Johan Santana

It's not like we have anyone better" -- with the obvious exception of Johan Santana. As far as physical ability goes, Zambrano isn't the 97-99 MPH flamethrower he was four or five seasons ago, but he maintains an effective power sinker that would work nicely at Citi Field. I thought he looked hurt in 2008, but I've seen the life return to his sinker this season. 

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1 Starter: LHP-Johan Santana

Johan recently had season-ending surgery, but he's expected to be back and ready to go for spring training in '10. Hopefully the surgery will improve Johan's velocity, as he dipped into the 88-90 range during the second half of this year. He was still relatively effective, but nothing like '08 or his days in a Minnesota Twins' uniform. I don't think Santana will be dominant, but I expect him to be a very solid No. 1 starter in 2010. 

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(But I can't get too upset with Omar, he acquired Johan Santana for a bag of groceries.) Regardless of the reasoning behind the signing, it's time to abandon ship. But where should the Mets go from here, until Oliver Perez (another awful signing) returns?

Continue reading "I've Had Enough of Tim Redding."

(Note: I've also published this post on FanNation, under the username JFro.)

About a month ago, I published a similar post complaining about Jerry Manuel's mind-numbingly awful managing. It actually generated some interest, as it appeared on a Mets blog and in various discussion threads.

Continue reading "Jerry Manuel Must Be Fired. Now!!!"

He must go. But he won't, because of the contract. 

(2) After Johan Santana, the starting pitching is slowly starting to settle into a groove. I've never trusted John Maine or Mike Pelfrey, but as it turns out, there just aren't a lot of quality starters out there in this day and age. That makes both Maine and Pelfrey very serviceable, and the duo is beginning to pitch with a little more confidence. That can be attributed to changing speeds more than they have in the past, something they have to continue to do if they're planning on remaining successful middle-of-the-rotation starters over time. Pelfrey's been projected as a frontliner in the past, but I don't think he has the mind for it. 

Continue reading "The New York Mets: A Quarter Season in Review"

4. Cy Youngs: Jon Lester and Johan Santana. Lester dominated at home (11-1, 2.49 ERA) and against the AL East (9-2, 2.48) in 2008, and he even increased his strikeouts in the second half of the year. The young lefty is poised for greatness, and if he can improve on the road, a 21-6 record with an ERA around 3.00 is completely feasible especially since the Red Sox have a great bullpen that shouldn’t give away many of his wins. As for Santana, his numbers last season, 16-7 with a 2.78 ERA, were almost good enough to win his first Cy Young in the NL after already winning two while in the AL with the Twins. The Mets vastly improved their bullpen which should provide for a higher win total and therefore a better chance at the honor. Boston and New York are definite contenders for division titles and possible World Series champions, and their best pitchers will be awarded come voting. Other potential AL winners: Roy Halladay, Josh Beckett, Zack Greinke and CC Sabathia. Other potential NL winners: Tim Lincecum, Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Chad Billingsley.

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to fill, and they need to be filled with quality players, not stopgaps.

In the starting rotation, Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, and now apparently Tim Redding are locked into spots. If Spring Training were currently underway, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, and Brandon Knight would be competing for that fifth and final opening. In my eyes, Maine, Redding, and mystery man No. 5 fail to represent the makings of a potential World Series caliber back of the rotation. There's undoubtedly room for improvement.

Continue reading "The New York Mets: Plenty of Question Marks Remain"

zation has faith in him, which they are obliged to seeing that they could have traded him for a Mr. Johan Santana. I respect that. However, I would also respect not having an automatic loss in

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13M Gil Meche ($11.4M) Jon Garland ($12M)Jason Schmidt ($15.2M) Derek Lowe ($10M)Ben Sheets ($10.1M)Johan Santana ($16.9M)Pedro Martinez ($11.8M)Andy Pettitte ($16M)Mike Mussina ($11M)Carl Pavano ($11M)Matt Morris ($10M)Greg Maddux ($10M) Barry Zito ($14.5M)Chris Carpenter ($10.5M)Vincente Padilla ($11M)Kevin Millwood ($10.3M) AJ Burnett ($13.2M)Roy Halladay ($10M)

Continue reading "Washburn's Farewell"

OK, that title was irresistible, but in fact I'm going to say that Chien-Ming Wang's foot injury should force the Yanks hand in a trade, especially when combined with other injuries this season. Funny how little things can combine to lead to something even larger, accumulating momentum gradually until it becomes irresistible, as it has with the murmurs about a trade for C.C. Sabathia, which is really more the point of this blog.

