"In case another $40 million loan wasn't enough bad news for Mets fans, general manager Sandy Alderson provided some more yesterday when he casually mentioned that Johan Santana may not be ready for Opening Day.

"We do have some question marks, of course, with Santana being one of them," Alderson said of the lefty's return from his September 2010 shoulder surgery. "We think he's going to be ready, but he might not be. That's where the [pitching] depth becomes important."

Santana had hoped to pitch for the Mets by the end of last season, but setbacks prevented him from getting back to the majors. Because of the uncertainty surrounding shoulder surgery, it's hard to know what to expect from Santana when he does return."