Forget Wilpon/Madoff Mess. If Johan Santana's Not Back Soon, Forget the Mets.

By Allen Barra Tue., Mar. 15 2011 at 2:30 PM

Santana: A wing and a prayer

Forget Bernie Madoff, Fred Wilpon, and all the other off-field disasters the New York Mets organization has been through over the past few months and focus on one thing: If Johan Santana is not back by the end of June or at least early July, and back the way the way he was at his peak, the Mets have no chance this season. Which is why every story about what's going on with his rehab (from his September surgery to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder) is big news. And it may be the only big news the Mets are going to be seeing this year.

On Saturday, the Bergen County Record in Jersey reported that the Mets' front office was ready to shut down Santana's rehab schedule. If true, this would mean that the Mets were not putting a date on any return and, in effect, maybe even writing off the whole season. Through the story has been questioned, and re-questioned, the Record stands by its story today.

Santana himself was busy Saturday night Twittering to more than 5,000 of his fans, insisting everything is fine: "I don't know who's saying that I'm not ready or whatever, because according to everything, the way it has been done, we're right on the right track where we're supposed to be. Whoever is saying that I'm not ready I think is lying."

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen added when asked to comment, "As far as I know, [everything] is right on time."

Santana "thinks" whoever put that report out was lying? He's not sure? Warthen says "as far as I know everything is on track"? If he doesn't know, who does?

Andy Martino put it all together in the Daily News. "After all that activity, one hard truth remained: Neither Santana nor the Mets knows when he will return, or if he will ever again resemble his former self."

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seib3184

That was utter nonsense. The Mets' season will rest on the shaky knees of Bay and Beltran.

A healthy Santana might give them an elite rotations but Pelfrey, Capuano, and Young are very solid starters when healthy; Jon Neise, Boof Bosner, Dillion Glee, and Jenrry Mejia are talented young pitchers; and R.A. Dickey confused everyone with his knuckleball in 2010. Their bullpen is equally fine.

Their biggest problem will be in the corner outfield where Bay's power outage has continued in spring and Carlos Beltran isn't even running at full speed yet. David Wright can't carry this offense alone and without Bay and Beltran they're going to lose a lot of 2-1, 3-2 games. With them they'll compete for a playoff spot.

tex2

Here's someone worse than Madoff: http://texsquixtarblog.blogspo...

Keith Hernandez

you're right - the season is lost without Johan. I don't think the mets even need to play the games. no reason to....just put them down for a loss for 162 games. Even though they won 79 games last year when santana only won 11 of them. Even though nobody really knows how Young and Capuano, all star pitchers, may pitch now that they are 2 years removed from their injuries. Even though we have a healthy Jason Bay and Jose Reyes. Even though we have a great rookie returning - Ike Davis. Even though we have a decent young catcher. Not to mention K-Rod and others.Look, I'm not saying they'll win 100 games. But to say the season is lost without Johan BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS is asinine. There is a reason they play the games. The NY Mets won the pennant in 1973 and went to a game 7 in the series. That was after winning 82 games in the regular season. GIVE ME A BREAK with the METS HATRED, people! Yankee fans are guilty of this, even some Mets fans are guilty. But the media is the worst. They just love to gossip because there is nothing to talk about.By the way did you pick the Giants to win it all last year? I thought not.....