Johan Santana signed a one-year minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles last week. He missed all of last season after having shoulder surgery, and isn’t expected to pitch again until June. There is some speculation that the Orioles may try to use Santana as a reliever when he does return, but I’m hoping that things work out whatever his role may be.
I spent part of Saturday afternoon cleaning up the piles of baseball cards that had been accumulating on my desk since last summer. This 2011 Bowman Johan Santana card was among them. I don’t remember where or why I got it – it may have been a throw-in from a trade package or gift, or I may have picked it up because Santana is one of my favorite recent Mets players. (I may even have had thoughts about putting together the gold version Mets team set.)
Whatever the reason, I like the card. The horizontal design makes me think of the classic 1955 Bowman set, which showed the players inside of a border intended to resemble a television set. The 2011 Bowman design makes me think of the Star Trek bridge viewscreen more than a television set, but it’s a similar principle.
I miss the hybrid black Mets cap with the blue bill that Santana is wearing, even though it’s only been out of use for a couple of years. Five years ago, if you told me I’d miss any part of black Mets uniforms, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Two questions for you today:
- Do you think Johan Santana will find success with the Baltimore Orioles?
- Did you like the Mets’ predominantly black uniforms, and do you miss them now that they’re out of use?
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To your first question regarding Santana, it’s hard to say how successful he’ll be because so much of that will depend on his health. Who knows how many innings he’ll be able to give Baltimore, and of what quality they’ll be? If I had to guess, I’d say he gives them more than 100, but fewer than 150 innings pitched, averages around 5.5 K’s / 9, and wins in the low double-digits.
As for the black uniforms the Mets used for a few years, I never much cared for them in the first place. I’ll take the home uniforms from either the mid’80’s, or even earlier, back in the late ’60’s and into the ’70’s.
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Unfortunately, I think Santana might be done. That’s a lot of surgeries.
As for the black, I’ll never miss them. Even though they’re associated with a lot of success (1999 Wild Card, 2000 World Series, 2006 NL East), whenever I see the black in old games on SNY, I cringe a little. It makes them villainous to me. I much prefer the current, bright blue and orange, especially on a sunny afternoon.
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