, quite frankly, has been shotty.
And this is true for each of the Atlanta games.
With the Johan game…. second inning blunder by castillo, not sure why Beltran could not get to a ball which put a man on second, not sure why Wright could not catch a ball and tag out a runner who was yards away from the bag, not sure why Wright was not covering third base on a bunt (clearly santan can field).
A good pitcher should still be able to get out of situations created by his defense, but when these type of plays accumulate (or occur in the same inning), it makes it that much more difficult.
Of course, in the end it was Santana who gave up those singles, but with a little defense, the damage could have been limited.
I’m not concerned about Santana at all. He’s a gamer, and if his velocity really is down relative to this time of year last year, he’ll either pick it up or adapt and continue to be successful. Of all the things that have gone wrong this year, his signing is one thing that has gone right. I’m perfectly content to win 70% of his starts. The problem is, we also should be winning 60% of Perez and Maine’s starts, and 50% of Pelfrey and Vargas/Figueroa/whoever’s starts. I’ll take my chances with the 94 wins we’d get if that happened.
He has not been what we expected, especially for the money we paid and the players we gave up. Maybe there is a reason nobody else, including the equally desperate Yankees, didn’t sell the farm to get him. Frankly I’d rather still have Gomez and the 2 pitchers we gave up, but thats just me. Trust me, in the middle of the contract we will be begging to trade this guy.
And if the Mets don’t make that trade, who exactly fills Santana’s spot?
Mulvey? Humber? Guerra? And what good does Gomez do them if they can’t send out a top starter like Santana every fifth day? Do you think Gomez propels them into first place all by himself?
Cmon people, get a grip. They are 7-3 in his starts thus far. You would really rather have back a bunch of prospect pitchers instead of Santana who’s performance thus far is the ONLY REASON…
… allow me to repeat this…
ONLY REASON why the Mets are not sharing last place with the Nationals?
Wow. I’m not sure what’s more frustrating. Watching this team of underachievers or reading your comment?
To each their own. I’d rather have the everday player on the verge of being a star than pay $150 million for a pitcher who could possibly be heading down the baseball hill really soon. Nobody said Gomez could be leading this team to first all by himself but I’d rather have him in the lineup than AARP Alou and the 2 jokes known as Anderson and Chavez. Last night was a game you expect your ace to overcome the lack of offense and get you through with a 2-1 lead to hand it over to the closer and simply, he failed, he was brought here to be the stopper and he wasn’t, thats a cold hard fact.
So, he’s human. And he may never be as good as he was in 2004 and 2006. But as long as he’s close, I’ll be happy. And if he’s close, he’s still better than 80-90% of the starters out there. I’ll take that every time.
It’s like Beltran. He may be overpaid, but he’s still better than almost every other centerfielder out there. That’s good enough for me. I don’t mind overpaying like that as long as it’s for quality.
Lets all stop with the FIRE WILLIE. its a matter of time now. Lets hope they can start to turn it around this weekend. and carry some momentum with the new skip next week
I don’t think it bodes well for Omar that by all reports that CitiFred and Paris are making the decision on the manager change and not Omar. I doubt he is much longer for his job either.
Interesting parallel: Omar hired Willie but did not allow Willie to choose his coaching staff. Now Willie, with the forced-on-him coaching staff, has underachieved and is on the brink of being fired. As you point out, now Fred & Jeff are setting up Omar for the same fate in the same circumstances. My advice to the owners: when you hire the next GM, let him do his job his way. My advice to the next GM: when you hire a manager, let him do his job his way.
What reports? Can someone direct me to a link? Or is this wild speculation being exaggerated?
IMO, if they fire Willie, I wouldn’t let Omar hire the interim manager either. HIs hiring of Willie shows his judgment leaves a lot to be desired.
Jeff and Fred did let Omar do “his job his way” for three years. And look where it’s gotten them now.
But I agree that generally is a good policy. They just need to get the right GM in place first.
I have not heard any reports to that respect, I was assuming (yes I know what happens…) that the post I was replying to was accurate, which it may be, I don’t know either way.
The only actual “reports” that I’ve heard were yesterday on 1050 Andrew Marchand said that normally Willie speaks with Fred or Jeff daily, and that when Willie called the Wilpon’s office yesterday, his call was returned by Omar, not the Wilpons, which I interpret as the Wilpons are working with Omar to find a replacement for Willie and don’t want to speak with him because they would be disingenuous, they prefer the GM be that. But that’s just my interpretation, could be way off.
Unless there’s a source/link, or it’s reported elsewhere, I wouldn’t take what you read on a blog very seriously. Fans can post whatever they want to and some have little disregard for whether it is accurate or not.
OK, saw the report. It was in the Daily News. It says that Fred and Jeff will make the decision on whether or not to fire Willie. It’s out of Omar’s hands, if the report is right.
The decision apparently has not been made yet.
Wow. Johan has never before in his entire career given up as many as 12 hits in a single game. Concern? Don’t know.
Maybe the Braves are just supermen in their own park. They’re 20-5 there. Surprise! … their fans don’t boo their own players.
Good thing they turn into mere mortals on the road.
Both of them booed Andrew Jones last season.
C’mon. You know he’s a special circumstance. Like Benitez was in our park.
My statement was a generalization but it was true. You won’t find Braves fans booing guys like Show and Heilman or Santana on opening day.
And, btw, even the uber laid back fans in LA boo Andruw Jones now.
santana was booed on opening day? not at the game i was at. neither was heilman.
Opening day at Shea.
I’m all for firing Willie, but who takes his place?
Morale is at an all time low in Mets land! And that says a lot with the what the team and the fanbase has been in years past!
Honestly, I can’t fault Santana for his pitching. The Braves are just locked in offensively right now. Sometimes a hot lineup is going to just hit no matter who’s pitching. Chipper, btw, is a monster. I can’t believe he’s hitting like .420 two full months into the season! I swear, if he doesn’t get into the HOF on the first ballot, I think Mets fans will be screaming louder than the Braves fans. For all the grief he’s given our team over the years, he’d better get in the HOF on the first shot!! I hate the guy, but how can you not respect him for what he’s accomplished in his career?