Through the first two months of the 2009 season, Johan Santana was — hands-down — the best pitcher on the planet. In fact, his first ten starts were the stuff of legend, and one of the most auspicious beginnings to a season for any pitcher in modern MLB history (all the more impressive considering he was accomplishing it in a hitter’s era).
At the end of May and through ten (oops) eleven starts his ERA was a miserly 1.77, but his record was “only” 7-4 — mostly because of the lethargic Mets offense but also partially due to Santana’s inability to hang around long enough to be on the winning side. Through most of the season (including and beyond those first two months), he would be spectacular through 6 or 7 innings, but his soaring pitch counts put the ballgame in the hands of an inconsistent bullpen. As I noted in mid-June, he seemed to be moving away from his previously successful strategy (while a Twin) of
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It seemed that Mike Pelfrey turned a corner the moment Dan Warthen became pitching coach in late June of 2008. When that fallacy is combined with his final numbers — a 13-11 record and 3.72 ERA — many believed Big Pelf had finally matured, and was on the verge of a “breakout season”. Indeed, some pundits penciled him in as the Mets #2 starter when the 2009 season began.
If we were putting grades on these analyses, Jon Niese would have to be given an “incomplete”.
When May rolls around next year, John Maine will be 29 years old. That said, you can no longer look at him as a young pitcher on the rise.