Ron Darling talks to Tom Seaver, Johan Santana

Photo credit: Watchdog

Ron Darling sits down with Tom Seaver and Johan Santana for a joint interview that will debut at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday on SNY.

Click below for extensive highlights from the show that SNY was kind enough to send along.

Nothing controversial here, alas. Darling should have asked them about Strahan (see post below).Excerpts from SNY Spotlight "Mets Aces"

Darling: Asking about their "greatest professional moment"

Seaver:

"Enjoy the journey. It's the enjoyment of the journey and all of a

sudden it comes with the last out."

Santana:

"I would say, coming from a Latin country, Venezuela, and being the

first one to win a Cy Young, I thing that was the greatest moment ever.

Because, all the things that you represent for your home country. And

then when I went back home, to see the happiness, the joy, in the

people's faces, it was really nice. It makes you appreciate what you

do, and makes you better... because its not just for you - you are doing

it for a whole country that loves you. It's a great feeling."

Darling: Asking about the toughest hitters they ever faced?

Seaver:

"Wille McCovey, San Francisco, we still talk about it...bases loaded, 3

balls 2 strikes to Willie McCovey, I throw him a changeup, he strikes

out. Jerry Grote meets me half way to the mound and says, "nice pitch,

and says what was it?" I said it was a changeup, he says, "you don't

have a changeup." I threw a pitch I didn't have, I made it up right now

and if I walk him, go to first base and let one run cross, I am not

giving up four!"

Santana:

"One of my toughest hitters I have faced was Edgar Martinez, he was a

great hitter. I remember facing him in Seattle, I threw him, I don't

know, 12 pitches, and that's the thing, you have to be mentally

strong...because they can frustrate you like this...if you go by one

pitch or one at bat. It was a full count and I threw him a fastball

away and he hit it in Safeco Field way out there in right field."

Darling: Asking about their father's influence on their

competiveness in sports...

Seaver:

"My dad would play a game of golf like I would pitch, or vice-versa. He

would play gold in a certain way, and when a hitter comes up, we already

have in our mind what we are going to do, and you also have in your mind

what is going to happen when you don't get to where you want to go.

Your game-plan starts here, and if it goes this way you have a plan or

if it goes that way, that's what pitching is, its not called throwing,

it's pitching."

Santana:

"My dad never talked to me about baseball, how he played the game. I

just wanted to be like him, because he played the game, and he used to

take me and my brother to his games - and that is how everything

started."

Darling: Asking about their thoughts on the media and athletes?

Seaver:

"I think on the whole they do a good job, until there are things that

are personal that are brought into it, or things that people have hidden

agendas, ect."

Santana:

"It's part of the game, you just have to learn how to play with it,

learn how to deal with it and you know...and the fans have the right to

know what is going on in the game, as long as they are doing it the

right way, it should be fine."

Darling: Asking about their pitching mentality?

Seaver:

"I think it came with the job description - that was part of it - the

game is different today. One because of the finances, you have an arm

like this, and you are paying the amount that Johan is making, and you

dont want to jeopardize that. I think that has diminished or changed

lets say of what a starting pitcher is. It just was expected that on

days that you were really good, you would finish the game."

Santana:

"It's everyday, every time I go out there, I don't want to come out.

That's the way I approach the game. But I also, like you said, the game

has changed, so we adjust to all of that. A pitching staff is prepared

to work the whole game, my mindset is that I want to throw the first

pitch and the last pitch of that game...."

Darling: Asking about how they mentally prepare for your starts?

Santana:

"In the beginning of my career I was in the bullpen, and to be honest

with you, I had no clue, I was just a little kid happy to be in the big

leagues...and trying to overpower hitters. Everything is a learning

process and that is how it goes, that is how everything is taught for

you."

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