Johan's In 'Jeopardy,' Baby (Reportedly)

[G-Fafif]

The Record says Santana may not/will not pitch in 2011. The bad news is one of the co-bylines is Steve Popper, so it might be true. The good news is the other co-byline is Bob Klapisch's, so it may be nothing more than soft rain.

Johan Santana's season in jeopardy for the Mets Saturday, March 12, 2011 BY STEVE POPPER AND BOB KLAPISCH THE RECORD STAFF WRITERS PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. � The slim glimmer of hope the Mets have clung to, waiting for Johan Santana to return this season, could be wiped out as soon as today. One member of the Mets� organization said that the team is ready to shut down the rehabilitation schedule for Santana if he does not feel comfortable after what is expected to be a simple session of playing catch. According to the source, Santana has not been progressing in his return to light throwing and the team is concerned enough to halt this section of his rehabilitation. By doing so, the Mets� timetable of a possible late-June, early-July return to the team would likely be wiped out. Internally, the Mets believe they�ll be �lucky� if Santana pitches this year. Derailing this plan would not be a complete surprise as the Mets already have seemed to take an optimistic tack concerning Santana�s return. While they have spoken about hanging in until his return and viewing it like pulling off a trade for an ace when he returns, the prospects of Santana�s return to form this season always has been fraught with the uncertainty of history. Santana underwent surgery in September to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder. Mark Prior and Chien-Ming Wang each underwent a similar surgery and have yet to win another game in the major leagues. The Mets� plan for Santana was outlined when he arrived at camp, having just started playing catch last month. �We have a framework that was provided by our physicians to sort of gauge how Johan is progressing,� Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Feb. 17 when Santana reported. �And it really involves three stages. �The first is recovery from surgery, the second is a return to throwing and the third is a return to pitching. Johan has gone through phase one, recovery from the surgery. There�s a healing process, a restoration of range of motion, that sort of thing, and that took about 4, 4� months. The second stage is a return to throwing, which is the stage that he�s in currently. We expect that to last maybe three months. It will involve flat ground, a gradual lengthening of the toss, tossing and also intensity, velocity. We expect that�s going to take about three months. � �The third phase is actual return to pitching, and the medical expectation is maybe six to eight weeks, so if you do the math, it gets you to the end of June, first part, middle part of July.� Alderson was clear at that time to point out he didn�t want to put unrealistic expectations on Santana, and that the Mets would continue to monitor his progress. The source said Santana has not been fluid in recent workouts � having increased just last week from three to four sessions of playing catch per week. Santana said just last week that he was feeling good and he has continued working out on his own at the Mets� spring training complex. Even as optimistic as Santana has been with his progress and knowing his work ethic, he admitted he was uncertain about the future of his career. �Injuries are part of the game,� Santana said last month. �You never know when they are going to happen and how severe they will be and how it will affect your career. I am very optimistic and that�s the way I am. I�m going to try and do my best and get in great shape and strengthen my arm. �It�s hard to tell right now. When you get your arm all cleaned up and fixed, there�s always a question mark. You never know, time will tell. But if everything goes right and I feel good, I�m going to continue playing as much as I can.�

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So... I love "may" in any breaking news lead-- the hallmark of rock-solid news reportage.

Also, there's absolutely nothing about discomfort. There's one bit about "not fluid." Is that supposed to be code for "he looks like he's hurt, but he's not saying anything?" Are there any new facts here?

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: So... I love "may" in any breaking news lead-- the hallmark of rock-solid news reportage. Also, there's absolutely nothing about discomfort. There's one bit about "not fluid." Is that supposed to be code for "he looks like he's hurt, but he's not saying anything?" Are there any new facts here?

Trying to figure this out myself. it doesn't seem like it and Martino said Santana and many others say no setback.

There seems to be the though that by comparing it to other pitchers who have had the surgery and not yet pitched, that it's a longshot for Santana. And it's certainly possibly and not exactly a given that he returns at all this year, but that doesn't mean there is a problem with where he's at now. Sure, the Mets do probably count themselves lucky if he returns this year, but that's probably just being smart.

