Could Santana have some problems in adapting?

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

I saw Santana being roughed up by the Brewers tonight. When he will be credited for the loss tonight, he will be 1-2.

Could it be that he is having some trouble in adapting to the NL?

[SamtheBravesFan]

I saw Santana being roughed up by the Brewers tonight. When he will be credited for the loss tonight, he will be 1-2.

Could it be that he is having some trouble in adapting to the NL?

It could be, but I think that's a crazy notion. He's too talented to have to adjust so much to a clearly inferior league, and I'm not being sarcastic.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

It could be, but I think that's a crazy notion. He's too talented to have to adjust so much to a clearly inferior league, and I'm not being sarcastic.

That is what I think too. But going 1-2 in his first three games, makes one think.

[SamtheBravesFan]

That is what I think too. But going 1-2 in his first three games, makes one think.

In one of those losses, he pitched well, but the Mets scored just one run for him and didn't get any more until after he left.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Let's wait until the end of May to see where Santana is before we can conclude that he may be struggling.

[metfan13]

Or it could be Santana's typical slow start. Check his record over his first 3-4 games the past few years.

[holyroman]

nobody is always perfect. Look at Oswalt's 0-3 start he got hammered along with me at the ball game friday night.

[AutographCollector]

If Johan has a losing record come the All Star break... that I will start to get worried.

[wrigleybum]

Or it could be Santana's typical slow start. Check his record over his first 3-4 games the past few years.

Just what I was going to say, he is notorious for tearing it up in the second half.

Don't think he will have a problem adjusting in the end, he is pitching without a DH, and he doesn't have to face the Yanks/Red Sox/Indians/Tigers all the time.

[plask_stirlac]

Yeah isn't his 3.05 ERA troubling?

18 K, 4 BB. He's wild.

He got roughed up to the tune of a 5.40 ERA for one game. That's a 5th starter.

[NYMets523]

Santana always has slow starts. He should be 2-1 but the Mets couldn't hit off the Braves awful bullpen last week.

Also, check the Brewer's stats against lefties compared to righties so far.

 I Split          G    PA    AB    R    H   2B  3B  HR  RBI  BB  IBB  SO  HBP  SH  SF ROE GDP  SB   CS   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  BAbip sOPS+ tOPS+ Split
   vs RHP         22   279   254   34   59  17   0   5   30   14   1   55   2   7   2   2   2    7   1  .232  .276  .358  .634  .276    74    78 vs RHP       
   vs LHP         15   132   118   21   34   6   0   8   21    7   1   23   4   1   2   5   1    3   1  .288  .344  .542  .886  .292   133   145 vs LHP

[insanefishpossay]

Yeah isn't his 3.05 ERA troubling?

18 K, 4 BB. He's wild.

Exactly. I can't stand people who fail to look past W/L record when evaluating a pitcher (coughcoughBBWAAcough).

[plask_stirlac]

It's not like the days of him allowing fewer than 20 HR are over, they were never here. There was a jump up to 33 but 8 were to Cleveland, who figure him out or what have you.

Over the first half last year he had a 2.75 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 17 HR in 121 IP. That's definitely a high homer rate but the same effectiveness. If he had the second-half brilliance it might have been his finest season, but it wasn't to be.

[NYMets523]

Here's some stats on Santana's home runs allowed last year

1 was an inside-the-park home run hit by Carl Crawford in Minnesota (shouldn't count, IMO)
10 came with 2 strikes
8 came when he was ahead in the count (at least 1 strike, at least 1 less ball)
17 came when he was behind in the count. 5 of which came on a full count.
24 were solo home runs.

Note: I did count Crawford's inside the park. Without it, it's one less HR with 2 strikes, ahead in the count, and solo home run.

[Rapmaster]

I think the ease of his transition was a little overstated. He's pitching in the N.L. East, in my opinion, the best division in the N.L. He's gonna be making quite a few starts against teams with offenses that stack up against A.L. teams (obviously without a D.H.).