Who Would've Thunk It

Heading into the weekend series with the Brewers, if I were to tell you that the two teams would split the first two games, you probably would not have been surprised. After all, Nelson Figueroa was starting the first game of the series. He did not have a major league win. He had not started a major league game in four years. He was only pitching because both Orlando Hernandez and Pedro Martinez were on the disabled list.

The second game of the series was to be pitched by Johan Santana. He is arguably the best pitcher in the game today. He was making his Shea Stadium debut. Although he entered the game with a 1-1 record, he has looked sharp in both games he has started. Yes, a split would have been fine.

Of course, the surprising thing was how the games ended up being split. In both games the Mets jumped out to an early lead. Figueroa pitched a gem of a game. As the game went on, he appeared not to be as strong and when they took him out I think it was definitely time to do so. Still, he looked sharp and gave the Mets what they needed. I was now thinking we would take the first two from the Brewers and we would have a nice winning streak put together.

Santana, unfortunately, was not sharp at all in his Shea debut. He could not hold a lead and did not look like he was on top of his game. I do not think it was nerves. I do not think it was something wrong with him, I just think it was a game where he did not have it. All pitchers, even the great ones experience such things. Hopefully he bounces back completely come his next start.

I can live with a split of the first two games, it was what I expected. But, the way it occurred, who would have thunk it?