Of course, they state that the Mets believe they'll be lucky if he pitches this year, and in the very next sentence claim the Mets have been too optimistic about his return and talk about June/July.

[Valadius]

It's Klapisch. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

The Record says Santana may not/will not pitch in 2011. The bad news is one of the co-bylines is Steve Popper, so it might be true. The good news is the other co-byline is Bob Klapisch's, so it may be nothing more than soft rain.

The alternative possibility is that Popper is intervening the Klap. I believe this may be the case, because there's no mention of the ubiquitous "source close to the Mets".


Rubin picks up the story and has a quote from Warthen saying:

"The progress "has been great," Warthen said ... He's right on time, if not maybe a step or two ahead of that." According to Warthen, Santana is making 30 throws at 45 feet. He then goes to 70 feet for 40 throws. At the start of camp, he was throwing 25 throws at 40 feet, waited for a few moments, then did another 25 throws at that distance. "We're moving back," Warthen said.

I'm curious, did the Warthen quote come after the Klap's story?

[ashie62]

If this is true, the article infers Johan may stop throwing in a day or two. In that case we should know all about it.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

On the eve of single-game tixx sales, a conspiracy theorist could see this as a plant by a would-be buyer to accelerate the Wilpons' slide into Chapter 11.

At any rate, I do think it's foolish to count on much from any pitcher returning from shoulder surgery, and I assume the new regime is smart enough to know that.

[ashie62]

Mets Pitcher Santana says recovery right on track..in the Ledger after the Bergen Record piece.

http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2011/03/mets_p_johan_santana_says_shou.html

[MFS62]

Ashie62 wrote: Mets Pitcher Santana says recovery right on track..in the Ledger after the Bergen Record piece. http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2011/03/mets_p_johan_santana_says_shou.html

So, it was typical sound and fury from Klapisch.

Later

[Fman99]

Fucking media. They are the least necessary part of the entire baseball experience. Just point the cameras at the game and shut your drama-holes.

[Guest Edgy DC]

So... I love "may" in any breaking news lead-- the hallmark of rock-solid news reportage. Also, there's absolutely nothing about discomfort. There's one bit about "not fluid." Is that supposed to be code for "he looks like he's hurt, but he's not saying anything?" Are there any new facts here?

Paragraph two is the "fact" that this is pinned on:

One member of the Mets� organization said that the team is ready to shut down the rehabilitation schedule for Santana if he does not feel comfortable after what is expected to be a simple session of playing catch.

That's red meat to Klapisch. I'm surprised he didnt' get a book out of it.

No, though, I'm expecting nothing from Santana this year, and would certainly be surprised to see him as early as June.

[ashie62]

Knobler has a blurb on CBS mentioning that Mark Prior and Chein-Ming Wang had anterior capsule surgery and have yet to get a post surgical win.

Does Santana get the 77 million or so owed if this injury is terminal?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ashie62 wrote: Does Santana get the 77 million or so owed if this injury is terminal?

Yup.

[ashie62]

The hits just keep on coming.

[Elster88]

G-Fafif wrote: The Record says Santana may not/will not pitch in 2011. The bad news is one of the co-bylines is Steve Popper, so it might be true. The good news is the other co-byline is Bob Klapisch's, so it may be nothing more than soft rain.

Scary possibility no matter who is doing the reporting, but "soft rain" cracked me up.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Santana later talked to reporters, and said:

�I don�t know who�s saying that I�m not ready. � We�re on the right track and where we�re supposed to be. Whoever is saying that I�m not ready I think is lying. � I�ve been doing my job and doing my rehab and everything the way it�s supposed to be done. � How can you have a setback at this point, where I�m just beginning to throw? I haven�t even got on the mound. I haven�t even forced my body to try to throw hard. � They always said that this takes time and this is a very slow process. There are going to be days you�re going to feel good. There are going to be days you�re not going to be so good. But that doesn�t mean you�re done or anything. � It�s just regular soreness that you�re supposed to feel. It�s nothing new. � I know the difference between pain and soreness.�

[G-Fafif]

Johan has "regular" soreness. Carlos has "good" soreness. May the rest of the roster exhibit "soarness".

(Bill Gallo helped me with that one.)