The Inhuman Peak of Johan Santana Deserves a Closer Look

[@pedrotrujilloamaya9618]

I am from Venezuela. That Chavez joke was mean. Love it!!

[@Mike-rq7ez]

It took my brain a couple seconds to register the joke 😂

[@SconnerStudios]

Definitely belongs in the hall. Best pitcher in baseball hands-down for 3-4 years straight. No-one even came close at that time period. Is he a first ballot guy? Probably not, but the fact he fell off on his first year is a problem the era committee will have to fix one day, just as soon as they actually nominate Kenny Lofton.

[@Might-l5m]

Good player. Not a hofer

[@trollingandtomfooleryInc.]

@@Might-l5mIf sandy koufax deserves it, Johan does. He got scammed out of a cy young award (his third) back in 200(3)? Losing it to Bartolo Colon only because Bartolo’s team was better. Definite sandy koufax type story of a derailed, yet dominant, career.

[@duskreqm]

@@trollingandtomfooleryInc. He had a similar career to Koufax, just in the reverse direction (hot first half, middling second half).

[@SconnerStudios]

@@Might-l5m The problem is that we can't even have that debate because the Hall is so messed up in their process, guys like Santana, Kenny Lofton, Jim Edmonds, etc. are all gone before they get an argument. Anyone with 50+ WAR deserves to be looked at seriously, I'd even say anyone with 40+ WAR shouldn't be automatically ignored, especially if they're historically important such as a great postseason history and accolades. I can see why some would say he's not a HOF'er, like I said, he's not a first ballot guy. But the fact he couldn't even get a serious consideration is so wrong. Is Mark Buehrle that much better than Santana? Andy Petite? They both have been argued for and against for years now, but not Santana. That's proof there's something wrong with the process.

[@RuffRyder_43]

Growing up a Twins fan in the 2000s was special knowing you were watching the best pitcher in the game dominate. That changeup was unbelievable.

[@pandoralover21]

Him falling off the ballot after 1 year was insane

[@TheTEN24]

Loved watching johan pitch with that devastating changeup as a Mets fan growing up. Even if his no hitter had a bit of an asterisk to it I’m so glad he was the one who got it done for a franchise that never had one.

[@SconnerStudios]

Kind of a poetic no-hitter. One of the potential all time greats who fell down on his luck with injuries, but came back to throw a no-hitter for one of the most rollercoaster-ish franchises in sports.

[@sethmaki1333]

Dude had bout the NASTIEST change-up I've ever seen. Right up there with Bert Blyleven's slider, a pitcher Santana once bet against. The bet was that if Santana pitched a complete-game shutout in the next game against the White Sox, Blyleven would have to get his head shaved. The haircut happened three days later.

[@northstarjakobs]

Though I was too young to fully appreciate Santana's tenure in Minnesota, he was one of the players that made those early 2000s Twins so watchable and gave hope to the fans even at the dawn of the 0-20 streak. I wish you'd mentioned, even briefly, how many Venezuelan pitchers have cited Santana as a hero and an inspiration. One of those Venezuelan pitchers who watched Santana growing up was current Twins ace Pablo Lopez, who helped break the streak that Santana had to suffer through; he wore a Santana jersey to Target Field before the game.

[@chrisoneill4865]

Generational talent. Shame on baseball and the writers for their mismanagement of the hall of fame. Our historical national pastime's hall of fame is irrelevant today.

[@zackaryhaselius2226]

Do not understand how hes not a HOFer.

[@juniorberns]

Haters complaining about the teams he plays for.

[@lyman2095]

It wouldn’t be so much of a slap in the face if he made it more than one year on the ballot. That’s the really unfathomable part

[@SconnerStudios]

@@lyman2095 The writers should be able to vote for an unlimited number of players, that would solve it. Johan Santana, Kenny Lofton, Nomar Garciaparra, Bernie Williams, Jim Edmonds, Carlos Delgado, Dwight Gooden, and dozens of more players would get a chance to make their case at least. Is every player who bubbles around that 5% a HOFer? No, of course not, but what harm is there in keeping these guys in the discussion? They're not going to give Tim Wakefield (RIP) 5%, they're not going to give Armando Benitez 5%, or any other obviously non-HOF caliber players, and even if they did, everyone would laugh at it and they'd be gone the next year.

[@ryguy0668]

Remember watching this guy growing up. Dawg on the mound

[@Metfan722]

There's a clip you use at the 12 minute mark (almost on the dot) kind of incidentally that I personally think was really the true cause for Johan's downfall in 2012 and what wound up being the rest of his career. In said clip, Johan's running to first to cover the base on a grounder. His ankle is stepped on by Reed Johnson while trying to field the throw (not Reed's fault, he just happened to be the guy running). Johan probably hurt his ankle more than what was let on and was compensating for that bum ankle. That lead to the bad back. Which lead to poor mechanics which then caused his shoulder to tear again. Basically it's amazing how interconnected the body is.

