Johan Santana Logs 72-Pitch Bullpen Session
By Editorial Staff
The future isn’t exactly looking bright for the New York Mets. The club’s money issues have been well documented, and as the Mets face a rebuilding process the rest of the National League East continues to get stronger. Mets fans are looking to former Cy Young winner Johan Santana to offer a glimmer of hope in 2012, and his most recent bullpen session showed the left-hander may be able to deliver just that.
After checking in as one of the league’s most dominating pitchers of the 2000’s, Santana has been largely forgotten. The 32-year-old didn’t pitch in the majors last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his left shoulder in the fall of 2010.
After facing frustrations last season, Santana is slowly but surely nearing a return for the Mets. The four-time All-Star threw his fourth bullpen session yesterday in which he logged 72 pitches. During one stretch of Santana’s bullpen hitters stood at the plate.
The next step for Santana is a projected start during a March 6th Grapefruit League contest against the St. Louis Cardinals. While the Mets are happy with Santana’s progress to this point, New York’s manager Terry Collins admitted that the club will only truly be able to gauge their ace’s recovery when he faces the defending World Series champions next week.
For more on the Mets, be sure to check out Rising Apple.
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