Johan Santana took a huge step forward in his rehab from shoulder surgery on Sunday, throwing a 45-pitch bullpen session after which he said he "felt good" and could start a rehab assignment on Wednesday.That is good news for New York Mets fans, but it also raises a question.
Just how aggressive should the Mets be in trying to get Santana, who has surgery last September to repair the anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder, back on the mound this season? Metsmerized asks flat out 'Is Bringing Santana Back This Season Worth The Risk?'
Metsmerized concludes that "It would be better for him to continue rehabbing his arm and then come back fully healthy in 2012."
I disagree. Should Santana come through his bullpen session with no issues, then rehab to the point where the Mets felt he could throw 85-100 pitches in a big-league game, why not get him back on a major-league mound?
The veteran lefty won't push the Mets into the 2011 playoffs. They are 14.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and 8.5 games out in the wild card with six teams in front of them.
A handful of September starts, though, would be a positive step for the Mets ace. It he continues to rehab and progress, getting a few innings in at the end of this season can only help him be ready for 2012.
Your thoughts?