PORT ST. LUCIE — Johan Santana has loved teaching his son in jayvee baseball at a Florida prep faculty, but additionally seems ahead to the day he would possibly present instruction on the skilled stage.
The previous Mets ace has been receiving a style of that satisfaction this weekend at Clover Park, the place he’s serving as a visitor teacher for the staff.
Fellow lefties Sean Manaea and David Peterson are among the many Mets pitchers who’ve sought Santana’s counsel.
“Here, they listen,” Santana mentioned when requested concerning the distinction between instructing main leaguers and highschool gamers. “There, they think they know.”
Manaea is likely to be the Mets pitcher most excited by Santana’s presence.
Rising up, Manaea mentioned he idolized the two-time Cy Younger award winner, whose profession was constructed on his mastery of the changeup.
The 2 in contrast notes on Saturday.
“It’s cool when you have the greats like that [visit],” Manaea mentioned.
Santana was humbled to search out out he was the 33-year-old Manaea’s favourite participant rising up.
“I told him it was an honor, pretty cool — he’s a great kid,” Santana mentioned. “He’s got great stuff and he’s going to be a big part of this team. Whatever it takes to get him better and help him to go all the way through because this team is built up to win.”
Santana’s place in Mets lore was solidified when he threw the primary no-hitter in franchise historical past on June 1, 2012.
Santana wanted 134 pitches to finish the historic efficiency and inside weeks thereafter was positioned on the injured listing.
He returned the next spring and tore a capsule in his shoulder for the second time, successfully ending his profession.
Santana has largely remained out of public view since his retirement — he returned to Citi Subject in 2022 to have a good time the tenth anniversary of the no-hitter — however his friendship with fellow Venezuelan Carlos Mendoza led to the go to to spring coaching this weekend.
Mendoza first talked about the thought to Santana final season, when the Mets performed in Miami and Santana was visiting.
“[Mendoza] is a big deal for us in Venezuela,” Santana mentioned. “To have him and the way that he did it and where he’s at right now and how the future looks for him, it’s great. As a Venezuelan, I am proud.”
