Johan Santana quotes:

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.

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

It's good to be compared with Randy Johnson, and it's wonderful to be compared to all the best pitchers in the game.

Dreams can come true, but you have to go for it.

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.

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.

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.

I knew that the Mets had never had a no-hitter. I never had one. This is very special. I knew this means a lot to New York.

I'm not executing my pitches. I'm not commanding my fastball, and I get behind in the count. When I try to throw strikes, I'm getting hurt. That's not the way I pitch.

It's a great feeling for me just to put my uniform on and be part of my team.

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

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

That no-hitter stuff was a long time ago; I don't think that has anything to do with it. I'm just going through a tough time.

I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself.

Being able to help, being able to go out there every five games, is definitely something I was waiting for.

I have to drink a lot of fluids, try not to dehydrate, and keep stretching.

I just go out there and do what I do and try and hit my spots.

To see all the fans getting into it, that's pretty special.

When you hear from other players and they're telling you you're the best pitcher in baseball, that makes you feel really good.

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.

I don't feel my best right now, but at the same time, I'm not trying to find any excuses or anything.

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

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