Santana throws complete game, Mets at 6 in row

On a perfect, sunny day at PNC Park, the Mets got exactly what they wanted from Johan Santana .

[Abbott]

Test

[Lou]

We should not underestimate the importance of this game. One, Santana showed he is maybe the "premier" pitcher in the majors, and he has the stamina to finish what he started, and three, this outing gave the bullpen a much needed rest and that may be the most important thing of all. Manuel can now see how he can set up for the post season if we get there. My only worry is the Braves coming in. Even though they are 12 games out, they feast on the METS. What a great outing!

[Jay]

Lou wrote:

We should not underestimate the importance of this game. One, Santana showed he is maybe the "premier" pitcher in the majors, and he has the stamina to finish what he started, and three, this outing gave the bullpen a much needed rest and that may be the most important thing of all. Manuel can now see how he can set up for the post season if we get there. My only worry is the Braves coming in. Even though they are 12 games out, they feast on the METS. What a great outing!

The Braves are done this season! With most of their starting picher's (Glavine, Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, Moylan, Acosta, and Soriano) out for the season, Chipper's constant DL visits, and trading away Texeria... the Braves aren't contending for a postseason spot this year!!!!

Sorry to rain on your little parade!

[Lou]

Jay wrote:

<quoted text>
The Braves are done this season! With most of their starting picher's (Glavine, Smoltz, Hudson, Hampton, Moylan, Acosta, and Soriano) out for the season, Chipper's constant DL visits, and trading away Texeria... the Braves aren't contending for a postseason spot this year!!!!
Sorry to rain on your little parade!

I am a Mets fan, not a Braves fan, all I am saying is when you look at the games between the Braves and Mets, they kill us. Chipper Jones feasts on us. I was at Turner field Sat. night when they played the Giants and they belted out 11 runs. Agreed, they gave it up when Texeira left, but they can still get good starts out of their young starters and their line-up can score too. All I am referring to is the won lost record against the Braves and it isn't good.

[newshound]

I hope this complete game will let Jerry realize that the pitchers are not made of glass and this constant eye on the pitch count is a little ridiculous!

[Iceman]

Lou wrote:

We should not underestimate the importance of this game. One, Santana showed he is maybe the "premier" pitcher in the majors, and he has the stamina to finish what he started, and three, this outing gave the bullpen a much needed rest and that may be the most important thing of all. Manuel can now see how he can set up for the post season if we get there. My only worry is the Braves coming in. Even though they are 12 games out, they feast on the METS. What a great outing!

I agree we can't look past the Braves, who have been the perennial thorn in the Mets sides for over a decade. But as mentioned, with key losses to their pitching staff, a banged up Chipper, and no Tex, I think it is a shell of that old team. There won't be the same swagger they usually have against us. Hopefully!

[Marie Elena]

I hope that Mets menagement will get it through their heads tha a pitcher can go nine innings. Only if it is a shutout or no hitter will they leave him in.

Please dump the stupid pitch count.

[Bill]

If the Mets continue to win each series, whether 2 of 3 or 3 of 4 they will surely win the division. If they approach each series with that mindset,then winning streaks of 5 or more in a row will continue. The acquisition of Ayala hopefully will strengthen a suspect bullpen. Giving Retes a day off will help too, he continues to make stupid errors, maybe he is tired??

[jimsha]

Lou wrote:

<quoted text>I am a Mets fan, not a Braves fan, all I am saying is when you look at the games between the Braves and Mets, they kill us. Chipper Jones feasts on us. I was at Turner field Sat. night when they played the Giants and they belted out 11 runs. Agreed, they gave it up when Texeira left, but they can still get good starts out of their young starters and their line-up can score too. All I am referring to is the won lost record against the Braves and it isn't good.

A Met fan from Atlanta? You must take a hell of a lot of abuse down there!

[Lou]

jimsha wrote:

<quoted text>
A Met fan from Atlanta? You must take a hell of a lot of abuse down there!

Well you know the South-they are quite genteel down here, and even when they put you down, it is in this very lyrical southern drawl and so polite, that you just feel fine and all is ok. It's when they chew their tobaccie and spit that is the worst man!

