Hi folks. Sorry about the long absence.
Johan Santana threw 46 pitches off a mound today in his most ambitious and productive bullpen session since the start of spring training, and made it clear he wants to start on Opening Day, on April 6 in Cincinnati.
“I appreciate everything they’re doing trying to protect me and trying to keep me healthy,” Santana told the Associated Press. “But I’m a professional and I know exactly what it takes for me to be ready. I’ve been doing this for years now and I know exactly what I have to do and I’m pretty sure I’ll be ready for Opening Day.”
Santana has an irritated triceps tendon that has caused discomfort in his throwing elbow.
The two-time Cy Young winner has yet to pitch in a spring training game for the Mets, but he threw all of his pitches Wednesday under the watchful eye of pitching coach Dan Warthen.
Warthen had said Tuesday that the left-hander wouldn’t make his spring debut until March 18, putting him on track to start the Mets’ fifth game of the regular season. After seeing Santana throw, Warthen said he is open to changing that schedule.
How would you play it if you were running the Mets. Vote in the poll and let us know.
Also, in case you missed it yesterday, the Mets are putting individual game tickets for April and May on sale ahead of the rest of the year. The Mets said Tuesday they would start selling tickets for the first two months on March 15. The sale date for the rest of the year will be announced later.
Ticket prices run from $11-$17 (promenade reserved) to $120-$280 (Ebbets Club) for regular-season games, according to the team’s Web site. In addition, tickets will go on sale Friday at $6-$50 for exhibition games against Boston on April 3-4.
