Gardenhire protected Santana in late innings-Bill Madden

(Bill Madden): "When told that the Mets had shut Santana down indefinitely because of a triceps tendon problem, Gardenhire frowned.

• "I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "But they're doing it right. It's a long spring. He's not a big guy, and he's always wanted to push himself.

• That's why I always felt I needed to protect him when he got to the seventh and eighth inning."

Much as managers protect and baby their starting pitchers today, however, the vast majority of them still get hurt. Such is the managers' enduring nightmare and why perhaps

• the most important element for power pitchers making it to the Hall of Fame

• is durability." 'Skippers, including Joe Girardi, Restless over Young Starters,' NY Daily News, 3/1/09

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