After experiencing elbow tightness during the second week of Spring Training, Mets ace Johan Santana flew to New York to have surgery performed on his pitching elbow. “We’re just being very, very cautious right now,” said manager Jerry Manuel. “With a guy as talented and as crucial to success as Johan is, you have to take baby steps. We need to make sure he can perform at the elite level everyone is accustomed to.” The surgery, described by Manuel as “Tommy John’s cousin”, will not replace a ligament in the arm of Santana, but add another one. The procedure is the first of it kind, and many were skeptical of it’s success. “How does that even work?” asked former manager Willie Randolph, who was dismissed by the Mets in June of 2007. “What does that ligament attach to? None of this makes sense.” Reporters asked around the league for their input, and Phillies ace and fellow southpaw Cole Hamels responded. “Another ligament? Why? So they can choke it away?” The opinion of this surgery is overwhelmingly negative.
Once the surgery is complete, Santana will have another ligament, which will make his fastball and changeup "bitchin' awesome," as described by his teammates.
The Mets and Santana hope that the surgery will both cure the elbow tightness and give him increased durability and flexibility in his pitching arm. “If it all goes well, then, you know, I’ll be back to where I was last season. And seasons before that. I just want to be able to play, to help this team, and we all think this is the best way.”
The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, but Santana will stay in the hospital until at least thursday, then return to the team as early as Friday. The hope is that the Mets will be able to have Santana start sometime next week.
“The sooner the better,” Santana said Monday. “I just want to get out there and throw. Hopefully this surgery will allow me to do that.”
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