Santana's Back!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It hurts after last night's throwing session. Having an MRI, won't start Thursday, Rubin citing "Rumblings," sez Mejia will get the call.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It hurts after last night's throwing session. Having an MRI, won't start Thursday, Rubin citing "Rumblings," sez Mejia will get the call.

This bad back/bad ankle stuff is starting to reek of pandering to the public perception of what they should do. They probably should've shut him down after the Cubs game (and drilled Reed Johnson). Did he hurt the back compensation for not fully landing on the hurt ankle?

[batmagadanleadoff]

In which the Mets push Johan Santana to the breaking point

By Howard Megdal
12:01 pm Aug. 21, 2012

It would have been funny, if a man's health and one-third of the Mets' 2013 payroll hadn't been at stake. But apparently the team's brain trust, including Sandy Alderson, a man brought in as general manager to make the best long-term decisions for the team, decided to ask the man the Mets owe $31 million next year to keep on pitching. Here's Terry Collins before Monday night's game, which turned out to be a 3-1 loss to the Rockies, describing what sounds like a used car you'd never, ever buy. "There's is nothing really physical--outside of why we disabled him the first time," Collins said. "His arm is fine. His shoulder is fine. His ankle is fine. You know, does his ankle still bother him? Yeah, it might on certain pitches. It may covering first. That's one of those ankle-sprain things that doesn't go away for three months anyway. I've had a million of them. But he's taped up. He's fine. He's ready to go. He's got a little stiffness in his back that's a minor thing that has come out after just working. He's fine." Alderson's logic was that he wanted Santana to end on a "high note," without mentioning that pursuit of that high note will mean exposing a fatigued and beaten-up pitcher to more chances to get injured. Maybe this is also a good time to mention the Mets are 10 games out of the final wild card spot, and 19 games behind Washington in the National League East. Santana was willing to oblige, of course. This is the man who threw 125 pitches on the second-to-last day of the 2008 season, on three days rest, with a torn meniscus in his knee. This is the man who was asked to throw by the Mets in 2010, after having complained of pain in his shoulder that turned out to be the massive injury that cost him all of 2011. This is the man who refused to come out of his June 1 no-hit bid, even as he reached a career-high 134 pitches. A large aspect of what makes these athletes great is their willingness to play no matter what. And a large part of why the Mets end up with worse injuries to their stars is an unwillingness to make smarter decisions for them. It wouldn't be right to suggest that the Mets are the only team to push their players. But it's funny how some oft-injured Mets have fared after they left. Jose Reyes, who was once pressured by the Mets into attempting to come back for the final weekend of the 2009 season, resulting in a more significant injury and surgery, is with the Marlins now, and has played 121 of 123 games since his move. Carlos Beltran, whose decision to get the knee surgery he needed so angered the Mets that the front office held a conference call to discuss their fury, has played in 115 of 121 games for the Cardinals. Both players are excelling. The Mets, it appears, learned nothing from Reyes, Beltran and so many others (take a look at J.J. Putz's numbers before, during and after his season with the Mets, when he was asked to pitch through elbow pain) even though the decision-makers were supposed to have changed. So when David Wright hurt his thumb early this year, the Mets went public with an intimidation campaign. Wright, fortunately, managed to play through it and thrive. But what that ultimately did for the team's relationship with Wright isn't clear. And now Santana, asked to go throw another bullpen session on Monday despite his nagging injuries, came in saying his back had stiffened up. Collins got to deliver the news after the game that the car he'd just tried to sell reporters pregame was now on the side of the road again. "He came in stiffer today than he had been," Collins said. "Actually, they got him loosened up. He threw his pen. He felt fine. When he was done, he got a little tight. He had the doctor look at it. And the doctor thought they should look at it tomorrow. So they're going to do that." If it hadn't been his back, it probably would have been something else. Why did the Mets take that risk? After all the fanfare surrounding a Monday meeting of the brain trust and a thought-out decision? Collins said pregame that it was Santana who wanted to pitch, as if that settled it. It is all so disspiriting because it fits a pattern that was supposed to end under Alderson. Things like the inexplicable public announcements and plans to pitch R.A. Dickey on short rest long after the Mets were out of contention, continued shifting of Jenrry Mejia from starter to reliever and back, holding onto Scott Hairston for meager 2012 gains instead of adding a prospect to the team's young talent base. It's not like a better decision-making process can prevent all injuries. But it can limit the impact of the injuries that do occur, and prevent others. (See the Yankees' handling of CC Sabathia for an example of how it's done.) It's not Alderson's fault that the Mets' roster is so limited, given the extreme budgetary restraints forced upon him by ownership's financial problems. But if he's not providing the steadying influence that stops the team from making reckless decisions, what's he there for?

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/sports/2012/08/6481028/which-mets-push-johan-santana-breaking-point

[Edgy MD]

Two things the Mets public wants is for the Mets to do what they want and for them not to pander to the public.

[Fman99]

I'm driving down from the 'Cuse for Thursday's game and I'm fine with this. Tough to think some other pitcher gives them less of a chance to win than the Johan of the last 6-7 starts.

[Guest themetfairy]

I'll be there Thursday as well!

[Zvon]

So when David Wright hurt his thumb early this year, the Mets went public with an intimidation campaign. Wright, fortunately, managed to play through it and thrive. But what that ultimately did for the team's relationship with Wright isn't clear.

What campaign was this?

[Ceetar]

Zvon wrote: So when David Wright hurt his thumb early this year, the Mets went public with an intimidation campaign. Wright, fortunately, managed to play through it and thrive. But what that ultimately did for the team's relationship with Wright isn't clear. What campaign was this?

no idea. David Wright also didn't "hurt his thumb" he fractured one of his..ring? fingers. And was pretty adamant about staying in, from what I recall. he missed two day and kept insisting he was going to play whereas the 'campaign' from the beat writers was that he was definitely going to be on the DL. the on the same page-ness and open dialogue that must have happened for him to talk his way into the lineup and finding a way to make it work seems like it would help, not hurt, the relationship.

[Frayed Knot]

I think the only one with a "campaign" here is Megdal.

[ashie62]

Santana done, one more year of this overpaid masterbating prick

[Edgy MD]

Ash, were you drinking last night?

Megdal's losing it.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Sandy to address MRI results LIVE at 3:30!

[Edgy MD]

That's NOW!!!!

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: Ash, were you drinking last night? Megdal's losing it.

A friend of Bills since 1997

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: That's NOW!!!!

well Now!!!!* apparently. Beat writers seems up in arms about the delay.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Apparently, Colin McHugh, not Mejia, will take the Thursday start. Also, the Hefners had their kid, Jaylee-Fil-A Hefner.

[Ceetar]

minor back inflammation. needs rest. DL'd. not going to be reactivated.

best case I guess.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Geez, how predictable and boring.

Is he saying anything else?

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Geez, how predictable and boring. Is he saying anything else?

not listening, at work. But 6 and a half billion people posted about that so i'm pretty confident in it.

I presume he announced McHugh but I haven't seen it confrimed.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Geez, how predictable and boring. Is he saying anything else?

He asked Rubin if he had an updated resume, or should he just use the one that Omar left in the file cabinet.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Walls will be orange next year!

[Guest Swan Swan H]

The seventh inning stretch will be sponsored by Doan's Pills.

[metirish]

Shut down for the duration of the season......nothing to do with no hitter yyybbb

[Frayed Knot]

So that's 104 starts over five seasons for Johan as a NYM - and just 70 over the last four.
The four seasons leading up to the trade (his only ones as a full-time starter) he made 144

[ashie62]

Nieuwenhuis shut down also.