Santana: An afternoon of greatness keeps the Mets alive.
“I made up my mind I was going to do it,” Santana said of the complete-game shutout. He said the chanting of his name by the crowd motivated him and he was as proud of this effort as any in his career.
As to why he wanted the ball, he said, “there was no tomorrow.”
Well, thanks to Santana, there is for the Mets. If you were at Shea today, tell us what you saw. If you watched on TV, tell us what you thought.
This post was written by John Delcos
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Does the lineup really matter at this point? The bats have to perform, end of story. W/ Santana on 3 days, after 125 pitches his last start, we might need the offense more than ever. It could also mean a lot of bullpen innings, as opposed to the usual, which is just a lot of bullpen pitchers.
Kind of a desperation move dont you think? They could have used this 3 weeks ago. While I’m glad Jerry is doing all he can to win if he thinks this is the way to go about it, he looks foolish for not doing it much sooner.
JM: They are still alive, so yeah, it still matters. You’re right on runs being essential because nobody knows how long Santana can go.-JD
JD: Is today your first day back at the stadium? I don’t remember your clubhouse notes since you’ve left the other publication. If so, glad you’re back in the building, just sucks the circumstances of another choke-job. As someone mentioned in another thread, I find it hard to believe that Lou would let the Cubbies enter the postseason on a six game losing streak, hard to believe they won’t win one of the next two.
Don’t know where I got six game losing streak from, meant four.
Great ovation for Santana from a sparse crowd.-JD
Sad to admit, I’m part of the reason for the sparse crowd, myself and four of my buddies all decided not to go, declaring the season over. Please Mets&Cubs make me regret wasting my money.
I want your prediction JD, do the Brewers lose a game this weekend?
what kind of pitch count we looking at today?
crowd really seems into it
I feel like we’re on our way to seeing a dominant performance by Johan, however, is it too late? I really don’t understand how Jerry managed the pitchers for the last 2 weeks, clearly stating we would never pitch Johan on short rest. If we took the same strategy as the Brewers have with CC, we would have been able to pitch Johan once maybe twice more and we’d probably be leading the wildcard today.
santana isn’t messing around, he looks like he means business.
hopefully the rest of the guys on the diamond will respond in kind.
of course i’m less worried about them finding a way to win today then i am about them finding a way to win tomorrow with perez on the mound (not to mention needing the cubs to win at least one from the brewers).
Bob: No. I’ve been back here several times. I haven’t done notes as much as I would have liked. I’ve tried to be consistent with what I produce which is hard when I don’t travel. I’m trying to add commentary to what would be notebook items.-JD
We’ll see how this start goes, but he’s overtaken Lincecum for the ERA lead as of today, so hopefully Santana gets some Cy-love (although most of the numbers favor Lincecum).
LETS GO METS
Even if the bullen converted 3/4ths of those blown saves for Santana, IMO Lincecum still deserves it, accumulating as many wins as he has on one of the worst offenses in MLB.
JM: Yes. I think they’ll lose one. The real question is will the Mets win or lose on the day the Brewers drop one?
good top of the first. the offense better come out with the same intensity. score early and often. if the mets want to prove something to us and themselves they should run away with this game and win in a rout.
Bob: If I had a Cy vote it would go to Lincecum. I would also vote for Howard as MVP and Lou Piniella as manager of the year.-JD
Can’t argue w/ that Bob. But Santana pitches w/ a pressure that guys like Lincecum don’t have to worry about, which may not earn him the Cy, but does earn him my sincere respect.
I can’t believe Sheets is pitching today, first Gallardo pitched after saying he didn’t know if he could, now Sheets is pitching after saying he doesn’t know how many innings his arm will hold up. What worries me is how many more of the last 2 games will Lou start his regulars? If I were Lou I’d want the Brewers out of the race as I wouldn’t want to face CC/Sheets in a short series, that should be motivation enough for the Brewers to step up. Keep in mind, those two teams don’t exactly like each other, it would be like if the Mets had the option to keep the Phils out of the playoffs, yet ran their scrubs out there for the finally two days. LETS GO METS!!
Gotta love this weekend, it’s classic Mets.
Where was this intensity last night?
It just looks like they are far more focused today.
Where was this team last night!!! LGM!!!
JM: You’re absolutely right, classic mets, they make it interesting then turn it on when they ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO, is it too little too late?
great start so far!
they’re looking aggressive and hungry. i like it. of course, it begs the question…where was this yesterday?
Must be the new batting order.
