Jan 16
Johan Santana was cleared this week to pick up a baseball.
Today’s question is not when he returns to the Mets but….when he does, what kind of pitcher do you think he’ll be? Let’s say he returns at the All-Star Break, how many games do you think he’ll win? Do you think his velocity will drop? How about the rest of his pitches?
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9 comments
rustyjr
1/16/2011-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
Hopefully he will return to the Johan of old – but that might not happen to some time next year. If he does come back by the all star break , I can see him go 9-4 era around 3. His velocity will need time to return – if it ever does . I mean this is unchartered territory . He might end up reinventing himself like Frank Tannana or Tommy John. But who knows for sure
metsfan4decades
1/16/2011-10:06am at 10:06 am (UTC -4)
I’ll be very surprised if he returns right after the ASB. If he does come back at all this year, I’m thinking it will be for the last 6 weeks or so.
Predicting wins/losses obviously depends on when he returns as well as how good the team is playing then.
The arm – velocity and stamina – might never be the same. There’s no way to know right now. Odds aren’t in his favor but he could be one of the lucky ones. One of the reasons Santana has been a top pitcher of this generation is not only his talent, but he’s a smart pitcher as well. If anyone can figure out how to reinvent himself if necessary, it will be Johan.
stickguy
1/16/2011-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
well, I don’t expect him back pitching for the mets at all this year, and if he does, maybe some glorified rehab work in september (like say what Young did last year). More a proof of concept than anything else.
ongoing? It is hard to see him back to what he used to be (the real good stuff). Just hope he comes close to what he was in 2010 before he went down.
maybe what we are looking at stuff wise is Tom Glavine. But the bigger question to me will be durability. He can probably gut it through with reduced stuff, but can he keep on the field without breaking down?
metsfan4decades
1/16/2011-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
‘He can probably gut it through with reduced stuff, but can he keep on the field without breaking down?’
Good point. How here would have predicted when we signed Santana he’d have some type of surgery in each of his off seasons so far?
I hate thinking this but I’m afraid his best days may be behind him. Reading comments on FWICG.com, I’m amazed at the amount of Met fans that have Johan returning mid season in top form. Comments along the line of if we can just hang on with the rotation until Johan returns……
I just don’t see it. On the other hand, I’d really like to be wrong on this prediction.
stickguy
1/16/2011-10:56am at 10:56 am (UTC -4)
given the serious nature of his surgery, prediction isn’t even the right word. WAG is more like it!
saltygary
1/16/2011-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
Who the hell know and anyone that thinks they do, don’t listen to them. This season should be all about getting him healthy. Don’t baby him, let his body decide what he can do. When he is on the mound, his focus should be to get back to form not to grind out some kind of win. We have him signed for many more years and the team needs to protect their investment.
I don’t see him ever getting back to the but we thought we signed but it doesn’t mean that he has used all his greatness.
kingman 26
1/16/2011-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
Geez, I think we agree so much nowadays that we could write each others’ comments!
Well said!!
stickguy
1/16/2011-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
certainly he is in somewhat uncharted territory, unlike with a Tj surgery where you have a reasonable expectation of what to expect! So it is all just guessing, but hey, that’s what the question asked us to do!
I also agree that getting recovered is more important than trying to push him through a couple of must win games. That is why I said before that it might be better, long term, if he never came back to the mets this year.
More worried about the 2 guaranteed years after this upcoming season (and 3rd if that option vests).
metsfan1744
1/16/2011-10:55am at 10:55 am (UTC -4)
Love The Mets.