Oh, No, Not Him Again
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by user Moritz Wollert
Opposing batters might have checked box scores this morning. Going over the American League results, of course one game stood out even for the regular MLB scrub or the uninterested follower: Tigers vs Twins, Verlander vs Santana, Friday Night, 9 rounds of heavyweight pitching expected and certainly one of the games of the year...
It was for Verlander, his worst game of the year, being touched for 6 runs in the 11-1 Minny win, but for Santana, who struggled a bit with homeruns and bad luck earlier in the season, it's starting to look like business as usual again.
After only giving up one run in six innings last night, the left hander is now 3-0 in his last four starts while posting a ridiculous 1.00 ERa during that stretch. Good?! No, dominant. Last night Santana, a number one starter for quite some time now, once again lived up to the hype and the occasion, something his younger counterpart couldn't do yet.
"He's probably the best lefty in the game right now, and has been for a while," Tigers designated hitter Gary Sheffield said of Santana. "You've got to be on your 'A' game against him just to accomplish anything. And I guarantee you, he wants to face the best."
Big words from a big mouth here, yet that's what makes them so much more valuable. Sheffield has been waggling his bat for some years now and he should know what he talks about. Santana also likes to hear the cries of opponents for help: "When you hear from other players and they're telling you you're the best pitcher in baseball, that makes you feel really good."
In recent years Santana has traditionally started slow but then came around to dominate the league in the second half of the season... he won two of the last three Cy Young awards and compiled a 55-19 record in these three seasons. His ERA is 2.75 and his WHIP is 0.96. No, no, opposing hitters, please don't run away now, my article isn't that long anymore...
[1] Fact is though that the opponents should fear Santana from now on, just like they should fear the Twins. Last season Santana lost 5 games before the All Star break and only one after that. Now we aren't even looking to San Francisco yet (only to see how bad the Giants are) and Johan is already in cruise control mode. "I’m having fun and I’m not even trying to do much", says Santana. "Everything is coming together."
Ehhm, propably...
If you have a 1.00 ERA and the career resume of a guy like Mr Santana, then things certainly "are coming together".
[2] As much as opposing hitters now have to think about excuses for not being in the lineup against the 6-0, 205-pound Venezualan, it's even more a joy for the random baseball fan to see Santana coming around with all his magic and his three dominating plus pitches. He's a character and watching him on the mound is like watching some kind of artist. One of the best at his art I might add...
I can imagine some father with his son in the stands yesterday or in recent years, at the Metrodome or at a ballpark invaded by Santana near you. Then the father turns to his son and says "Look son, this Santana guy, he's one of the best pitchers of our generation. Maybe even the best."
Then the man look in the batter's box and he feels sorry for this guy without "Minnesota" or "Twins" on his jersey, flailing helplessly at another dandy changeup...
It's time for the Santana show again, now make sure you grab a seat and don't be in the batter's box...
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