Santana vs. Halladay? Ask the Catcher!

When asked by reporters to name the top starting pitcher in the NL East, Mets lefthander Johan Santana picked ... himself, according to the New York Daily News.

The self-declared "best pitcher" in the NL East might be regularly throwing to a man by the name of Rod Barajas.

This is where it gets interesting.

Rod Barajas caught Roy Halladay for two seasons in Toronto, and he offered this scouting report on Doc: “He was unbelievable. He was prepared, not just mentally but physically. He went into a game and there was no doubt in your mind that he was ready to go. … Even if he’s pitching, on game day during the regular season, he’s the first one there. He’s getting himself prepared whether it’s videos or the weight room. He’s like no one I have ever seen.”

"He's like no one I have ever seen?"

One should hope that "seen" is limited to those pitchers that Barajas caught, since Johan visited Toronto once or twice (and vice versa) when Santana was with the Twins and Barajas was with the Jays. If not, it will have to be kind of awkward when Johan stares in for the Curveball sign, only to see Barajas drop two fingers, inadvertently numbering where Johan slots in on the "NL East Best Pitchers" list.

Awkward for me, at least, because after all, "the best pitcher in the NL East" couldn't give a darn.