New York Mets: 2012 Season Will Be Make-or-Break for Johan Santana in Big Apple

This season will be the biggest year for Johan Santana as a New York Met.

Since joining the team in 2008, Santana has had three good years. After missing last season due to Tommy John surgery, he will be back on the mound as the Opening Day pitcher.

Santana, who turns 33 on Tuesday, does not have a lot of time left in his MLB career. As for the Mets, they have struggled the past few seasons and are now having financial issues due to the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. These problems for the Mets have put them in a hole and in a rebuilding mode.

With Santana, if he has a good year this season, the Mets can keep him and build around him for his last few years in the league to make a playoff push. Santana has looked good in his few innings of work this spring training which is a good sign.

However, we will obviously need to see more from Santana to know that he is officially back. A healthy Santana can help push the Mets out of the cellar and make some noise in the NL East. The Mets have proven that they have a good offense when healthy. Last season, the team was sixth in batting average and Jose Reyes led the National League in batting.

Reyes is gone now and the offense may take a step back, but with Santana back, he can be the catalyst for the pitching staff that Reyes use to be for the Mets offense. Santana is a big part of this Mets team and they will need him to help carry New York to a winning record.

The Mets were 77-85 last season and are not expected to fare better this season.

If the Mets are able end the season with a winning record, or show progress towards becoming a better team, Santana will have to stay with the team to help continue the growth. The young Mets ball club will need a veteran leadership and Santana provides that.

With Santana coming off surgery, it will be hard to determine if he can maintain his arm strength throughout the season. Including spring training, the season is seven months long. At Santana's age, he will be more susceptible to injury.

Looking at past history, the Mets will have to be worried if the former Minnesota Twin can finish a season. He has been in New York for four seasons and has only had a full season during the 2008 season. This means that if Santana can establish himself in the rotation as a quality pitcher, it still might not be enough because of his risk of injury.

One setback for Santana or a bad 2012 season could spell the end of the two-time Cy Young winner in a Mets uniform. A young team that is committed to rebuilding will have to get rid of a player who has a big contract and will not be with the team in the future.

When Santana was signed, it was a great move. The Mets looked like a team on the rise who could win a World Series. However, it didn't turn out that way. If Santana is anything less than his former self, he is not worth keeping.