Santana So-So in Spring Debut

Johan Santana made his much anticipted spring debut Thursday against the Florida Marlins. He was touched up for 3 runs in 2 2/3 innings work, including a home run given up to Met nemesis Dan Uggla. The important thing for Mets fans was that his sore elbow held up just fine. Santana is now on track to make the opening day start against Cincinnati on April 6.

Now the Mets can focus once again on the battle for the final spot in the rotation. Right now it seems as if Livan Hernandez is the front runner for the job. Not because he has pitched particularly well this spring, but becasue Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding have been getting lit up all spring. If I am the Mets, why not give that Pedro guy another go? I know he has burned them in the past, but at this point if you sign him to an incentive-laden deal, what is the harm?

-Favad Ali

Santana's Elbow, Cause for Concern

Mets fans, it is time to start worrying. Johan Santana, the most irreplaceable player on the Mets roster is likely to miss his opening day start. In fact, his elbow issues may keep him from making first start until the second series of the season. The Mets’ ace has been battling a tender elbow this spring training and has yet to make a spring training start.

My only question in all of this, if there is such a concern about Santana’s elbow, why has he continued to throw bullpen sessions? He was scheduled to fly back to New York for an MRI, which was cancelled because in part, because the Mets didn’t want Santana to fly back in the midst of a snow storm, and Santana claimed he felt “OK”.

If you are the Mets why are you taking any chances with this guy? He is your franchise player. He’s the player that you shelled out $137 million for. To risk anything with Santana is flat out ridiculous. If he goes on the shelf for any extended period of time because of this how silly will that make the Mets look? They would look flat out amateur.

If I’m Omar Minaya, I am shutting down Santana until he has passed his MRI and is showing no further signs of pain, tightness, irritation, inflammation, or any other ailment that he may have in that elbow of his. How can you not shut him down? Considering, that if Santana does end up going down for any extended time period, so will the Mets chances in 2009.

-Favad Ali