At the end of last week, the Mets GM Sandy Alderson informed the Mets fan base of the worst possible scenario. Ace pitcher will not only start the season on the disabled list, but he will miss the entire season after what looks like a tear in the left anterior capsule of the shoulder. What makes this injury so devastating is that Santana has battled this injury before and came back to pitch one of the most memorable moments in Mets’ history. No pitcher in history has ever been able to come back after having this surgery twice.
When the Mets acquired Johan Santana on February 2, 2008 for prospects, it was considered one of the best trades in Mets history. Here the Mets were a team that was ready to compete for the big title and got this amazing ace for a steal. It looked like the Mets would finally get their time in the spotlight. While the Mets failed to make the postseason, Johan had a spectacular first year in New York. He finished 16-7 and set a new Mets record for left handed pitchers with 206 strikeouts. He ended up finishing third in the Cy Young award race, but could have easily won it for the third time after leading the National League in ERA with a 2.53 ERA.
There was more to Johan than just his pure talent. He was an all around athlete and leader on the field. In a league where pitchers are not taught to field nor hit, Johan did it all. Whenever the ball was hit in the infield, he was always making a play or backing up other players or directing people where to go. He was such a joy to watch compete because no matter if he gave nine runs or no runs, he played the game like it was always the bottom of the ninth with two outs and the Mets were down by a run.
Johan Santana is New York. He is a guy who has been down and showed amazing resiliency. He did something that no one thought was possible. In a town that is all about results and winning, Johan provided that. He was a dominant force on the mound and was always trying to teach others to make them better. When everyone counted him out, he did the impossible. If he taught us anything, its that “Ya Gotta Believe!” He gave Mets fans one of the greatest performances they will ever witness, and for that I end this with a thank you. Thank you Johan for the amazing memories and showing why you should never give up.
