Johan Santana's Record Marred By Marlins' Efforts

Johan Santana should be 5-0.

Mets fans know that best, but Marlins fans probably know that second-best.

That is because both Santana's one loss and his no decision have come against Florida. As it happens, Johan has faced Josh Johnson in both contests.

Santana's loss is probably the most difficult to take in baseball. Pitchers expect to lose games when they give up tons of runs in a short amount of innings, but they do not expect to lose games in which they go seven innings and do not give up an earned run, which is what Santana did in his first game against the Marlins.

A two-run error allowed the Marlins to win that game, as Johnson and Santana had been engaged in a classic pitcher's duel.

Then, in the next meeting of these two, neither got a decision.

Not to say Santana didn't outpitch Johnson on that occasion; Johan went seven innings while giving up two earned runs, whereas Johnson went six innings while giving up three earned runs.

Yet, Santana's bullpen let him down. Another quality performance from Santana was spoiled as the Mets failed to win when he pitched a gem.

It is tough being an ace pitcher because you have to throw against the aces of opposing teams. So far, Josh Johnson has been able to shut down the Mets lineup enough that the Marlins have been able to win two games in which Santana has been the starting pitcher.

Will the Mets learn how to support their superstar pitcher or will Santana finish with an ERA of 1.10 and no where near the record he deserves?

The Mets should be winning more than 60 percent of the games they play when this guy starts, especially when the only two games he did not win were games in which he went seven innings while giving up two or fewer runs.