Saturday, September 27, 2008

Heroic Effort Keeps Mets Alive

The most clutch regular season start in the history of the Mets. The start that may get him the CY Young despite a bullpen that has sabatoged his efforts to win the award all year. A potentially franchise changing start. None of this is hyperbole.

Johan Santana pitched a complete game shutout on 3 days rest for a team that desperately needed a hero to take them on his back. The Mets fans who have endured tough losses all year including the worst one of all this past Wednesday were dying for a hero. And despite declaring himself running for office at the eleventh hour, Ramon Martinez just wouldn't look quite right as our candidate. No the title fits Johan Santana as well as it fits Batman, Spiderman, James Bond or Superman.

Santana has been called upon so often to "save the season," the monkeys would have understood if this last task was just too much for one man. He beat the Phillies to help avoid the big sweep. He beat the Cubs on Tuesday to stop a three game slide. Honestly, it was like the monkeys were at a sedar saying If he beat the Phillies and didn't save our ass on Tuesday, Dayenu. If he had saved our ass on Tuesday and not pitched a shutout on Saturday, Dayenu. Only it wwouldn't have been sufficient. The Mets have needed Santana every time.

And here's the thing that really endears Santana to monkeys and Mets fans. If he had lost today, you know damn well he would have been devastated. Hear that, Glavine? That's what a hero does and says.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

yahhoooooo. the cubbies beat the brew crew. do we go with ollie tomorrow or pedro on 3 days rest ? i prefer a rested ollie. pedro is definitely done.