Exactly one year ago this week, Johan Santana was in Port St. Lucie. He threw on flat ground in the early stages of his comeback from shoulder surgery. That day he made sure to purchase lunch for all the minor leaguers at the complex and vowed he would be back in the majors in due time.
“I’m a competitor, and I know if you rush things, whether it’s baseball or in life, you put yourself in risk of failure,” Santana said that beautiful sun-splashed day on a back field. “My shoulder is telling me it is doing good. There is no problem there, but I still have a ways to go. My mindset is to come back and compete and not baby my arm in any way.”
Santana came all the way back yesterday, going seven innings and throwing 108 pitches in a 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks at Citi Field, earning his first win since September 2, 2010. That was his final start before undergoing shoulder surgery.
After the win, a victory that snapped a four-game Mets losing streak, in a quiet corner of the clubhouse, Santana was reminded of that day a year ago.
He smiled and told the Post, “That’s amazing. I’ve come a long way. That’s what makes this day really special. We have worked a lot.’’
The road has been long, but Santana never lost faith in himself or those around him. And he worked. He worked with his personal trainer, Jose Cruz, to strengthen the shoulder. Cruz was at the game yesterday, taking in the effort. Santana worked with all the Mets trainers and staff in this comeback from the most difficult of surgeries for a pitcher.
“We really put ourselves into this,’’ Santana told me, “and everything we have done is paying off and it is just getting better. We still have a long ways to go, but it’s always good when you see positive things start happening.’’
A ‘W’ next to your name is always good. It came in his sixth start this season. He finally got his first win because the Mets hitters got him enough runs to hang on and beat the Diamondbacks, and Bobby Parnell got three outs in the eighth and Frank Francisco closed it.
At the end of his full day of work last May, as a sign of his sweat equity, Santana presented The Post with the baseball he used that day. He said he didn’t take home any souvenirs from this game.
“I didn’t get the ball, nothing,’’ the lefty said with a smile. “But I’m fine.’’
He has a win for the Mets. He insisted that is what is most important. This was win No. 134 of his career, and in so many ways it was the most difficult.
If the Mets have any hope of making this an interesting summer at Citi Field, they need Santana to lead them on the mound. They need wins.
“I know one thing about Johan,’’ manager Terry Collins said. “When he is out there, whether he is out there for five innings, seven innings or eight or nine innings, it’s all effort, it’s all about doing what’s best for the team. That’s all he talks about is trying to win baseball games. When you discuss things with him, it’s ‘What I need to do to win.’ And it’s not his win, it’s the team’s win.’’
Mark this one down as Johan’s Win.
Collins told The Post how special this day was, saying, “Johan is a professional and he masks it, but let me tell you something, you don’t go through what he has gone through and pitched as well as he has and not want a ‘W’ next to your name. That’s why this day is important. It’s always important. Matter of fact, I told him, ‘Well, now you only got 20 more to go.’ ’’
If the Mets can score runs for Santana, the wins will come.