Brewers/Cubs will not be shown in the NY area because it’s on FOX, because FOX will show the NY / BOS game, is a nationally televised game like that blacked out on MLB Extra Innings? I’m thinking of going to the bar to catch that if it won’t be blacked out, anyone know?
if beltran had stolen 2nd, we’d have 2 runs
of course for all that intensity, they still only came out of it with one run.
although the ball hit by murphy was a tough break.
could have been more, but hanley made a dirty stop on that ball
I bet the Mets lead the league in runs scored NOT off base hits. Sac flies, wild pitches, walks, errors, passed balls, balks, catcher interferences, stealing home, we know how to get it done.
wow. santana is absolutely filthy right now.
I think Mets fans have JD to thank for Santana becoming such a gamer. By JD I mean the press, who in the first half of the season continually questioned whether he was giving enough in each start. I honestly believe, based on the type of person everyone said he was before he got here, that all the skepticism pissed him off to no end. Now he holds that ball like cold death, I love it.
Brewers game will be blacked out
when was the last time a mets pitcher won as many as 16 games? can anyone remember?
Mackey: You didn’t see this last night because it wasn’t the last minute yet.-JD
you’d think the mets would try and keep nolasco out there for another long inning. instead castro immediately pops one up
Santana is dealing. Not wasting any time. He knows he can’t afford to fool around.-JD
It really doesn’t matter if Santana wins or loses today. He showed NY fans he has stones. They’ll always love him for today. All the better if he wins.-JD
This team probably just assumes the Brewers will lose today, which would allow them to wait until tomorrow to get serious. Really they just have a procrastination problem.
Why are some fans chanting “Yankees suck?” I’ll never understand that.-JD
JM: Kind of how I studied in college?-JD
It’s all we have, JD. It’s all we have haha.
It’s raining. Lightly. We sure don’t need a long delay where they would lose Santana.-JD
uh-oh, pitchers duel developing…that doesn’t bode well for the mets.
Just need another inning and a half. I’ll take a cheapy.
i don’t see either happening (delay or called game). they’re gonna play this one through just like thursday.
JM: They’ll go the distance. Too important not to.-JD
And Johan will go the distance, regardless of pitch count. He’ll have a long offseason to recover.
Bob: Either that, or come back and start Game 3 of the NLDS.-JD
I love Santana. Even if he loses this game, this guy is a warrior and is giving it his all. Can’t ask much more than that.
If only we had a few more players like him on the team.
the rain is getting heavier and the strike zone is getting larger.
Would have liked to see Murphy charge the mound there. The fight inspired them last year, maybe it would have inspired us this year.
Not to mention, Murphy’s fan-favorite celebrity status would have grown to even new heights.
I’ll take a HBP, which I forgot to include in my list of hit-avoiding run-scoring tactics in the Met arsenal.
Ramon Martinez, I should note, is one of those retread players.-JD
ramon martinez! who knew?
Wow, someone forgot to tell Ramon Martinez he’s supposed to be finished.
now let’s find a way to get him in.
alex: I would have to say his mom.-JD
Yeah, that is the thing, Omar finds these guys from the scrap heap, and they come up w/ clutch hits time and again.
Does anybody else have a feeling Santana is going to put this one in the gap?-JD
JM: Minaya has been very good at that. Just hasn’t found enough of those guys for the bullpen.-JD
Agreed, JD.
no gapper from santana, and the ever-widening strike zone doomed church and our chance for more runs that inning.
I hope Santana doesn’t worry about buzzing someone next inning. He’s in such a groove, he doesn’t need to think about anything else.
alex: Sorry about the gapper projection. I got caught up in the euphoria of the moment.-JD
I am starting to not like church, he must be taking a lesson from wright. Church has killed the Mets when it come to just making contact in a big spot to get a add on run or a run lately. This dude strikes out almost every time, I can’t take it anymore.
Santana is at 57 pitches. Economical, so far.-JD
tomg: He hasn’t been close to being the player he was before the concussion. If he were to be graded I’d have to give him an incomplete.-JD
How long do you stay with him?-JD
???? wow. nolasco is getting 3-6 inches off the corner and santana is getting squeezed.
Nobody warming in the Mets’ pen.-JD
and nobody should be. Santana pitches until at least the 100 pitch mark. unless his arm literally falls off or he gets a 10 run lead.
alex: The Mets have always done a lot of moaning about balls and strikes. Umps have long memories.-JD
alex: I’m not laying out much on the 10-run lead.-JD
no, me neither. this AB could be the mets’ season.
Santana said something to the ump (Sam Holbrook) coming off the mound. Dinner plans? I would doubt it.-JD
He is trying to build a legend. Hopefully the pen will let him (unless he’s gonna throw 140 pitches).
