Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araqueis a Venezuelan professional baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent. Santana pitched in Major League Baseballfor the Minnesota Twins from 2000 to 2007 and for the New York Mets from 2008 to 2012, sidelined by injury challenges since the 2012 season. A two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Twins, Santana is a four-time All-Star and earned a pitching triple crown in 2006. On June 1, 2012, Santana threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis...
NationalityVenezuelan
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth13 March 1979
CountryVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
It's good to be compared with Randy Johnson, and it's wonderful to be compared to all the best pitchers in the game.
I used to be hyper, throw crazy and not think about what I wanted to do with each pitch. Now I have a better understanding of what it is to be a major league pitcher.
My changeup looks like a fastball, but one goes straight and the other goes away from the righthanded hitter. Sometimes it cuts by itself, and I don't know where it's going.
We're proud of Venezuela and Venezuelan baseball. People in America don't realize it, but we've got 25, 30 million people here, and so many of us love baseball. This is a great place to look for talent.
When you hear from other players and they're telling you you're the best pitcher in baseball, that makes you feel really good.
To see all the fans getting into it, that's pretty special.
I just go out there and do what I do and try and hit my spots.
I have to drink a lot of fluids, try not to dehydrate, and keep stretching.
Dreams can come true, but you have to go for it.
It's a great feeling for me just to put my uniform on and be part of my team.
Being able to help, being able to go out there every five games, is definitely something I was waiting for.
I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself.