Johan Santana Can Swing the Bat Too

The Mets got Johan Santana for his pitching, but he likes to swing the bat almost as much as he loves to pitch. Ex-teammate, Torii Hunter, was even quoted as saying one of the reasons Santana wanted to come to the National League was to be able to get some cuts at the plate every 5th day.

Santana has had limited at bats since he's pitched in the American League for all these years but in his career he's a lifetime .258 hitter, which is very good for a pitcher.

Last year in only 7 at bats Santana had a slugging percentage over .700, and I distinctly remember him crushing a double down the line at Shea.

Most of the time we'll need Santana to learn how to bunt, but it's always nice to have a pitcher who can get you a hit every once in a while too.

Maybe Santana can give Mike Pelfrey some lessons.

Tom Glavine on Johan Santana & the Mets

I hate Tom Glavine, and I want you to hate him too. Here's what he had to say about the Mets getting Johan Santana today per MLB.com:

"I don’t think this makes [the Mets] the class of the division. I think it puts them in a position where there rotation is much better and that was their biggest need. Within the division, I think you have three teams that can now not only win the division, but also the World Series.”

Actually what he should of said is "My leaving New York and their adding Johan Santana now makes their rotation much, much, much, much better."

Can anyone else wait for Tom Glavine to pitch at Shea and have Santana as the opposing pitcher?

Priceless.

Phillies Nation Reacts to Johan Santana trade to Mets

Thanks to Gus for passing along this info. Check out this excerpt from philliesnation.com as they react the Mets recent deal for Johan Santana.

"Well, crap.

USA Today is reporting a four-for-one swap, as the Mets will send Phillip Humber, Carlos Gomez, Kevin Mulvey and Deoils Guerra to the Mets for the All-World left-hander.

More on this to come, but a few knee-jerk quick thoughts:

1. The Mets stole this one. They didn’t have to give up their No. 1 prospect.
2. The Mets are suddenly the favorite to win both the East and the NL.
3. We’re in trouble."

The post goes on to hope that the Mets can't come to agreement on terms with Santana, but it's obvious that the rest of the NL East is taking notice.

I didn't think this Santana deal could get any better but after reading this, it really does get better.

Mets Get Their Man, Johan Santana

USAToday is reporting that the Mets have reached a deal with the Twins to trade for Johan Santana. After months of waiting and waiting, Mets nation breathes a sigh of relief and joy in one breath.

Alleluia.

While details of an extension for Santana are still to be done, the deal includes Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey.

Basically, the Mets have just stolen the best pitcher in baseball for 4 prospects while still keeping their #1 prospect, Fernando Martinez. Unreal.

I can't breathe right now I'm so excited. Unbelievable. Kudos to Omar Minaya for getting the job done. While I'm sad to see Carlos Gomez go, this deal had to be done and I now laugh in the face of all those "experts" who said the Mets didn't have the talent to get a deal done for Johan Santana.

I can now officially place the order for my Johan Santana Mets jersey.

For all the details, visit USAToday.

For a video display of what every Mets fan is feeling right now, click here.

Keith Hernandez Mention on Psych

It's just a Keith Hernandez day of posts.

I just got around to watching Friday's episode of the USA Network series Psych (which by the way is great filler for this strike-laden TV schedule) when they made a reference to Keith Hernandez.

It caught me by surprise since the show takes place in Santa Barbara and none of the characters are known Mets fans. But the show is known for its pop culture references so add this one to the list.

The reference to Hernandez takes place when the two main characters, Shawn & Gus, are looking at a family photo of this Spanish soap opera actor who's accused of murder. The dialog is as follows:

Shawn - Your brother ?
Actor - It’s my sister.
Gus - No, he means this person right here.
Actor - Yes, yes… it’s my sister.
Gus - No, he means this one, right here, where my finger is !
Actor - Yes, yes, it’s my sister !
Shawn - She’s quite lovely… in a young Keith Hernandez sorta way…

So Keith, your legend continues. For more on Psych on USA, click here.

Keith Hernandez in New Just For Men Commercial

I love Keith Hernandez. He's the reason I played first base. But I think it's time for him to stick with SNY and ditch the Just for Men commercials. This new one is rough. Emmitt Smith should fire his agent.

