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. 

Continue reading "2010 Mets' Rotation"

(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"

causes, if getting him prevents another September choke job, then do it.

Starting Rotation: Only Johan Santana, John Maine, and Mike Pelfrey have a spot locked down. The last two rotation spots look like a Spring Training battle between Tim Redding, John Niese, Bobby Parnell, and Freddy Garcia. Just having Freddy Garcia, who hasn't pitched a full season since 2006, battle for a rotation spot speaks volumes of the lack of depth in the rotation.

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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"

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.

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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.

Continue reading "Carlos Zambrano Injured!!!"

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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and they report to Port St Lucie in just 12 days.  I cannot wait for the season to start with Johan Santana in the fold 2008 is shaping up to be a memorable season.  I said the same thing last year at this time and 2007 turned memorable for all the wrong reasons.  But that was last year and we can forget about it.

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