Article: In valleys of northern Venezuela, Twins draw an ace.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Byline: Gordon Wittenmyer

ST. PAUL, Minn. _ It started in a small town in the lush, green mountain valleys of northern Venezuela, the least likely place in that country to find a baseball player.

It's also the place the best pitcher in the American League goes as soon as the major league season is over, a place for family, faith and peace, and a place he never seems to leave far behind no matter how many thousands of miles away his talent takes him.

"You go there and you forget about everything," Johan Santana said. "My town's small, but people there are so friendly and so kind. That's what people there are recognized for."

Of course, ...

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