Santana is not coming out of this game, regardless of pitch count. He’s got 4 more innings, If I were Johan I’d walk into the dugout ask Werthen for the paper that had the notches of the pitch count on it and tear it into shreds. Until they lose, or his arm falls off, Santana is behind the wheel.
good job by santana getting out of it, no thanks to holbrook.
i’m not saying those pitches were strikes, but they were in the same spot as the strikes nolasco has been getting.
it’s one thing if the mets complaining gets the umps to call more strikes when they’re at the plate, but that doesn’t have anything to do with santana, and so he shouldn’t be getting squeezed.
Cubs have all of their regular players rested today.
No Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Soto, Theriot, DeRosa…
I guess the only hope is that those guys are in there tomorrow, so that the Cubs at least win one.
JD: I think every team barks about balls and strikes. It’s not like the Mets do it more than other teams. How many times have I had to sit and hear Bobby Cox barking about balls and strikes? Didn’t really seem to affect Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine.
I have no problem with what Lou is doing. His job is to get his team ready. That includes giving them rest.-JD
Mackey: Just throwing out a theory. Right about Bobby.-JD
yes, it would be nice if some of the cub’s regulars were in there, but at the same time the cubs have more than a few players in the lineup who are motivated to have good games to make the postseason roster.
gotta go seven with santana at this point.
This is setting up to be ugly if the Mets can’t add on at some point . . .
Santana needs to get away from starting lead off hitters with 3-0 counts.
santana is just a bulldog
Wayne Hagin should be announcing a rodeo.
Jerry will have to fight him to take that ball away from him before 9 innings are through. I love Shea playing the santana song after every inning today, that’s new.
This guy is the goods
I’ve used that analogy before Kevin, it fits him very well.
K. Fukudome,
R. Cedeno,
M. Hoffpauir,
D. Ward,
R. Johnson, CF
M. Fontenot,
C. McGehee, 3B
H. Blanco,
T. Lilly, P
Lou played his regulars against us 3 out of 4 games and looks like he’ll only play his regulars 1 out of 3 against the Brewers. Like JD said, can’t get mad at him, but he did say he was going to play tough for the integrity of baseball. Furthermore, I don’t understand why the Cubs don’t want to keep the Brewers out of the playoffs? You never want a divisional rival in there with you and you don’t want to lose 4 straight going in there! CMON CUBS!
Here’s Ramon Martinez. If you listen carefully, you can hear chants of “M-V-P.”-JD
Really light rain. Not nearly as bad as we thought it was going to be.-JD
There is gonna be a lot of pain if the offense doesn’t wake up!
I mean this is the freakin script. Santana dominates for 7-8 innings, offense disappears, pen blows it. Something has to give, either Santana for 9, or more runs.
JD: You can’t possibly think of taking Johan out of this game can you?
JM: You don’t have to worry, Johan will throw 9. That was his easiest inning yet.
Santana is such a stud today. Ace stuff.-JD
Well he’s pitching 8….no doubt about it
unless he throws over 25 pitches next inning he’s going 9.
Johan, I am born anew in your genius.
Bob: Sure I can think about it. But that’s just the devil speaking on my shoulder. The other shoulder has an angel saying “leave him in.”-JD
This will be one hell of an ovation.-JD
and deservedly so.
Should the mets win today what are the chances Johan takes the ball tomorrow? LOL… what if he just stays at the park and doesn’t sleep, maybe he can trick himself into believing he never pitched today and he was supposed to pitch tomorrow?
I think I’d rather have Johan on zero days rest than Ollie on three, Pelfrey on two, or any scrub on full. Plus, it’d be something for the history books win or lose.
You realize that the relief pitcher who blows this game for Santana will never be able to pitch in this town again. As long as this is an easy 8th I don’t think Manuel will lift him for the 9th.
There’s a favor … swinging at the first pitch.-JD
1 pitch, 1 out. thank you paulie.
Johan is NOT leaving this game, you’d have to break his arm and his pitching arm at that, he would pitch the 9th with a broken glove arm!
Jay L.: I can’t see it, either. Let him pitch. … Fans chanting, “Jo-han.”-JD
Are they chanting “JO-HAN” or “GO-HOME” sounds like the latter.
Howie Rose just said that Manuel said before the game that Santana was on an approximate 105 pitch limit. I doubt that will be held too.
He is unconscious.
I never remembered the Santana song played after every half inning like this before, but I’m feeling it. The booth also mentioned the DJ getting the crowd really pumped up with his music selection pregame, any idea what he was playing JD?
Santana, not Howie.
i am in awe. 3 more outs.
Bob: I thought “Go home,” too. But could all these people coordinate that so quickly?-JD
If Jerry wants to definitely lose his job before the offseason comes he can pull Santana before the 9th. CAN WE GET SOME GOTDAMN insurance runs?!?!?!?!?
Lol… very true JD. Plus, doesn’t make much sense after they whooped us last night.
