NewsJohan a natural pick for Clemente nod
For Mets ace, charity work is an opportunity to give back
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
09/02/09 12:00 PM ET
NEW YORK -- Since Johan Santana brought his brilliant career to the Mets early in 2008, his heart has been on display -- sometimes on the mound, sometimes away from the ballpark. We know of his valiant effort against the Marlins in the Mets' 161st game last season, a three-hit shutout produced on a bum knee that required surgery. And chances are Santana might have denied the pain in his left elbow deeper into the 2009 season, if the Mets' summer had been more about winning and less about rehabbing.The others aspects of his heart -- his big heart -- haven't been so readily noticed, which is not to suggest they are any less important.
"I made a promise to myself," Santana said, "that when I made it to the big leagues that I would take care of the people who took care of me when I was young."
Without question, he has kept his promise. His gives as effectively as he pitches. And for that reason, he is the Mets' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
The award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the values of the game, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. It is named in honor of the former Pirates outfielder, whose spirit and goodwill always will be remembered. Clemente died in a plane crash while attempting to transport relief supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua on Dec. 31, 1972.
Santana's passion for the game and focus on the field are surpassed only by his commitment to giving back to the community -- in his new home, New York, and in his homeland, Venezuela. To that end, he has created the Johan Santana Foundation, which provides funding for programs that focus on education and health care in his baseball and offseason homes. The Foundation supports youth baseball and other children's charities in Tovar Merida, Venezuela, where he has helped build schools, hospitals and sports facilities.
Santana personally delivered the fire truck he donated to his hometown to replace a dilapidated pickup truck, ill-equipped for the job. And he defrayed the costs of sending several firefighters to train the town's fire department. He will return home again this December to hand out Christmas gifts to youngsters at his fourth annual holiday party.
In New York, he and other Mets players have helped stage the Mets Foundation's "Teammates in the Community" fundraiser for two years. The program has raised over $1.5 million for various charities. His donation of a pitching lesson to the charity auction has enhanced the event each year and raised $35,500.
Moreover, Santana has been an advocate for skin cancer awareness as a tribute to the late wife of one of his agents. He hosted a Bowl-A-Thon while he was with the Minnesota Twins that benefited his foundation and the NYU Myeloma Center. And he introduced his own wine, "Santana's Select," with the help of Charity Hop with all proceeds going to his Foundation and melanoma research.
He is a former spokesman for the Major League Baseball sun-safety program, "Play Sun Smart," and currently active in the Mets' "Be Safe in the Sun" initiative with the Melanoma Research Alliance.
His work has made him a strong candidate for the widely recognized award already presented to three Mets: Gary Carter in 1989, Al Leiter in 2000 and Carlos Delgado in '06.
Fans can participate in the selection process of the overall winner of the award now through Oct. 4. The fan ballot winner will be tallied as one vote among those cast by a special selection panel of baseball dignitaries and media members. The panel includes MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and Vera Clemente, widow of the Pirates' Hall of Famer. The winner will be announced during the World Series in a presentation sponsored by Chevy.
Voting fans will be registered automatically for a chance to win a trip to the 2009 World Series.
Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
