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The Breakdown: Is Santana really THAT good?
Written by Colin on January 31, 2008 – 7:50 amIn our quest to determine exactly how much Johan Santana actually adds to the Mets’ starting rotation, we’re going to delve into the their starting rotation before – and after – Santana came into the picture. In honesty, looking at the rotation, Santana is replacing Tom Glavine after his return to the Braves. The other four starting slots are more than likely to stay the same – Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Orlando Hernandez round out the rotation.
Let’s look at their stats from the last two seasons combined:
Tom Glavine – 28-15, 398.3 innings pitched, 4.14 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 220 strikeouts, 39 double plays induced, and 45 quality starts (68%).
Johan Santana – 34-19, 452.7 innings pitched, 3.05 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 480 strikeouts, 24 double plays induced, and 45 quality starts (64%).
Clearly Santana is more of a power pitcher than Glavine – it doesn’t take rocket science to figure that out. It’s also clear that Santana is a better pitcher right now than Glavine is – but we all knew that. My point is that though Santana is a good power pitcher, he’s not the one factor that will propel the Mets into the world series – and it’s not guaranteed he’ll make them the team to beat in the NL overall. I don’t think you can make that claim of a player that pitches once every five days.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not happy with the prospect of the Braves facing Santana multiple times this year. I think he makes their rotation much better – not something to be taken lightly. I’ll have to revise my team and division analysis because of the trade, for sure.
I just don’t think he’s the one element that will take a team to the World Series. If he were, the Twins would have won several already.
One player does not a World Champion make – doesn’t matter if the player is Cy Young himself.
Posted in League Analysis | 9 Comments »
By Cameron on Jan 31, 2008 | Reply
I agree 100%. You only have to go back one year to see that a power pitcher won’t always function in a new environment/league- Barry Zito. I would personally have put Zito up there with the cream of the crop in the AL, but he absolutly flopped in the NL with the biggest contract ever for a pitcher (I believe). I don’t want to hear that the Mets are the best team in the NL, because like the article said above, you cant fully rely on someone to help every 5 days, us Braves fans learned that last year with Smoltz and Hudson even though it was more like a 4 day period for us, but you get my drift).
Mets are now solid
Phils are solid
Bravos are solid
this year should be fun
By James De Rose on Jan 31, 2008 | Reply
Solid? I think the Mets are more than solid. The Mets have Santana (YES HE IS THAT GOOD), Pedro (Better than any other NL East’s #2 Starter) and two pitchers who had 15 wins and ERA’s under 4.00. They round it out with El Duque (If Healthy) and a number one draft pick in reserve. Then they have the NL Easts best closer. So I ask is that staff only solid?
Oh then they have David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Beltran. Thats about 75- 80 hr’s 270 RBI 140 or so SB’s plus all can hit .300.
If they stay healthy, the Mets clearly have more than just an edge.
By Cameron on Feb 1, 2008 | Reply
and then the Braves have Smoltz, Hudson, and Glavine, all great pitchers
then there’s Jones, Teixeira, Francour, and McCann that I raise to your Reyes, Wright, and Beltran
and remember, money does not buy championships, ask George Steinbrenner (or however you spell it)
All three teams I mentioned are pretty evanly matched, even with Santana in the Mets mix
By Cameron on Feb 1, 2008 | Reply
sorry Francoeur
By jimmy on Feb 3, 2008 | Reply
glavine is not a great pitcher anymore. He was. a 4.5+ era is not great… it’s barely good. Definitely not number 3 materially. Can Chipper stay in the lineup? If he can I will be the first to admit how good he is, but the guy misses games with indigestion. Tex of course is a beast, and McCann is a good young star, but, sorry Braves fans, the Mets have more bullets in the chamber.
By Cameron on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
I agree 100%. You only have to go back one year to see that a power pitcher won't always function in a new environment/league- Barry Zito. I would personally have put Zito up there with the cream of the crop in the AL, but he absolutly flopped in the NL with the biggest contract ever for a pitcher (I believe). I don't want to hear that the Mets are the best team in the NL, because like the article said above, you cant fully rely on someone to help every 5 days, us Braves fans learned that last year with Smoltz and Hudson even though it was more like a 4 day period for us, but you get my drift).
Mets are now solid
Phils are solid
Bravos are solid
this year should be fun
By James De Rose on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
Solid? I think the Mets are more than solid. The Mets have Santana (YES HE IS THAT GOOD), Pedro (Better than any other NL East's #2 Starter) and two pitchers who had 15 wins and ERA's under 4.00. They round it out with El Duque (If Healthy) and a number one draft pick in reserve. Then they have the NL Easts best closer. So I ask is that staff only solid?
Oh then they have David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Beltran. Thats about 75- 80 hr's 270 RBI 140 or so SB's plus all can hit .300.
If they stay healthy, the Mets clearly have more than just an edge.
By Cameron on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
and then the Braves have Smoltz, Hudson, and Glavine, all great pitchers
then there's Jones, Teixeira, Francour, and McCann that I raise to your Reyes, Wright, and Beltran
and remember, money does not buy championships, ask George Steinbrenner (or however you spell it)
All three teams I mentioned are pretty evanly matched, even with Santana in the Mets mix
By jimmy on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
glavine is not a great pitcher anymore. He was. a 4.5 era is not great… it's barely good. Definitely not number 3 materially. Can Chipper stay in the lineup? If he can I will be the first to admit how good he is, but the guy misses games with indigestion. Tex of course is a beast, and McCann is a good young star, but, sorry Braves fans, the Mets have more bullets in the chamber.