Johan waiting for his teammates to step up

As Johan Santana prepares for tomorrow’s opener to a four-game series against division-leading Philadelphia, the $137.5 million addition is a .500 pitcher at 7-7, even though his 3.01 ERA ranks sixth in the National League. So what gives? “It seems like you have to be perfect every time you go out there, but I’m not perfect,” Santana said after his last start, when he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings against the Yankees, when he was topped by Andy Pettitte in the Bombers’ 3-2 win. “I’m just trying to help my team and hoping at some point they will score some runs. I mean, if you see what’s going on around this team, it seems like I cannot make a lot of mistakes. But do I feel frustrated about it? No, because I know they’re trying, and I’m trying to do my job. It’s just things are not working.” Santana’s assessments have been perceived on talk radio as sounding like he’s throwing teammates under the bus. Regardless of the interpretation, he’s been ... [link]