Santana Is Optimistic, Passes First Real Test

The Mets and Santana are taking no chances. Both sides have a vested interest in being cautious this spring with Santana who had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the offseason.

The Mets ace Johan Santana gets stronger each day, and yesterday he thre from the back mound which the Mets say was a significant step forward. Mike Vaccaro of the NY Post writes,

Santana’s 30-pitch debut at the back pitcher’s mound yesterday was the first real litmus test of this Mets season.

Santana expected to feel good, expected to throw well, and he did. The Mets said they expected as much. But it’s always helpful to see it. Yesterday, they all saw it.

“I’m happy,” Santana said. “This is exactly where I want to be. Everything is where it’s supposed to be. I don’t expect to be 100 percent right away. It’s going to take some time. We’ve got around seven weeks to get everything going and I’m pretty sure we’re not going to have any problems.”

The Mets were on heightened alert after Santana revealed he pitched in pain in his last start of the season against the Marlins. He pitched a gem that day, and one can only wonder how much better it could have been had he been pain-free.

Santana will also skip the WBC and focus instead on having a full recovery with no setbacks, and that suits the Mets and me just fine.