Seaver salutes Santana for no-hitter

Tom Seaver found out about Johan Santana's no-hitter the same way many folks around the country got word of Seaver's no-no back in 1978 for the Reds.

"I read about it in the newspaper the morning after it happened," Seaver said Sunday at Citi Field. "I said, 'Well, well. They made it. That's wonderful.' It was great."

During 11 seasons with the Mets, Seaver came tantalizingly close several times, including two no-hitters that were broken up in the ninth inning. But it was Santana who became the first Met to do it June 1 against the Cardinals.

So with Seaver in attendance, the two stars surely shared a moment, right? Umm . . . no.

"I didn't get a chance to talk to him," said Seaver, who joined the Mets' television announcers in the booth. "I didn't get here until after the game started."

Seaver, 67, owns a winery in his native California and doesn't come back often to Queens, but the Hall of Famer was on hand to be honored as a member of SNY's All-Time Mets team -- part of the franchise's 50th anniversary celebration. As a Met, Seaver had a 2.57 ERA and won 198 games.

And for him to have watched the organization go so long without a no-hitter . . .

"I didn't lose any sleep over it because I knew it eventually had to happen," Seaver said. "From a numerical standpoint, it was bound to happen. And it happened to a real pro's pro. Everybody has real fond thoughts about Santana. Absolutely well done by him."

Santana said he wished he "had the opportunity to spend some time" with Seaver but was flattered by his kind words.

"Coming from him, it's an honor," Santana said. "He meant a lot to this organization with all the stuff he did for this team. Me being the one to accomplish such a [feat] and for him to say that about me, it's a great thing."