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.