"As a kid, I loved to play centerfield. I loved to make diving catches."

"I don't try for strikeouts, but batters just swing and miss. I'd exchange strikeouts for more innings. As a starter, my job is to go deep into the game. When you get strikeouts, you throw a lot of pitches and sometimes you come out early."

"I just wanted to be like my dad, Jesus. He was a good shortstop."

"I know what to do when they give me the ball. I know what to do to give this team a chance to win."

"I'm having fun and I'm not even trying to do much. Everything is coming together."

"In order for you to win a game, a lot of things have to go right. Your team has to win. Your team has to perform. When you talk about striking out people or ERA, that's personal stuff and where you show people what kind of pitcher you are."

"In the future, I want to be consistent from Day 1. We're still making adjustments. I still believe that I can be better."

"It doesn't matter how long you have been up here. You have to prove you can do the job. And you have to work hard."

"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."

"He always had the pitch (change-up). Johan had to learn to trust it. I told him, 'Don't be afraid to throw it at any time. Trust it, and it will do what it is supposed to do.' It's the hardest thing for a young pitcher to do." - Mike Cuellar in Baseball Digest, November 2004

"He definitely has that ace mentality...he dominates hitters." - Al Newman

"He makes the best hitters in the game look silly." - Matt LeCroy

"He reminds me of a modern day Curt Schilling or Randy Johnson." - Gary Sheffield

"He was good before, but wow." - Johnny Damon

"He's amazing." - Lew Ford

"He's a power pitcher, just like Randy Johnson...he's got a parachute changeup...he's definitely the best lefty in the league." - Mike Sweeney

"He's got great arm action with his changeup, and he competes." - Joe Randa

"He's obviously the most dominant pitcher in the American League right now." - Matt LeCroy

"If he's not the best lefthander I've ever faced, he's right up there at the top." - Junior Spivey

"I'm very happy for him, to see him develop the way he has." - Pedro Martinez

"I now consider Johann Santana to be right up there with Mark Mulder as the best lefthander in the league." - Art Stewart

"Johan's attitude is 'Give me the damn ball, any time.'" - Eddie Guardado

"It's good to see a kid that young learning how to pitch. He’s tough." - Jorge Posada

"Probably your best chance to hit him is if you're Hank Aaron up there." - Joe Torre

"That’s one of the best lefties I've ever faced." - David Segui

"We know he can go out and shut the door. Bottom line? When he’s out there you always feel you have a chance." - Ron Gardenhire

"When a guy's got three quality pitches like he has, it's real tough." - Eric Byrnes

"You watch—a guy with his toughness, his stuff, he's going to be dominant pitcher for a long time.'" - Eddie Guardado