Johan Santana Dazzles, New York Mets Disappear: Team Invisible Behind Its Ace

The New York Mets lost 2-1 Sunday to the Pittsburgh Pirates with Johan Santana pitching another eight strong innings, and having nothing to show for it. 

This season, it seems the Mets have been invisible anytime Santana takes the mound.  So, I crunched the numbers a bit to see how much of a tough-luck loser Santana has been this year.

Here are some facts about Santana and the Mets when he starts:

• Santana is 10-8 with a 2.94 ERA this year in 27 starts
• The Mets are 13-14 in games when Santana starts
• Mets score 3.07 runs per game on average when Santana starts, compared to 4.04 runs in games he doesn't start
• The Mets leave 6.81 men on base on average in Santana starts
• The Mets are 41-for-192 with RISP, a .214 BA in Santana starts, compared to .256 BA with RISP for the season
• Santana's average start: 6.9 IP, 6.2 hits allowed, 2.26 earned runs, and 5.07 strikeouts
• Santana has nine no decisions this season. He has allowed, on average, 1.67 runs in those starts
• Take out his first-inning stats, and Santana would have a 2.14 ERA
• In three games this season, Santana has left with the lead, but the team lost. Compare that to just one game in which Santana left trailing and the Mets were able to come back and win.
• Felix Hernandez is the only other starter in MLB that has fewer wins with a lower ERA

As you can see, Santana has not gotten any help this year when he has stepped on the mound. It is almost like the Mets do not have as much urgency to score runs when Santana is pitching because they know he will pitch well.

Santana has been a top-10 pitcher in MLB this season, but the Mets have been the worst offense in baseball when Johan starts.