SEMANTICS CAN BE A KILLER

I KNOW I’M KNITPICKING; HOWEVER TFIC(TONGUE FIRMLY IN CHEEK)

OVER THE COURSE OF HIS MET CAREER SANTANA HAS PROVIDED A MERE 48-36 RECORD WHILE ONLY APPEARING IN 109 GAMES SINCE 2008
WHAT STARTED OFF AS THE SINFGLE RICHREST CONTRACT EVER SIGNED BY A MLB PITCHER TO OSTENSIBLY REPLACE PEDRO ATOP THE ROTATION, HE IS LIKE PEDRO FADING FROM SIGHT QUIETLY WITHOUT MUCH OF A FANFARE. IF HIS 26M CONTRACT FOR THIS SEASON ISN’T SCARING OFF SUITORS THAN HIS 5M BUYOUT WILL EVAPORATE THE POTENTIAL MARKET. AS BELTRAN’S KNEES WOULD NOT PRECLUDE AL TEAMS LOOKING FOR A DH, SANTANA’S KNEE/ELBOW/SHOULDER HISTORY WILL THREATEN TO PRECLUDE HIM FROM ANY LEVEL OF MLB PERTINANCE BE IT BULLPEN OR ROTATION

AS I SEE IT THE BEST RESOLUTION WOULD BE FOR NYM TO KEEP SANTANA SLOTTED @ #5 ONCE ACTIVATED HOPING FOR SOME MISMATCHES AGAINST MIORE BACKENDERS THAN TOPPERS IN OPONENT’S ROTATION.
SURELY SPENDING WHAT HAS PROVEN TO BE $2.86M PER VICTORY* FROM SANTANA IS CERTAINLY THE BIGGEST BOONDOGLE OVER THE PAST 51 SEASONS IN FLUSHING.

*2,8M MORE THAN LIKELY MORE THAN SEAVER EVER EARNED IN NY FOR ANY COMPLERTE SEASION

I FOR ONE SEE JOHAN SANTANA’S REP AS A “COMPETITOR” AS EQUIVILENT TO EMPEROR’S INVISIBLE CLOTHES AS FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT I’VE SEEN IS A PITCHER WEARY OF INVOLVMENT IN HARD WINS AS MERE JOURNEYMEN ONLY NEEDED TO WAIT HIM OUT BY MATCHING HIS SUCCESS FOT 6,7 OR 8 INNINGS ASSURED SANTANA TO BE THE FIRST TO BLINK.
WHETHER THIS WAS EGITIMATLY CAUSED BY HIS TEAM’S CONSISTANTLY FAILING HIM OR WHETHER IT IS HIS PERSONAL FLAW; I CETAINLY DON’T SEE THE DOGGED DETERMINATION HE’S SO OFTEN CREDITED WITH SINCE HIS RECORD TRULY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF & THE TRUEST RECORD OVER TIME (6YRS.) IS MOST CERTAINLY Ws & Ls MAKING ERA, Ks & WHIP MERELY SUPPORT CATEGORIES.

WHILE THERE IS NO ARGUMENT HIS TEAMS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN SUPPORTIVE IN RUNS IT CERTAINLY IS FAR FROM THE LACK OF SUPPORT TYPICALLY ACCORDED THE LIKES OF SEAVER,KOOSMAN, GENTRY ALL OF WHOM TOILD SUCCESSFULLY DESPITE THEIR TEAM’S FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY 100 RBI SEASONS UNTIOL AFTER 2 WS APPEARANCES HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY 66% OF THEM, SEAVER & KOOS.

I HAVE LONG SPOOFED THE CONCEPT OF AN “ACE” REQUIRING RUN SUPPORT FOR VICTORIES AS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ACES ARE MATCHED AGAINST THEIR OPPOSING COUNTERPARTS WHO ARE RARELY DISPOSED TO RENDER SUPPORT RUNS TO THEIR OPPOSITION. ANY ACE’S PRIMARY JOB IS TOP OUT ACE HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER. BE IT PEDRO Vs SMOLTZ, SEAVER Vs CARLTON/FERFUSON/GIBSON RUN SUPPORT IS TYPICALLY CONSIDERED A LUXURY BY MOST #1s. IT IS AN “EXCUSE” RESERVED FOR THE STEVE TRACHSELS OF THE MLB WORLD. WHEN DES[PERATE FOR A CONTRACT EXTENSION OR RENEWAL.

We all would like to see Johann bounce back and show enough to be able to bring back some talent in a trade, but it is very unlikely. Letting him stay behind in Florida makes sense for him and for the team so that they can see what Hefner and the other young arms can do on a regular basis.

IMO I think that this entire thing caught Johan off guard and he expected the arm to fire up like usual and it didn’t.

Something I find strange though is, just a few weeks ago at the start of camp he was trying to convince the Mets brass to let him pitch in the WBC, which makes no sense at all.

If he hadn’t picked up a ball all winter and was well rested shouldn’t he have been in prime shape to come to camp and be on time to start the season?
If he was not right from the start what would make Johan think he could pitch in the WBC?

So, I end up with more questions spinning around my head. Whats the truth here?

1) If Johan was asking to participate in the WBC wouldn’t that mean he and his shoulder were in shape and good to go? Especially considering he was lobbying to play.

2) Was it all a diversion for the truth? Did Johan know he and his arm were not in shape and maybe he could use the WBC to get it into shape?

3) Did he know he and his arm weren’t in shape and figure he would get hurt during the WBC and have this as an excuse to not play for the Mets in what many consider a throw away year?

3b) Also because its a throw away maybe he just couldn’t bring himself to work out and be ready, because the teams future is without him?

4) Last season he gave his all but, he knows he has nothing left and has known since the end of last season? Last season his velocity was mostly high 80′s occasionally 90, or 91. As it started to dip, he started to get ripped. He may have known for a while now that he won’t even have that much velocity or he could be tired of all the hard work it now takes him to do something that has come naturally for most of his life.

5) Lastly, is this part of some plan to actually bring Johan back later in the year to pitch 10 to 15 quality all out starts in the second half.

I know it sounds crazy but, crazier things have happened.

really nice to see pitchers stay with a finish toward the plate. Send him some video of Halladay.

why waste energy and motion going different directions? Plus it can wreck havoc with control and repeat ability.

though yes, if he does come back late May and is strong, he could put up a couple of solid months and look good. So assuming the Mets are not in the playoff hunt at the trade deadline, it could be the best scenario to trade him.

of course, being strong in ST and pitching well in the 1st half like last year would have been a boost to the chances of actually being in the playoff hunt!