During last night’s game, when the Mets were down 3-1, I was getting numerous text messages, instant messages, and other messages from Mets fans complaining to me about Johan Santana. I heard things such as, “When we need him most, he doesn’t show up.” Also heard, “Santana stinks.” One actually said, “140 million dollars wasted, this guy can’t pitch in a big spot.”

To me, I don’t think any of those are true, in fact, they probably could not be further from the truth. Santana has left the game with a lead, and did not get a win 6 times this year. Last night, he only gave up 3 runs in that bandbox in Philadelphia, and left down 3-2 against Kyle Kendrick and co. The Mets would bail him out with their four run 8th inning, and avoid him getting a loss. So not accounting for the games where the Mets offense didn’t show up for Santana’s outings, Santana should have 18 wins right now, then if you take into account lack of run support outings that he’s had a few of, he could be a 20 game winner at this point.

Santana posted a very respectable line of 6 innings 5 hits 3 runs 3 walks and 6 strike outs. All of his runs came via the long ball, one by Ryan Howard, and the other by Jayson Werth. Howard is a hitter that if you make a mistake, he can take it out of the park, especially in that park. Werth is hitting .292 with 12 home runs vs lefties this year, and Santana’s flaw is the home run ball, so it is understandable.

Santana clearly did not have his best stuff last night, there’s no denying that. But the definition of an ace is not a person who goes out and just dominates hitters every time out, although I am curious how much better fans could expect than the 2.70 ERA Santana has posted this season. I personally realize that baseball players are human, and will have off days, regardless of how good they are. To me, an ace is someone that even on days where he does not have his stuff, he pitches good enough to get a win. He gives the team a legitimate chance to win the ballgame. Giving up 3 runs in 6 innings certainly qualifies as that.

Sure, it would have been wonderful if Santana went out and threw another complete game shutout last night. Santana’s outing last night would be considered pretty darn good if it were done by an above average-good starting pitcher. But yet, it’s a terrible outing for Santana according to some. When Santana is on, there are few if any pitchers better than him in the major leagues, and on days when Santana is off, he still manages to only allow three runs in the Philadelphia bandbox, and that to me, is an ace. An ace keeps your team in the game, and is a guy who pitches a good game every time the team needs a win, and Santana did both of those last night. A loss for the Mets last night would have been terrible going into Florida down 1.5 games in the division, not so much because of the deficit in the division, but just because of how tough Tuesday’s loss was.

I believe this team under Jerry Manuel is extremely resilient, which is a great trait to have as a team. The Mets have suffered excruciating losses under Manuel, including Tuesday night’s blown 7-0 lead. Under Willie Randolph the team would crumble for a few days, I am not sure what Manuel does in the clubhouse, but it works. Whenever the Mets have a tough loss such as Tuesday, it seems on the next day they go out and play a great game and win it, which I think is something that makes this team special, and has me believing this year can produce some magical results if this team makes the playoffs.

The 6th inning of last night’s game was an example of Santana the ace. He let a couple runners on base, struck out Shane Victorino, got Jayson Werth to pop out in foul territory, and then struck out Pedro Feliz consecutively with runners on first and second and nobody out. Met fans should appreciate Santana’s outing last night, and how he’s performed in his first season in New York, coming from Minnesota, there are many who struggle at first moving from a small market to a big one, see Carlos Beltran. Santana is probably the first legitimate ace the Mets have had since Dwight Gooden. A question you should ask yourself: If Oliver Perez didn’t have his best stuff on a given night, what would happen? What about Mike Pelfrey? Although I am getting more confident in Pelfrey to throw a good game any time he takes the mound. As what appears to be one of Santana’s favorite quotes early on in his Met career, he is “doing his job.”. He is doing it very well.