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Santana hopes to prevent Mets from repeating history

Sep 13, 2008 - 1:01 PM Atlanta (65-82) at NY Mets (82-63), (1ST GAME) 3:55 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - At this point last season, the New York Mets began a historic skid that left them out of the National League playoffs after having a seven-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the East with 17 games remaining.

Then again, the team didn't have an ace to rely on such as Johan Santana.

The lefthander hopes to prevent the Mets from repeating history as New York opens a set against the lowly Atlanta Braves on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. Friday's series opener was postponed due to rain.

Santana (13-7, 2.70 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets, whose starters had a 6.49 ERA in the final 17 games of 2007. The two-time American League Cy Young award-winner while with the Minnesota Twins is 6-0 with a 2.31 ERA in his last 13 starts, including two complete games, and the Mets have won each of his last seven outings.

Perhaps he is turning out to be worth every penny of his six-year, $137.5 million contract signed before the season.

"Anytime his turn comes around, we feel very confident that he can either keep us going or stop us from heading in the other direction," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said in a report on The Sporting News' web site.

Entering the stretch run, New York has to be encouraged by its lineup, as Carlos Delgado has emerged once again as a feared slugger. After hitting 24 homers in a disappointing 2007, the 36-year-old has belted 35 this season, including 18 in the second half.

"We don't worry about what happened last year, because this year is the year for us," Mets shortstop Jose Reyes said in a report in the New York Post.

Lefthander Mike Hampton (2-2, 5.60), who was the Mets' ace in the 2000 season when they won the NL pennant before losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series, counters for the Braves.

The 36-year-old has made nine starts this season after recovering from various injuries, which kept him out of action in 2006 and 2007. Hampton is coming off a no-decision against the Washington Nationals in which he surrendered five runs - four earned off four home runs - and eight hits in seven innings on Saturday.