Bert Blyleven

Johan Santana will make the Mets a lot better and not just by the brilliance he displays on the mound. He is not only the best pitcher in the game, but he's also one of baseball's classiest individuals. He'll lead when he's on the hill and also when he's in the clubhouse. The example he sets both as a player and as a person will have a tremendously positive impact on his teammates and on the franchise.

His trade from Minnesota to New York brought Santana a new deal that makes him the highest paid pitcher in baseball history, but it's the Mets who have truly struck gold.

Ready for the challenge
The lefthanded ace has an excitement for life. He seems to always be upbeat and that won't change even under the glare and scrutiny of playing in New York. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner has left one of baseball's smallest markets for its largest. That is a scary scenario for more than a few players, but Santana will embrace it -- just as he does with so many other things in his life.

The media in Minnesota can fit in a bathtub. The media in New York can fill a huge pool. But with Santana's terrific personality and his frankness, he will dive right into that pool and he'll swim not sink. He's honest and he doesn't pull any punches. If he has a bad outing, he owns up to it without making any excuses. He doesn't shy away from the media. He'll meet the tough questions head on. That's just his style and it's a style to be admired nowadays in professional sports.

Santana is changing teams and cities, but don't expect him to change as a person. In New York he will be performing before some awfully tough and demanding fans. Other players -- some of them pitchers -- who have come to the Mets or Yankees have not been able to handle that. They have bombed out of the Big Apple. Don't expect that from Santana. He'll be striving to take a big bite out of the apple not choke on it.

Teaming with Pedro, coping with pressure
Santana is what Pedro Martinez was in his prime -- about as special a pitcher and leader as a team could hope for. He's just what the Mets need to start moving beyond their late-season collapse of last year. Sure his mega millions deal will be talked and written about a lot, but Santana expects that. He knows it goes with the territory, big money, big expectations, and a big target for the media.

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To me pressure was always something you put on yourself. Knowing Santana's makeup, he's not the type of person who will put pressure on himself to go out and try to pitch a shutout every start in order to justify his contract. He won't look at his deal and feel he now needs to win 30 games. What he expects out himself this season will be just what he expected out of himself in nine years with the Twins. He's always ready for a start and never lacks all-out effort.

It will be interesting to watch Santana and Martinez as teammates this season. I figure they've already talked and count on both to be excited about what's ahead. Martinez will greet Santana with welcome arms knowing his addition could get the Mets to the World Series. And it would be no surprise to me if they mesh right from the start and their relationship turns out to be a great benefit to both of them.

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