Johan Santana Biography
Johan Santana, whose full name is Johan Alexander Santana Araque, was born March 13, 1979. He is a Major League Baseball player who was recently traded to the New York Mets from the Minnesota Twins. The latest contract that he signed guarantees him $137.5 million through 2013 with a 2014 team option which raises the value of the contract to $150.75 million, the largest in baseball history for a pitcher.
Tovar, Merida State, Venezuela is the birthplace of Johan Santana. He has 4 siblings, and was the 2nd out of 5 children. Johan played center field for Jordan High School. He is married to his wife Yasmile and has 2 daughters, Jasmily and Jasmine.
As an undrafted free agent, the Houston Astros signed Johan Santana in 1995. He remained in Venezuela where he was named Tovar Merida Athlete of the Year in 1999. That same year, he was plucked from the Astros by the Florida Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft and was promptly traded to the Minnesota Twins for minor leaguer Jared Camp. Johan Santana’s Major League debut came on April 3, 2000 when he appeared from the Twin’s bullpen to face the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His first Major League start came just 4 days later, April 7, 2000 against the Kansas City Royals. However, his first Major League win didn’t come until June 6, 2000 in a relief appearance against the team that originally signed him, the Houston Astros. Johan posted a 6.49 era in 86 innings during his rookie year.
Seeing that the left-hander needed some work, the Twins sent Johan Santana to the minors in 2002 for 2 months where he perfected his devastating changeup. After 10 starts in the minors, he came back up to the majors with his newly perfected changeup and began toying with major league hitters. His fastball currently resides in the 91-95 mph range, and he throws a hard slider before finishing hitters off with his changeup.
The second half of the 2004 season was Johan Santana’s breakout performance. He posted a 13-0 record and gave up 4 or fewer hits in 10 straight sets, the first pitcher since 1961 to match that feat. He averaged 11.13 strikeouts per 9 innings, 1.21 earned run average, and broke Bert Blyleven’s Twin’s season record of 258 strikeouts by compiling 265 of his own. Johan Santana finished with a 20-6 record and led the American League in strikeouts, strikeouts per 9 innings, WHIP, batting average allowed, OBP, SLG, OPS, and easily won the AL Cy Young by receiving all 28 first place votes.
The 2005 season got off on a rough start for Santana, when he was roughed up for 4 runs in the 1st inning. However, he quickly rebounded and struck out 11 Chicago White Sox and winning the game 5-2. A repeat Cy Young performance was not in the making and Johan Santana finished 3rd in the voting. He had the 2nd lowest earned run average in the American League and led the Majors with 238 strikeouts.
Johan Santana posted one of the greatest seasons in history in the 2006 season. He was the first pitcher, since Doc Gooden in 1985, to win the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in strikeouts, earned run average, and tied with Chien-Ming Wang for most wins. Santana became the 14th player in Major League history to win multiple Cy Young Awards, and the 5th pitcher to win the award unanimously twice. The only other pitchers to perform this feat were Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Sandy Koufax.
Johan Santana’s 2007 season was probably his worst. While 15 wins is not a poor performance, the 13 losses to go with those wins was. However, he was still voted into the 2007 All-Star Game. Johan won his first Gold Glove Award in 2007 and he is looking to replicate his Cy Young seasons in the upcoming 2008 season.