[@xxSLAV33xx]

His changeup looks like he has a string tied to it, and when it gets to the batter he yanks it away. It was a beautiful pitch.

[@matthewjohnson9199]

I've always felt like if guys like Sandy Koufax and Gale Sayers could get into the Hall of Fame with insane but short peaks, Johan should get in, too.

[@antoniomiranda8691]

I know era's are different, Koufax blows him out the water. Not even close.

[@dergin38467]

Sandy Koufax and who?

[@trollingandtomfooleryInc.]

@@antoniomiranda8691gonna do research on that one thanks to era-adjusted stats.

[@trollingandtomfooleryInc.]

⁠@@antoniomiranda8691Koufax started way earlier than Johan (age 18) and somehow still had less WAR which is crazy. Johan however, has a better ERA+. Overall you’d be surprised how many stats are just 1-2% away from eachother usually with koufax being just ever so slightly in the lead. (Probably because he played in an era of meh offenses especially compared to Johan who pitched in the steroid era)

[@antoniomiranda8691]

@trollingandtomfooleryInc. They both pitched 12yrs. So the age doesn't matter. Era+ and war, is what it is. Shutouts and complete games, not even close. Koufax blows him out the water. My opinion.

[@ebattisbal]

Johan Santana is in Venezuelan baseball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2023, because what he did in MLB and in Venezuelan winter league (LVBP) His team in Venezuela is Magallanes, and he also is member of Magallanes Hall of Fame With Magallanes he pitched 4 seasons, with 11-6 and 2.23 ERA between 1998-2002 (when a good venezuelan player pitched in MLB, he barely played with his venezuelan team). He was champion with Magallanes in 2001-2002 season.

[@UTNatlChamps]

2004-2008 Santana is basically Sandy Koufax from 1962-1966 adjusted for era. One of my favorite players in the new millennium.

[@nathaniellevesque2782]

I would love to see a video on Brandon Webb.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

About 1:14: " The most powerful lefty since Hugo Chavez " LOL, well done

[@jfkisgr8]

An absolute beast on MVP baseball 05.

[@johndoe-x5v2p]

i watch santana pitch once . his changeiup moved like a wiffleball i swear

[@TheLastPrime38]

Johan is imo the modern example of Koufax. Short but dominant peak, and it was just long enough to be truly viewed as one of the greats of his generation. He should've gotten in

[@jerryezel4530]

Him and 55 from the San Francisco Giants #55 are legit GOATS

[@charismatic9904]

It always makes me sad as a lifelong marlin fan (since 93) seeing how many HOF players we had that we gave away. Ugh.

[@BurghFinsFan]

"The most dominant lefty to come out of Venezuela since Hugo Chavez." Alright that got me. 🤣

[@sdelmonte]

I think we will heard the same thing about Rodriguez as his first year on the ballot is here.

[@geezushasrisen]

Best lefty changeup ever. Probably the best in general if Pedro didn’t exist imo.

[@maniacmasturbator2411]

They talk about it more on Prime 9 m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3zHZZ5vmpqHeskm1s

[@smotpoker81]

why wasn't he a free agent after 2007? it seems like he should have had enough service time by then. 2000-2002 he pitched almost 260 IP combined, so that seems like 1 year at least. then 2003-2007 is 5 more. after that season he should have been a free agent. why did the mets have to trade for him? had he already signed an extension with the twins?

[@ramonbolton296]

My Mets did The Johan Dirty. Should have like 50 more wins. Same with deGrom. Nasty work

[@sdelmonte]

Agree about Johan, disagree about deGrom. Jake just threw too hard to last.

[@ANouveauWorld]

Tovar is on the north east coast of Venezuela , nowhere near the Andes mountains area of Venezuela, which is in the south west. Gotta do better research.

[@elizidele2916]

If I could induct 15 players that are not in the hall into the Johan would be on it

[@colemathews137]

Guu should have been a hall lock. 3* straight Cy Youngs. I'm giving him 2005 because the voters were brain dead

[@SconnerStudios]

21 wins woooooooooowwwwwwwwwww!

[@mikehawks1161]

5 seasons isnt breif

[@Tryp-j9d]

RUINED his career for ONE, regular season game. A no-hitter with a GIANT ASTERISK!!!

[@kenw2225]

Most dominant of his Era? Hard disagree. He was good though

[@LanceBeckman]

AWFUL thumbnail, his peak was with the Twins.

[@Am31719]

Waaaa , cry

[@LanceBeckman]

@Am31719 you must be one of those sensitive dems

[@LanceBeckman]

​@@Am31719 keep crying, lib

[@trollingandtomfooleryInc.]

Isnt the thumbnail him with the twins

[@trollingandtomfooleryInc.]

God, i just realized both of you are fully grown adults saying shit like that to eachother.

[@kevinl9180]

Bro brandon webb was way better than i thought. I just used to see him as another loser from arizona😂😂