Big Night For Santana Should Have Fans Excited

Carlos Santana was 0-3 with a walk in his Indians debut. Of course, he did score a run his one time on base. Somehow special player always find a way to maximize their impact, even when they don’t get a hit.

For Santana, however, his impact came from an unlikey place – behind the plate. In the 1st Inning, of his first Major League game, Santana was tested by the Washington Nationals.

Nyjer Morgan opened the game with a single. On the very first pitch Jake westbrook threw to C Ivan Rodriguez, Morgan took off for second. It was a big moment for Santana, and one he was ready for. Exploding out of his crouch, Santana threw a strike to second, getting Morgan. It turned out to be huge since the Nationals would score a run in the inning on back-to-back doubles to Rodriguez and Adam Dunn.

“Carlos’ throw was huge,” Westbrook said. “It would have been at least 2-0 without it. He was great back there all night.”

So life in the big leagues begins for another heralded ‘hot prospect’. Judging how his first game went, Carlos Santana seems to have it, and it is something the Indians are sorely lacking.

Indians Summon Carlos Santana From AAA

The Cleveland Indians, floundering in last place in the American League Central, have decided it's time to see what one of the organizations best prospects can do.  C Carlos Santana, acquired in 2008 as part of the Casey Blake deal with the Dodgers, has dominated every level in the minor leagues, including his 56-game stint in AAA-Columbus this season(.307, .440 OBP, .568 SLG).  While he won't be the difference in a dramatic Tribe turnaround this season, it does give fans a reason to watch the Indians the rest of the summer, says ESPN's Rob Neyer - 

It's manifestly unfair to expect Santana, all by himself, to turn the Indians around. Eventually he's going to need some help from Matt LaPorta, Luis Valbuena, and Michael Brantley. But Santana's the real thing, and at the least he'll give Indians fans something to take their minds off last place as we head into the summer.

With Stephen Strasburg coming to town this weekend, and the arrival of Santana, fans have plenty of reasons to keep tabs on the Indians - in the short term at least.