The Mets lefty ace is a big question mark coming into the new season.
It has been a long winter, but Spring Training is finally here! Pitchers and catchers reported to St.Lucie on Monday, and the first spring game will be Monday, March 5th against Washington.
While I am quite excited for the season to get started, one of the concerns I have is what exactly the 2012 Mets are going to get out of there ace, Johan Santana. As a fan, I know what he is capable of, but at the same time I have seen other pitchers come back from injury and struggle.
Johan missed all of last year due to his long recovery after shoulder surgery. It was first said that he could return to the team by the all star break, but the date just kept getting pushed back further and further until the season was lost.
While some may say that he will not be able to perform at a high level in 2012, I strongly believe that Johan Santana will have a strong season, and he will assert that he is still the Mets go-to guy on the mound.
Now, there are many reasons to think that Johan may not be able to be the pitcher he once was. For example, take Chien-Ming Wang. Wang had a similar surgery that Johan had, and it took him two whole years to fully recover. but, Wang did recover, as he posted a 4.04 ERA in 62 innings last year. At times, Wang looked dominant, but at other times he struggled.
If the reports out of St.Lucie are correct (in regards to Johan being fully recovered), I do not see why Johan can’t become the pitcher he was before the surgery.
Johan is a better pitcher and athlete than Wang, and I think that is one of the reasons he had a quicker recovery, and I expect Johan to bounce back better than Wang did.
Another reason I think that Johan Santana will have a good season is the fact that he is such a bulldog and leader on the mound.
We all know that Johan is a fierce competitor, and I believe he will do whatever it takes to get back to being an ace. Whether that is changing the way he attacks hitters, adding a pitch, or changing the way he prepares for a start, I believe he will do it.
According to multiple reports, Johan is scheduled to start that first game against Washington on March 5th. Johan has already had two successful bullpen sessions this spring, so things are off to a good start. Terry Collins stated that he believes that Johan will be ready for Opening Day.
Overall, a lot of questions surround Johan Santana going into 2012, but I believe Johan is up to answering them by going out and pitching like an ace.
What do you think the Mets will get out of Santana in 2012? Leave a reply, or tell me your thoughts on twitter (@tysim19) .
