Jose Who?

Now that Kris Benson is on the DL for perhaps as long as three weeks, it appears some guppy going by the name of Jose Santiago is going to take his place on the mound when the Mets face the Braves next Monday.

Hey, good plan. Almost as good as trading Ginter just before Benson went down. Very prescient work. Oh christ, we shouldn't bash the management for their first major error of the spring but really. Santiago is a career reliever -- no starts in 225 Major League appearances. He has pitched with the Royals, his original club, the Phillies and, in 2003, the Indians. His 1-3 record in 2003 brought his career record to 17-22. His career ERA is 4.39.

Santiago didn't pitch in organized baseball last season.

This sounds like JUST the guy to take the mound against the Braves.

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Well for one more night anyway, the Mets will have a decent pitcher on the mound as Tom Glavine takes the reigns. He will face the Reds new pitcher, lefty Eric Milton. Milton is a notorious gopherball pitcher having given up a league-leading 43 last season and it should be interesting to see how he fares in the pinball machine-like environs of the Great American Ball Park.

Let's hope he gives up like 20 homers because that way, Glavine won't be held hostage in the victory department by an incapable bullpen.

In any case, I predict a big comeback by the Mets in Game Two of the Season. Something to erase the intestinal cramps caused by Opening Day.

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Two former Mets got off to a rollicking start to the season last night.

Edgardo Alfonzo, who lost 16 pounds during the offseason after ballooning up like a pig before a roast last season, went 3 for 4 in the Giants' victory over the Dodgers with a single, double and two-run homer.

Scott Kazmir, the name we can never forget, suffered a similar fate to Pedro after he threw five innings of 3 hit ball, allowed one run and walked a pair with two strikeouts only to see his bullpen blow it. The Devil Rays are 0-2 to start the season.

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Couldn't help but wonder, after listening to Mariano Rivera blow Pavano's lead in the 9th against the Red Sox and then hearing Jeter blast the game winning homer in the bottom of the 9th, just how the Mets might have done last night if THEY'D had a bottom of the 9th to come back in.

Scheduled up would have been Mank, Wright and Valent. Soooo, maybe it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Lastly but not leastly, for the rest of the MLB summaries in quixotic fashion, have a look to our great Brother in the Sky, Sports Amnesia for the rain and dirt and mud.