Coming off a career that’s been wrought with trials and questions has left Johan Santana with something to prove. Friday’s no-hitter against St. Louis showed us just what kind of man Santana has become.
Human error or not, Santana threw the game of a lifetime. One he knows may never come again. With a worrisome injury that left him off the field last season, many doubted he would ever pitch at major league level again. It’s stories like this one, full of passion and humility that I think shape the foundation of the game.
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Baseball is a passionate adventure. Emotions run high, tempers rage, umpires make mistakes, but at the heart of it are men like Johan Santana. Their performances call to something deep inside of us; it’s impossible not to be impacted. In moments like this my love for the game grows so much stronger. I may not be a New York Mets fan, but watching that journey, seeing the extreme dedication Santana’s teammates and coaches had towards his success, was moving.
And after the game, watching him so humbly accept congratulations proves that he was more than deserving of this win. This year has already shown us some exceptional pitching talent in Philip Humber, Jered Weaver, and Santana; and that’s only the pitchers. The 2012 season is an historic year, and I can’t wait to see what continues to unfold.