Daily Archives: June 15, 2009
Yesterday, in what was the worst start of his career, Johan Santana was charged with nine runs on nine hits and two walks in just three innings in a loss to the Yankees.
In his last two starts, against the Yankees and Phillies, Santana has allowed 14 runs to score in 10 innings, while letting up five home runs, during which his ERA jumped from 2.00 to 3.29.
Santana, speaking to reporters after the game, said:
“I still believe, at this point of the season, for what I’ve been before in the past, I think I’m fine… It’s just, you start the season with those numbers and everybody expects you to keep them that way. I’m trying, but it’s not that easy. I’m trying to be consistent, trying to give my team a chance to win every time that I’m out there, and that’s about it… We, as a team, are going through a tough time. I think this week was a crazy one.”
According to Ben Shpigel in the New York Times, Dan Warthen and Santana said the pitcher has been bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his throwing, as well as a blister on his left big toe for while feeling soreness in his back.
Santana’s next start will likely be this weekend against the Rays.
According to David Lennon, in Newsday, Dan Warthen said:
“The arm was feeling good, but the other issues were bothering him enough that we didn’t want to take any chances of changing the delivery… But I don’t know whether he’s changed the grip on the fastball. I just worry about the ball’s flight… He’s supposed to have a very true fastball. He has a two-seamer that when it hits a lane, it’s supposed to stay on that lane and it hasn’t been.”
…like i said yesterday evening, his fastball just seems soft… and so, there is not the same drastic difference between his fastball and his change-up…
…also, i didn’t see the lunging and leaning from hitters that i see when he pitches… usually, guys are all over that batter’s box, antsy, jumpy, because they just can’t react properly to his repertoire… yesterday, the Yankees were strong, like the Phillies the start before…
“I’ll take one bad start every 20,” Alex Cora said, as quoted by the Journal News. “We know he’s going to have days like this. We don’t expect it, but at least we know he’s competing out there.”
Mets manager Jerry Manuel talked to reporters after yesterday’s loss to the Yankees, and had the following to say about:
Johan Santana, who said he feels fine:
“If he says he’s OK, he’s been pitching a
long time, and knows himself well. Look, everybody hits a bump in the road every now and then. He had been going real real good for a long period of time.”
The difference between Santana’s first seven starts compared to his last six starts:
“In the last two outings, he left some pitches up. When you leave pitches up against good hitting clubs it’s going to cost you. But, Johan is a competitor, a warrior and a fighter, and he’ll be fine… It happens. We tend to expect something great every time he goes out there, and over the course of this game, and as long as a season is, you can expect him to have a rough one every now and then.”
The team’s 2–4 record against Phillies and Yankees, and whether he is disappointed considering how close most of the games were:
“I’m always disappointed when we go 2–4. I do think, for most part, we competed… That’s good, for where we are right now. We’ll be fine.”
The growing gap in the standings between the Mets and Phillies:
Newer posts →“So long as we’re in that 100 range, with 100 games left, I think we have time. 100 games left, right? I think we have time.”
