Comments on: Johan Santana: Good, but overrated

By: Marco

Marco — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:58:18 +0000

Dear Peter,

Just ran into this article. Interesting and fact-based one but you, like many analysts in the US, clearly overlooked a key factor with this guy that many of you just dont get: his heart and pride.

Here in Venezuela, most baseball fans knew he was going to come back on a mission from a “transition” year in which he had to adjust to a new league, new park, new teammates, and NYC–just like he is doing right now. I did pick in among the top in my league, and am having a ball (unlike those who heard your one-dimensional advice)

..and dont even get me started on K-Rod, whom by the same logic, maybe you (as well as many others I hate to admit) may have discounted as well after his record-setting-yet-statistically-lackluster season last year. Just look at what he is doing to date…

By the way, how is CC doing?

All in good fun…;-)

By: jay

jay — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:50:00 +0000

mike(first comment of this article) wrote

“I still think he is a top five to ten starter but I think CC and Lincecum are in fron for sure and a bunch more could make a case”

CC better than santana for sure. hahahahahahaha. i needed a good laugh.

By: John Galt

John Galt — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:05:49 +0000

“However, Santana’s control, as well as his ability to induce swings-and-misses, both appear to be in decline as well.”

Anyone happen to know who leads the majors in swinging strikes?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:53:22 +0000

I understand the concerns but, his GB rate increased and his IFFB rate increased as well. This could be indicative of weak contact and shows that Johan may be pitching to contact in more situations. FIP is not kind to pitching to contact. With a good defense behind him( and pitching in a pitcher’s park), and the great stuff that he has, he may not get as flashy ratios as before but, he is still a great pitcher and not overrated.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:32:52 +0000

CC is an interesting case. I too am very wary of the mileage that has been put on CC’s arm, but he’s an unusual person. Although he’s so large, he’s also extremely athletic, and it wouldn’t surprise me if was rather unique, perhaps not unlike Roger Clemens (only without the PEDs).

I don’t think CC is likely to be able to withstand this workload forever and therefore would be a risky bet to sign to a 6-year deal, but I also don’t think his risk of flaming out next year is that high.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:28:23 +0000

Interesting article….call me crazy but I would shy away from CC on draft day too. The mileage on his arm, especially the 500 innings pitched between the past two seasons, scares me.

By: Mike Ketchen

Mike Ketchen — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:23:06 +0000

Great piece, I just wrote something similar on my blog. I still think he is a top five to ten starter but I think CC and Lincecum are in fron for sure and a bunch more could make a case (Halladay, Webb, Peavy, Beckett)