Great story about Johan Santana’s annual trip to his hometown in the remote mountains of Venezuela, where he spreads holiday cheer:
He lives in Florida in the off-season, but late every year, he returns to Tovar, bearing gifts by the truckload. He organizes the Cy Youngazo, or the Great Cy Young, where he hands out Christmas presents to children and organizes local soccer and baseball tournaments . . . During this year’s event, young boys stood slack-jawed and old men whistled their appreciation as he walked by. He was continually stopped by people either asking for autographs or just wanting to shake his hand.
He also watches out for would-be kidnappers. He has a full security detail for him and his family, and the former director of Venezuela’s anti-kidnapping police unit, who now works for Venezuela’s professional baseball league, was on hand too.
My first impulse when I hear about Venezuelan players having their families kidnapped is to ask why any of these guys ever go back. Then you read something like this piece about Johan Santana’s annual trip home, and you wonder how any of them can stay away.
Oh, and by the way: Santana says his elbow is “100 percent recovered” and he’s ready for spring training.