Just call Johan the Anti-Glav.
Ray,
This actually mirrors last season, which would cast Johan as John Maine, who threw a gem on Saturday last year. If Perez turns in a solid performance tomorrow, HE is the anti-Glavine.
I feel odjina (how the hell do you spell it?) coming on getting ready to gamecast the cubs/brewers as it’s blacked out everywhere.
JM: Ollie could throw a no hitter tomorrow, but none of it will matter if the Brewers don’t lose one of the next two.
yes, and unfortunately no matter what santana or perez do the mets still need the cubs to win one for any of that to matter.
Santana must feel like the only person in a Mets uniform.
Bob: I’ve covered the Mets long enough to know it is spelled, “agita.”-JD
hahaha, I was way off.
come on johan!!!!
JM- I still say Johan is the anti-glav. Glavine was the supposed ace/stopper last year. Pitching a game the Mets had to win. Same as Santana today.
Bob: Not if your gut is burning.-JD
Santana is simply great today.-JD
Cubbies up 2-0
Cubs winning, 2-0.-JD
cubs up 2-0 top 1st
The apotheosis of Johan Santana is complete.
that was easily one of the greatest singular performances by an athlete that i have ever seen.
Let me just say that I was the first to rip santana saying he isn’t an ace and worth the money. Today santana pitched like the best pitcher in baseball and I am happy he made me eat my words, great job Johan, great job.
If we could ever get Johan to the playoffs, this guy would electrify this city
for at least one more day i leave you all by saying…see you tomorrow. enjoy your saturday everyone. be safe.
What I also love is that even if the Brewers win today, tomorrow is meaningful. Which, again, is classic Mets and classic New York: last call is always nice and late.
The game was not carried on tv here. Im glad I Invested the $7.95 to watch on computer.
Now it’s time for Cubs Nation (Eastern Division) to rally our favorite second-city baseball team.
Ray: How are you not blacked out? I have MLB.tv and am blacked out because it’s a fox game.
JD – If you have a vote for Cy in the NL, does it go to Santana? For me its obviously hard to be objective, but throwing wins out of the equation, he has been the best in the NL this year.
ARGHH! Ted Lilly just hit a ground rule double that prevented the runner on first from scoring!
Jay L, Lincecum’s peripheral #s are better, but Santana has done it under intense pressure. It’s not an MVP award, so I would say Lincecum if I were objective. I’m not though, so I say it goes to our man on the mound.
Manuel just called Johan’s performance “serious gangsta.” No joke.
Holy crap, they’re playing cubs/brewers in CT on FOX! NYY/BOS must be rained out! THANK YOU GOD! Just bought tickets for tomorrow’s game.
John – You’re right – I haven’t seen a ‘stud pitcher’ like this in years. He was terrific.
Bob, Its because I live in Arizona.
Howie has put this game in “The Book” – it’s a best seller.
JM: He did. What is that all about? It might very well be one of the greatest pitching performances in club history.-JD
Anyone still around? Lilly no hitter through 5. If he stays with it, it will give Lou no chance but to leave him in!
choice*
Lilly no-hitting the brewers thru 5.
Why does Lannan suck so bad against everyone else but he kills us?
Nats got a little threat going. If Nats win, Hamels tomorrow correct? He hasn’t pitched his sharpest as of late, neither has Myers.
I’d be stunned if the Phils lose this game. I do think the Cubs will hang on though, and that’s probably more important anyway
I don’t know anymore Jay, Brewers have a serious threat and you know Lou’s bringing in bullpen scrubs. No way he goes to Maimol/Wood in this one.
I was wrong! Let’s go Cubs!
good job by lou to realize that this game is so important to the playoff picture
Maimol!
Yes it is, I was wondering why Lou didn’t play his regulars today though as he should be fighting to keep the Brewers out. However, now that I think about it, I think Lou is going to start them all tomorrow against CC for three reasons:
1) Keep them out.
2) Give them more looks at CC.
3) Send CC/Brewers a message INCASE they face them in the playoffs.
Lidge on the verge of blowing his FIRST save of the season.
Never mind.
Wonder who’s starting for the Cubs tomorrow. Marquis was scheduled to, but he pitched the 8th. ESPN is now listing Zambrano which would be amazing, however I don’t know how they would know before Lou announces it.
Yahoo shows Sean Marshall who just pitched against the Brewers last night so I highly doubt that also.
It’s in fact Zambrano, but only for 2 innings.
Now they’re saying it’s Angel Guzman going for the Cubs. All the Mets can do is win.
Not to blogwhore, but I wrote about today on my blog (click on my name).
It was astonishing.
No matter what happens tomorrow, at least I got to see that.