The Waiting Game

This is it folks. The Waiting Game is officially in full swing.

It's Santana of bust for Omar Minaya this offseason. The Mets could potentially have the worst offseason adjustments in Major League Baseball or the best depending on what the Minnesota Twins do.

Omar has called off talks with Livan Hernandez and Kyle Lohse until Santana-gate is settled. The Twin have come out and said they want to make a decision in the next ten days. Ten days. That's an eternity for me. In 10 days the Twin can come back and say, "Sorry Omar, we want to sell out on opening day with Santana on the mound."

Or they can come back and accept the Mets offer while Mets nation finally exhales. The worst part about this is that if we don't get Johan Santana we will be getting Livan Hernandez. Omar has been coveting Livan for years and wants unite the Hernandez brothers.

Sounds like a great story except for the fact that Livan Hernandez is not very good anymore. Sure he'll give you a ton of innings, but it's not the type of arm the Mets need at this juncture.

So the fate of the '08 season potentially rests in the hands of the Minnesota Twins. It's a sad state but one that could work out for the best. But just might work out for the worst.

There's always the trading deadline.

The Mets X Factors in 2008

We know what to expect from players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and even Billy Wagner. We know that they'll go through slumps, but for the most part be the rock solid veteran players that we expect.

But on every team there are "x factors." Those players who aren't the focal point of a team. They aren't superstars, but they're performance just as much plays a role in the fate of a team as those who are the central focus of our opponents.

The list below is comprised of a few players in whom I feel will have a direct impact on the type of season the Mets have. Of course if Wright & Reyes have horrible seasons, then the Mets will suffer, but this is a list of complimentary players that need to succeed to support the season we expect from our marquee guys.

1. Pedro Martinez - Pedro used to be a marquee guy, but those days are gone. Sure he's the headliner on our pitching staff, a guaranteed Hall of Famer, but he needs to prove he's still the pitcher we know and love. Pedro showed excellent control in his few starts of 2007. Even though his velocity isn't there, his movement on his changeup and fastball still make him unhittable at times. The question will be if Pedro can give the Mets 25 starts. If he can, and he pitches like he did last year, the Mets are in a great position to win at least 15 starts. If not, we have a bigger hole in our starting rotation that we originally thought.

2. Moises Alou - I fully expect Moises Alou to miss 3 weeks of the 2008 season. If he misses more than that, we might have a problem. Alou proved last year that the Mets are a much, much better team with Alou in the 5 hole than without him. Alou gets hits and drives in runs. He's a hitting machine. Without him the Mets lack that RBI man in the middle of the lineup, especially if Delgado continues to struggle. Like El Duque, I'll give Alou a pass on a few weeks on the DL, but he can't miss 3 months like he did in 2007.

3. Ryan Church - Ryan Church has the opportunity to change a city in 2008. I don't think anyone really expects much from Ryan Church, but if he bats around .250 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs he might be run out of town (along with Omar Minaya). The trade for Church and Schneider was questionable at best, but if Church proves he has the talent Minaya believes he does we could have gotten a steal. Church needs to bat +.275 and be in the 20 homers/80 RBIs range to have an impact. Sure he'll probably bat in the 7th spot, but this is a corner outfielder were talking about. We should expect that to be a power position and if Church can't put up decent numbers, the Mets will be looking to fill a void come the trading deadline and could suffer offensively scoring runs down the stretch.

4. Marlon Anderson - Amidst the late collapse, the Mets found a true gem in the latter months of the 2007 season in Marlon Anderson. Anderson was a beast off the bench and seemed to play a pivotal role in nearly every comeback win the Mets had. Having a pinch hitter like that can help you win at least 10 games over the course of a season. Was Marlon Anderson's success one of those passing moments or can he produce of the bench consistently? If he can, the Mets have a leg up on pretty much every other team in the NL East as our bench will be significantly better with Anderson, Castro, & Chavez as the key bench players. If Anderson can't reproduce his 2007 success, the Mets will again be searching for a big bat off the bench come the trading deadline. And we all know how Jeff Conine worked out.

