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View Full Version : Santana agrees to $40 million, four-year deal with Twins



N.Y. Johnny
02-14-2005, 09:24 PM
By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer
February 14, 2005

AP - Feb 14, 2:28 pm EST


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Less than two years ago, Johan Santana was in Minnesota's bullpen. Back home in Venezuela this winter, he had bodyguards.

Winning the AL Cy Young Award certainly heightened Santana's profile. It also raised his price.

Santana and the Twins agreed Monday to a $40 million, four-year contract. The deal, contingent on Santana passing a physical, marked the end of a whirlwind offseason for the 25-year-old left-hander.

``A lot of things happened to me,'' Santana said from Fort Myers, Fla., where he is preparing for spring training to start this weekend. ``The good thing about it is they were all positive. As long as it's positive, you are fine. I think I can deal with all of that with no problems.''

Santana, who had been scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing Tuesday, led the league with a 2.61 ERA and 265 strikeouts in 2004. He became the first Venezuelan to win the Cy Young and the first unanimous winner in the AL since Pedro Martinez in 2000.

After making $1.6 million last year, Santana -- who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2006 season -- had asked for a raise to $6.8 million and had been offered $5 million by the team.

Both sides were more than happy to avoid arbitration.




``Definitely, it's something that we were looking for,'' Santana said. ``It's good to know that I'll be in a Twins uniform for four more years.''

Though small-market Minnesota always has a low payroll, its stance has long been to pay the players who produce. After lengthy negotiations between assistant general manager Wayne Krivsky and Peter Greenberg, Santana's agent, the Twins were able to lock up their young lefty for the long term.

``They worked hard on this thing,'' general manager Terry Ryan said. ``This hasn't just been a week or two. I've got to compliment those two guys to stay with it, because it's certainly a tedious process.''

Santana set a Twins record by winning 13 consecutive decisions and didn't lose in 15 starts after the All-Star break, going 13-0 with a 1.21 ERA to help Minnesota win its third straight AL Central title.

His stellar second half and the Cy Young award thrust the easygoing Santana into the spotlight, both in the United States and in his native Venezuela. He's prepared, upon reporting to camp on Sunday, for that to happen again as he begins just his second season as a full-time starter.

``I guess it's going to be like that, but for me it's just going to be like another year,'' Santana said. ``I'm not going to bring that up in my head. For me, I've just got to do my job and as long as you stay healthy it's fine.''

Santana has had some injury concerns -- surgery to clean up bone chips in his elbow before last season and leg cramps that have limited him from time to time. But Ryan said there were no red flags, and Santana said his health is fine.

``You take everything into consideration,'' Ryan said. ``He's a very professional young man. He's very humble. Obviously, he's going to get a lot more attention. ... I just think this is one of those spots where Johan is ready to take on some of that responsibility.''

Unrest in Venezuela made it important for Santana to seek protection in the mountain town of Tovar Merida after his Cy Young season.

Baseball players -- because of the sport's popularity and their known wealth -- have often been targeted by criminals in that country, so Santana hired five bodyguards for him and his family.

``Just to be protected,'' Santana said. ``Also, things were crazy, too. Everywhere you go, people would jump at you. They're all so happy and excited, but you can put yourself at risk.''

After the season Santana had, the risk for the Twins would have been to let him go another winter without a deal.

``With what he's accomplished on the field and the type of human being he is, on the field and off the field, I think he's ready for those types of responsibilities,'' Ryan said.





Damn it!! I was hoping they'd go to Arbitration and eventually see this guy in Yankee Pinstripes :king
The Minnesota Twins will be a good team this year, better watch out for them

atlfan25
02-15-2005, 12:27 AM
i thought he might be mad cuz they won't be starting the reigning cy young winner on opening day.

FromWayDowntown
02-15-2005, 09:35 PM
Those teams in the AL Central should have a pretty good battle this season. Minnesota is still pretty much the top dog, but Detroit looks much better (I thought there acquisition of Farnsworth last week was a nice capper to a good offseason), Cleveland's kids have a chance to round into pretty nice form, KC could be competitive if its starting pitching bounces back to something resembling its 2003 form, and Chicago should be right there again.

The AL Central might be the best race in baseball in 2005.

atlfan25
02-16-2005, 01:05 AM
Those teams in the AL Central should have a pretty good battle this season. Minnesota is still pretty much the top dog, but Detroit looks much better (I thought there acquisition of Farnsworth last week was a nice capper to a good offseason), Cleveland's kids have a chance to round into pretty nice form, KC could be competitive if its starting pitching bounces back to something resembling its 2003 form, and Chicago should be right there again.

The AL Central might be the best race in baseball in 2005.
the AL Central very well could be, but the NL east is shaping up to be a real tight one too between the Braves, Marlins, Mets, and even Phillies.

I'd favor the NL East cuz of the higher caliber teams. Smoltz and Hudson going up against Beckett and Burnett and then Pedro too. Those will be some good matchups. I'm a sucker for a good pitching duel.

FromWayDowntown
02-16-2005, 02:08 PM
That's a fair point. I discount the NL East because the Phillies and Mets are perrenial disappointments, even with flashy offseason moves. I'd love to see the Phillies succeed, because I'd like to see Bob Abreu become a more appreciated player, but I'm not sold on their pitching at all. I'm pretty skeptical about Pedro's effect on the Mets. He was epic in the World Series, but he was pretty average for most of last season while pitching for a good offensive team. I don't think the Mets can muster enough consistent offense to hang around in that division.

gophergeorge
02-22-2005, 11:02 AM
How they will finish....

Minnesota

Chicago

Cleveland

Detroit

Kansas City