Cy Young winner keeps improving

Johan Santana swept the Cy Young ballot the same way he buzzed through batters all season.

Santana won the AL Cy Young Award on Thursday for the second time in three years, and the Minnesota Twins' ace was a unanimous choice once again.

"This year, I wouldn't say it was easier, but you definitely have a better idea where you are," he said. "I definitely feel more comfortable."

Santana received all 28 first-place votes for a perfect total of 140 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Chien-Ming Wang of the New York Yankees finished a distant second with 15 second-place votes and 51 points. Toronto's Roy Halladay was third with 48 points.

"This was not such a big surprise as in 2004," Santana said at a news conference at home in Venezuela.

Still, the announcement set off another wild celebration in his baseball-crazy country.

"I can't describe what's going on here. People here love the game, they follow the game, they know everything we do," Santana said. '

The left-hander separated himself during a dominant season, going 19-6 with a 2.77 ERA and 245 strikeouts to propel Minnesota from a poor start to the AL Central title.

With a baffling change-up and excellent control, he tied Wang for most wins in the majors and led the AL in ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched (233 2/3).

It was the pitching version of a Quadruple Crown.

"I was trying to show people that what happened in 2004 wasn't a fluke," Santana said.

And here's a scary thought: At 27, he thinks he can become even more effective, because there's more to learn.

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

Santana also was a unanimous winner in 2004, when he was 20-6 with a 2.61 ERA and 265 strikeouts. He is the fifth pitcher to win the Cy Young Award unanimously at least twice, joining Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who did it three times.

The award was established 50 years ago, and there was only one selection from both leagues from 1956-66.

"It's definitely an honor to be compared to those guys," Santana said. "Pedro is one of my heroes as a pitcher."

Arizona's Brandon Webb won the NL Cy Young Award on Tuesday.

Thanks to his huge season on the mound, Santana could be a contender for another trophy, too. But he has much stiffer competition for AL MVP, which will be announced next Tuesday.

No pitcher has won an MVP award since Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992. The last starter to win was Clemens for Boston in '86.