[Lou]

Speaking of being a Met fan in Georgia, it is funny when you go to Turner Field. They attract a lot of fans from the other team. When the Cubs were in town you could see entire sections of Cub fans. It is like that for a lot of other teams, so the loyal Braves fans are used to it and everyone gets along. When the Mets come to town there are a lot of Met fans, but we usually go away disappointed. I was there when we went to the bottom of the ninth with a 12-3 lead and LOST! That day, Franco and Benitez (who else) gave it away-what a bummer! I almost threw myself off the rail of the upper deck but my son was there and he saved me. Anyway one funny store about living down here and won't bore you anymore. I needed to get gas in the car so I was in my flip flops and pulled up to the pump and got out. It was sunny and dry but when I put my foot on the ground I felt this ooze coming over the flip flops and onto my feet and looked down and saw this big wad of wet chewing tobaccee oozing all over-grossed me out so bad that I never ever wear flips flops anywhere off my own driveway! Be with someone when their talking to you and spitting into an empty beer can! kind of makes you want to reach for the barf bag-oh I thought this was a baseball site.sorry.

[El Viejo]

Chewing tobacco is nationwide in rural areas, Lou, but bringing it to a baseball game is ironic, considering the way MLB has tried to change to chew-free teams. Of course, 100 years ago it was farm boys on Major League teams (who brought their habit with them), who popularized chewing tobacco in baseball.

[jimsha]

Lou wrote:

Speaking of being a Met fan in Georgia, it is funny when you go to Turner Field. They attract a lot of fans from the other team. When the Cubs were in town you could see entire sections of Cub fans. It is like that for a lot of other teams, so the loyal Braves fans are used to it and everyone gets along. When the Mets come to town there are a lot of Met fans, but we usually go away disappointed. I was there when we went to the bottom of the ninth with a 12-3 lead and LOST! That day, Franco and Benitez (who else) gave it away-what a bummer! I almost threw myself off the rail of the upper deck but my son was there and he saved me. Anyway one funny store about living down here and won't bore you anymore. I needed to get gas in the car so I was in my flip flops and pulled up to the pump and got out. It was sunny and dry but when I put my foot on the ground I felt this ooze coming over the flip flops and onto my feet and looked down and saw this big wad of wet chewing tobaccee oozing all over-grossed me out so bad that I never ever wear flips flops anywhere off my own driveway! Be with someone when their talking to you and spitting into an empty beer can! kind of makes you want to reach for the barf bag-oh I thought this was a baseball site.sorry.

Sorry if i offend anyone but chewing tobacco is just a gross habit. Remember Dykstra. He would stick so much of that stuff in his mouth he could hardly talk. When the camera would pan in on him he was always spitting something out of his mouth. I could only imagine what that dugout looked like! My wife would actually stop watching the game when they kept showing him. The suprizing thing is that after all they now know about chewing tobacco so many ( in sports) still do it.

[taxpayer]

Reyes is 7th in batting .not an all star ? only because the 2.9 million yankee fans who voted for jeter voted against reyes. Reyes has the most talent for a new york player since willie mays

[Fan in South america]

taxpayer wrote:

Reyes is 7th in batting .not an all star ? only because the 2.9 million yankee fans who voted for jeter voted against reyes. Reyes has the most talent for a new york player since willie mays

Yeah but he is Latin; if the Mets will have more players like Maine, Heillman, Stokes, Pelfrey, Wright ; we could be again the great under 500 last place team

[Fan in South america]

Sorry; I forgot about "CY Young" Shoenweiss

[Bill]

Fan in South america wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah but he is Latin; if the Mets will have more players like Maine, Heillman, Stokes, Pelfrey, Wright ; we could be again the great under 500 last place team

Dude I don't know what you're smokin what does his origin have to do with him being 7th in batting?

[gruss]

When are the Mets going to fire their GM (Omar)? He is the worst GM in the league. The Mets bullpen has been the worst for over two years and he can’t upgrade or make somewhat of a decent trade to get a substandard reliever. I guess, he’ll fire Jerry like he did to Willie for the terrible team he put together.

[luvthegame]

Yeah Gruss - getting Santana, Schneider, Church that was horrible.......

[Iceman]

Wagner (hurt); Burgos (hurt); Sanchez (hurt; building velocity); Heilman; Schoenweiss (pitched hurt last year); Smith; Feliciano. You honestly cannot say that this bullpen is the worst in the league. They might not be pitching well, but they surely are not the worst.

And let me ask, who would you upgrade it with?

Finally, I could have sworn our lack of hitting and terrible starting pitching was our problem during the collapse last year. Not our bullpen. But of course, let's just blame everything on them and Omar for not fixing them.