Johan Santana gets 'trashed' at practice

The New York Mets season hasn't even started and the team's ace, Johan Santana, may already be preparing fans for the dumps.

Santana joked around with photographers yesterday by putting a big gray garbage can over his head during an idle moment at practice.

Call it garbage time in Port St. Lucie.

Maybe the left-hander should have been wearing one of those blue recycling bags since Santana— who missed all of last season while recovering from shoulder surgery— faced hitters Thursday for the first time since tossing four innings in an Instructional League game on Sept. 30

"I felt pretty good," Santana said after the outing. "I was able to throw for the first time having batters standing up at the plate and swing the bat.  It was pretty good."

Santana threw 43 pitched during two stints Thursday, resting in between. 

He is expected to throw a light bullpen session today and have a long-toss before starting s split-squad game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

If Santana's arm doesn't gain full strength by the season opener, expect to see a lot of Mets fans sporting garbage cans over their heads this season.

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