Jeremy Shockey found his own way to Sainthood without having to facillitate a single miracle.
Although this particular penman is preaching patience, Johan Santana has been perceived as anything but Saintly by a contingent of the New York Mets' Faithful.
Tuesday night at Shea Stadium provides Santana with a golden opportunity to woo a demanding home crowd, but more importantly, a chance to help the Mets capture sole possession of first place against rival Philadelphia.
Many members of the Mets' deprived fan base (when your team has two fewer World Series titles over the past two decades than the expansion Florida Marlins, your fan base warrants the adjective "deprived"), myself included, have been waiting for what numerous pundits have deemed "Johan's signature Mets' moment." The ERA and masterful control have come as expected, but the Mets' biggest acquisition since Mike Piazza has not exactly come as advertised. Santana hasn't overpowered, has been prone to the long ball, and owns a pedestrian 8-7 win-loss record.
With the Mets' first-place companions visiting tonight, Santana can erase any prior disappointment from the short memory of Mets' fans and prove that he was worth Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, and $138 million by mowing down Chaset Utley and Co. to the tune of a crisp victory.
I'm hoping that Santana emulates what he did at Shea last season as a member of the Minnesota Twins when he twirled a complete-game shutout of the Amazins. I am also prepared for the possibility that Santana's line could resemble the one from last week's start in Cincinnati (4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB).
Santana may replicate his Independence Day performance in Philadelphia where he allowed only two runs over 8.0 innings while pitching in a bandbox. He did more than give his team a chance to win that night, but it still wasn't good enough to win nor was it good enough to satisfy his somewhat insatiable critics.
Regardless of what happens tonight, the Mets will remain a N.L. East title contender for the forseeable future and Santana will still be viewed as one of the game's top aces. Mets' fans won't change either. We will still be a demanding bunch, and rightfully so.
Click Here for MLB Game Preview of Mets-Phils.
Although this particular penman is preaching patience, Johan Santana has been perceived as anything but Saintly by a contingent of the New York Mets' Faithful.
Tuesday night at Shea Stadium provides Santana with a golden opportunity to woo a demanding home crowd, but more importantly, a chance to help the Mets capture sole possession of first place against rival Philadelphia.
Many members of the Mets' deprived fan base (when your team has two fewer World Series titles over the past two decades than the expansion Florida Marlins, your fan base warrants the adjective "deprived"), myself included, have been waiting for what numerous pundits have deemed "Johan's signature Mets' moment." The ERA and masterful control have come as expected, but the Mets' biggest acquisition since Mike Piazza has not exactly come as advertised. Santana hasn't overpowered, has been prone to the long ball, and owns a pedestrian 8-7 win-loss record.
With the Mets' first-place companions visiting tonight, Santana can erase any prior disappointment from the short memory of Mets' fans and prove that he was worth Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, and $138 million by mowing down Chaset Utley and Co. to the tune of a crisp victory.
I'm hoping that Santana emulates what he did at Shea last season as a member of the Minnesota Twins when he twirled a complete-game shutout of the Amazins. I am also prepared for the possibility that Santana's line could resemble the one from last week's start in Cincinnati (4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB).
Santana may replicate his Independence Day performance in Philadelphia where he allowed only two runs over 8.0 innings while pitching in a bandbox. He did more than give his team a chance to win that night, but it still wasn't good enough to win nor was it good enough to satisfy his somewhat insatiable critics.
Regardless of what happens tonight, the Mets will remain a N.L. East title contender for the forseeable future and Santana will still be viewed as one of the game's top aces. Mets' fans won't change either. We will still be a demanding bunch, and rightfully so.
Click Here for MLB Game Preview of Mets-Phils.
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3 comments:
blanton is the best road pitcher in baseball.
tony, i hope you're being facetious? or is jessica getting to you, too? anyhow - i was just thinking how blaton's mitch williams-esque (but not quite as dramatic) follow through is weird.
hey sal - i saw on the web a poll for the hottest female bloggers (and, btw - julie alexandria made the list. maybe if she didn't have to look at her beer money lame-o cue card while asking 'who participated in the 2000 world series', i would give her more credit...) but why not petition you for hottest male blogger? although i have never met you in person, i find your writing voice to be quite sexy and it gets me a lil hot under the collar, if you know what i mean...maybe slip me your email on the dl and we can meet in an adult chat room?
Great start by Santana; though I turned the game off to play some WVU on PS2 (still need to get the '09 version). Why did they take him out. Nice colapse by the bulpen. Oh well. At least Santana will be well rested in September when the Muts are not contending.
-E
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