Continue reading "Off On the Wang Foot"

y after Jon Lester pitched his no hitter, it got me thinking about the Red Sox’ non-trade for Johan Santana. Both Lester and Masterson were prominent names in the trade talks, along with Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie (Clay Buchholz was deemed completely off limits). There was much debate over whether or not Boston would be better off going with the proven All-World pitcher in Santana, or sticking with the young prospects on the belief that they would develop into the prominent pieces of a championship franchise that they were projected to be. So often both front offices as well as fans fall in love with prospects who have never even played a Major League game based solely on their advertised potential. Almost as often, this ends up being an irrational love affair that falls short just as it has in the past with the likes of Brian Rose, Dernell Stenson and Steve Lomasney (anyone remember these guys?). In this case, Boston’s decision to hang on to its young talent has so far worked out very well to start the season.

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validated, for one night at least, Red Sox management’s decision to back off their pursuit of Johan Santana this past off-season and keep him in the fold for 2008. In reality, it will most likely take a couple of years to say for certain whether or not Boston made the right move to hang on to the young lefty, but after Lester blew his 130th and final pitch, a 96 mph fastball, past Royals batter Alberto Callaspo to complete his no hitter, it has to make Theo Epstein very hopeful for the future.

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the mound, especially after Boston’s reluctance to include him in any significant package for Johan Santana. If Lester falters and fails to develop into the Andy Petitte-type the Boston views him as, they will be sorry they didn’t do more to acquire Santana.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: American Leauge East"

s each this season.

New York Mets

What will the Mets get from Pedro Martinez this year?

While Johan Santana gives them the legitimate number one starter they lacked last year and should easily be the most dominant starter in the Majors this season, he can still only take the ball once every 5 games. Pedro Martinez, however, will be the key to the pitching staff. He has shown in the past that he can still be very effective even though he no longer throws 97 thanks to his command and assortment of pitches. Now, though, he will probably have to live in the low to mid 80's and rely even more on guile than he ever has. Pedro remained effective in his brief stint last season and should put up good numbers if he can stay healthy.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: National League East"

d realize they aren’t that bad.

Minnesota Twins

Can Francisco Liriano step up and replace Johan Santana as the ace of the staff?

I wouldn’t be as quick to write of the Twins this year as others have been, though they face an uphill climb in a division that is top heavy with the Indians and Tigers. There office could be even better this year with the additions of Delmon Young, Carlos Gomez and Brendan Harris. This big issue is replacing the departed Santana.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Season Preview: AL Central"

o get over what happened last season and I don’t think they did until the day they traded for Johan Santana.  Johan is obviously the biggest story in Mets camp right now but he isn’t the most important.  Is there any doubt he is going to be great?  In my mind there are two big questions for the Mets to answer before we can give them the division crown.  First, will Carlos Delgado be able to rebound?  This line-up is much more potent when he is hitting around .270 with 30 homers and 100 rbi’s.  Also, the Mets have questions in their starting rotation (SURPRISE!!).  Johan will be great and I believe Pedro will be fine but then comes the haunted three starter.  I feel the Mets are better equipped then the Phillies or Braves in this department but that doesn’t mean I feel comfortable with John Maine, Oliver Perez or “El Duque”.  The bullpen should be great with Duaner Sanchez coming back this year and Billy Wagner still closing out games but let’s not just give this division away.  The Mets are much improved and may have the most talent but they are far from a sure thing.  Sorry Mets fans but no, a World Series appearance has not been gureenteed by trading for Johan.

Continue reading "First of a Seven Part Series-NL East Preview"

t stayed bad, for a very long time.  And, they are not the New York Mets.  After aquiring Johan Santana, they have become World Series contenders and I do not see the Cubs marching pass them in the playoffs.  After their historic collapse from grace, the Mets are out for blood.

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is the New York Mets are out for blood after their historic fall from grace with their new top gun Johan Santana.  No way is any team going to march pass them.

While Dempster says the Cubs have improved, I do not really see anything different.  They went out and signed ex-Cub Jon Lieber whose arm is about to fall out to solidfy their rotation.  All I see is they get older and worse.  The Cubs do not have a three or fifth starter, mainly because Marquis does not know how to finish out strong.  The Cubs should have commited some money for another starter, like Bedard, instead of wasting it on garbage.  The only strong point I see in their pitching is their relief that has all the ingredients a manager can ask for.  With Eyre and Howry, it is a dynamic dual.  With Carlos Marmol as the setup man, it should be no problem to give the ball to Kerry Wood.  Even though it is his first year as a closer, Wood should be in a comforable position.

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that will hopefully help to mend the many broken hearts that the Giants walked all over.  No, Johan Santana will not be in the Sox rotation. No, A-rod didn't defect. Thank God.

Yes, you're stuck with Julio Lugo as your everyday shortstop. Yes, J.D. Drew is still your right fielder, though his granny in game 6 of the ALCS did a lot to cut him some slack. But another year of .260 batting and patience will wear thin quickly.

Continue reading "Hope Springs Eternal"