THE LONGEST REST FOR A STARTER THAT PAID OFF

JOHAN SANTANA

Or so it seems as the Mets ace, Johan Santana after a year and a half layoff due to a shoulder surgery, came back and pitched 5 innings of 2 hit ball! Catching the Braves for the first win of the new season, the Mets left their fans happy with the result. I was expecting two things on opening day for the Mets; a long home run by Duda and a long home run by Bay, since they pulled in the fences at Citi Field. Duda was a dud and Bay was being Bay.

SPEAKING OF DUDS

JOSE REYES

The Marlins opened up their new ballpark, with new uniforms and a new starter, shortstop and third baseman, and what have they got to show for it?

If the Marlins are going anywhere they have to beat the good pitchers, and hit while not striking out. Seven hits and one run while striking out 13 times in two games without a victory kind of takes the shine off of things, no?

NEW PLAYOFF SEASON

The season ends on a Wednesday, Oct. 3. Following an off day to allow for tiebreakers, rained-out makeup games, etc., the postseason starts on Friday with a winner-take-all wild-card game for each league, nationally televised as a doubleheader.

In the divisional playoff, the numbers 1 and 2 seed will play the first two games on the road and the next 3 at home. The number one seed will open the playoffs playing a road game against the wild-card winner. That is not a great reward for being the #1 seed!

HOW STUPID CAN A FRANCHISE GET?

PAT LAFONTAINE

It is bad enough that the NY Islanders are perennial losers, mired in last place every year, missing the playoffs, but when they deny their past and a great player like Pat LaFontaine, they should move to Kansas City.

The Wall Street Journal reports that as the Islanders' 40th anniversary season in the National Hockey League winds down, Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine with the team from 1983-1991: has been deliberately left out of any recognition by the Islanders! My question is how this will square with the fans? Not just Islander fans but hockey fans in general should be offended. This is another reason why the Islanders should either sell the team or move away.

That’s all I wrote, folks!