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Last night, in a loss to the Brewers, Johan Santana allowed six runs on nine hits, while walking four, including the opposing pitcher, in six innings, during which he also made a throwing error.
Following a two-error, fourth inning, 
during which four runs scored, Santana was seen on television barking at his teammates and himself from the bench.
Santana, following the game, explained to reporters:
“I wasn’t frustrated (on the bench), I was just letting people know we need to play better baseball. If we don’t play better baseball we’re not gonna win. If we don’t make routine plays, if we don’t execute, throw the right the pitch, we’re not gonna win… I wasn’t trying to get on anybody, it was more of a general thing. We have to play better.”
…the fourth inning was ugly… it like watching a Little League team, complete with a face-first belly flop, two errant throws, and runners ice skating around the bases… for details, read the previous post, where i describe it in the post-game write up, because i can’t stomach describing it again…
Later, Santana added:
“I don’t know, man. I’m just trying to do my job… I cannot control things after I throw the ball, and that’s reality. I’m just trying to do my job and help as much as I can… Any time I pitch it’s always about one play, or one pitch, that can change the whole game and that was the difference in tonight’s game.”
…hmmm, one play, you mean like walking the pitcher on four pitches… or, do you mean giving up a bases-clearing double on an 0–2 pitch… or, do you mean throwing the ball over the third baseman’s head so a run could score… all of which johan did, himself alone, in the fourth inning…
…on one hand, i feel badly for johan, as he’s a superior talent on an under-performing team… at the same time, he’s a leader, and i hope he is stepping up to take responsibility with his teammates, even though many of them are to blame for last night’s loss as well, all while inspiring and encouraging them to do better…
By the way, according to Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of ESPN.com, last night was the sixth time this season that Santana walked a pitcher, the highest total in the majors. Prior to this season, opposing pitchers had only two walks in 79 plate appearances against Santana.
…from a talent point of view, something is just off with johan… it’s one thing to have a bad start, that’s totally acceptable… but, he’s looked to be off his game for a good month or so, with a decrease in velocity, while not commanding his fastball…
Santana is 2–4 in six starts in June with a 6.19 ERA, during which he has 18 strike outs, 14 walks and allowed eight home runs in 36 innings pitched.
He allowed five home runs total in April and May.
Guys feed off good baseball and that has not been present the last month. It’s one thing to be ravaged by injuries and play hard, fundamental baseball. It’s completely another thing when guys are sloppy and blaming each other for bad plays. That should not be tolerated as guys let that affect them
I respect Santana as the pitching ace but he seriously needs to cool it, letting loose in the dugout at himself and others when he is not an everyday player cannot be tolerated.
No one means to make errors and he didn’t mean to make his pitching mistakes either, but these things happen.
If he continues to throw his teammates under the bus, with him included or not, it makes losing all the more intolerable as there will eventually be a rift.
Great comments re Santana, Matt. The 0-2 pitch for the double had us scratching our heads till they were bleeding. The lack of a ‘Riot Act’ being read to the team by Manuel, Omar or even one of the Wilpons is the problem. The ’stay calm’ thing wasn’t just Willie, it’s organizational. Santana, in his defense, is the only guy barking. K-Rod will, but he’s still too new. When teams win, they have more than one player that will keep teammates awake and not just guys that take the hill. Keith, Ray Knight, Wally Backman and Davey Johnson all were that way. Frank Cashen was that way. Dare we say that Bobby V is that way?
As much as I like Johan, I feel like this is becoming a common occurence. I can understand being frustrated with losing, but he calls out his teammates on a consistent basis and doesn’t ever seen to shoulder any of the blame himself. Hey Johan, we all think you’re the greatest pitcher on earth, but you’re not infallible. When you do something wrong accept it. Baseball is a team game: you may be the best player out there but throwing your teammates under the bus is not going to help the team win.
We were at the game again last night, as we will this afternoon. Again, very few Mets fans in sight. The Brewers fans seemed more sorry for us than hostile.
As great as it was to see F-Mart’s first home run, which we hope is the first of many to come in a Mets uniform, the theme of the night was, “We came, we saw, we fell down.”
Santana worries me. Just a bad feeling that there is something physically wrong, and that it is just a matter of time that the red cross gets broken out for him.
I never thought I’d say this, but Johan disgusts me right now. I no longer have a good feeling when he is pitching, and I do not like the fact that he is screaming at people in the dugout, even when half the mistakes are HIS.
There is no such thing as throwing teammates under the bus with yourself…if I was them, I’d be thinking “Johan, you’re right. But then again, why don’t you stop walking people, including the PITCHER?”
In June, Santana has been our second worst pitcher, posting a 6.12 ERA. Who was the worst? Mike Pelfrey, with a 6.39 ERA.
Pelfrey is still young and tends to have his bad days (the 9 run game in Pittsburgh), and is still trying to fit into the #2 hole in our rotation, but there is no excuse for our “Ace” to have a bad month like that. What makes it worse is that he gave up the leads given to him by this anemic offense almost every time.
There’s you leadership. Johan, shut the $%$# up and pitch already. Nobody on here wants to see you whine and complain anymore. BE A MAN…
Sorry, typo…Santana has a 6.19 ERA in June
In Johans Defense
he pitches his heart out every game he pitches
and the sloppy AA Mets show up Every time.
he Must be frustrated right now.
why bother playing/pitching/ keeping the game close
when you know the guys behind you dont have your back.
yes the defense was sloppy last night and Santana contributed to it with a throwing error of his own. Wright’s home run in the first was a boost and should have propelled the team but scoring first did not work in their favor last night as they left 8 men on base and only scored on the two home runs.
Frustration is one thing but to say they don’t have his back is taking it too far in my opinion, he is one of five starting pitchers, and most of these guys are out there every day.
To act like its some kind of vendetta against him is ridiculous imho.
Yeah, Johan needs to cool it. He was AWFUL last night. Has no one to blame but himself. He’s walked the opposing pitcher 6 times this year. How does that happen?
But the biggest concern with him is the strikeouts. I heard on SNY yesterday that he struck out something like 45 guys in April, another 45 in May and only 18 in June. That’s the surest sign his stuff is off.