Johan Santana the Movie

Johan Santana: The Movie
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Starring:
Daniel Sunjaya as Johan Santana
Billy Dee Williams as Willie Randolph
Tony Shalhoub as Omar Minaya
Sean Bean as the Evil Twins GM
and Tara Reid as Anna Benson
with Frank Caliendo as Hank Steinbrenner

Synopsis:
ACT I: Major League Baseball's top pitcher, Johan Santana, decides he's through with pitching for a middle market team that is bent on driving the team back to mediocrity. Santana cries for salvation in the cold dark winter of Minnesota, while back in New York Mets GM, Omar Minaya, is awoken by the sound of a distant cry. He runs to his window thinking it's another angry mob of Mets fans wanting to lynch him for his lack of offseason moves following a collapse in September that sent Mets fans to asylums and nursing homes across the country, but instead he realizes it's a cry of hope and that Johan Santana might actually pitch in Queens.

ACT II: Minaya quickly calls Mets manager, Willie Randolph, to let him know that he will be completely depleting the minor leagues and his best young outfielder for the game's most dominant pitcher. Randolph replies, "These are my guys." Minaya tries to explain that if the Mets get Johan Santana, that Santana will become one of "his guys." Randolph reaches for the phone to try and bring in Guillermo Mota, but before he's able to make a call, Minaya pulls out his secret weapon, Anna Benson. Quickly Anna Benson threatens to ruin every Mets pitcher's career unless Randolph complies to Minaya's demands and swears off Guillermo Mota forever. Randolph submits.

ACT III: Minaya starts to make some offers to the evil Twins GM who demands Jose Reyes as a sacrifice on the trade wire altar. Minaya refuses. The evil Twins GM swears off Minaya and speed dials Hank Steinbrenner who refuses to answer his phone in the middle of his KFC wings. Minaya tries to hypnotize the Twins GM into taking Johnny Estrada, Rickey Henderson and Mike Pelfrey but to no avail. Omar desperately offers Gomez, FMart, Guerra, Mulvey & Humber, but as the offer hits the Twins GM's desk, Hank Steinbrenner enters the room with a final offer.

But before Steinbrenner can sign his agreement, Anna Benson surprises everyone with a manila envelope full of revealing pictures. No one knows what to think as they are just pictures of Ms. Benson as Mrs. Claus, when she pulls out another envelope full of pictures of Steinbrenner & Benson eating those tasty new crunchy KFC hot wings.

Steinbrenner leaves in a huff and the Mets give away the farm (literally) to sign the most dominant pitcher in baseball.

THE BEGINNING (it can't possibly be the end!)

Miracle Met Don Cardwell Dies at 72

Former Mets pitcher Don Cardwell passed away yesterday at the age of 72. While Cardwell was not as well known in Mets lore as pitching studs Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman, Cardwell was a major player in the Mets 1969 run to the World Series.

Cardwell won 5 key games in the closing months of the '69 season to help the Mets clinch the division.

For more details on Don Cardwell's career, click here.

Thank you Don for the part you played in our beloved team.

A New Mets Lifer Enters the World

Congratulations to fellow Mets Lifer blogger, Bryan, as he and his wife welcomed into the world last night the newest Mets Lifer as their son, Gavin, was born late Thursday.

Gavin hoped to have Santana in a Mets uniform before entering this world, but he seems to be dealing with the news quite well and is anticipating a Santana press conference in Queens in the coming weeks.

Congratulations!

New Year's Resolution for a Mets Lifer

At the beginning of a new year it is often a good time to reflect on what has happened over the last twelve months and how you can improve in the next twelve months. Here are some new year's resolutions for this Mets Lifer.

1. Stop being so surprise when Willie Randolph doesn't put on the squeeze play with Reyes or Chavez on third base with less than 2 outs.
2. Quit praying for Chipper Jones to be hit in the head every time he comes to the plate
3. Start praying for Chipper Jones to be hit in the back every time he comes to the plate
4. Start having faith in the Mets bullpen
5. Teach my eldest son to memorize the Mets starting lineup
6. Turn my Armando Benitez voodoo doll into a Jimmy Rollins voodoo doll
7. Learn to spell Schoenweis (sp?) without having to look it up
8. Suppress my anger when away games on SNY aren't in HD
9. Don't order my custom Mets Johan Santana jersey. . .yet
10. Never forget what Tom Glavine did as a Met

Here's to a successful 2008 Mets season.

Did anyone ask the Mets if our season has come. . .again?