Minnesota Twins vs New York Mets Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

Johan Santana wandered over behind the batting cage, hugged Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire and chatted with old buddy Francisco Liriano. A couple of Twins coaches stopped by, and Joe Mauer patted the pitcher on his back as he ran past. Santana and his ex-teammates were all smiles Friday evening during a mini-reunion at Citi Field. They’ll be much more serious Saturday, though, when the left-hander starts for the New York Mets in the middle game of their interleague series against the Twins. It will be Santana’s first regular-season matchup with Minnesota, the team he pitched for during his first eight major league seasons. That’s where he blossomed into an ace and won two AL Cy Young Awards while helping the Twins capture four division titles. Minnesota’s dangerous lineup features several of Santana’s former teammates, including Mauer and fellow slugger Justin Morneau. The pitcher said he still follows what’s going on with the Twins and he knows what’s ahead of him. Mets manager Jerry Manuel thinks it will be an emotional experience for Santana, too. The matchup comes at the end of a tumultuous week for Santana.

Santana, who is married with three children, was with the woman on a golf course in a gated Lee County community on the night of Oct. 27. The woman told detectives Santana forced himself sexually on her, though she repeatedly told him she didn’t want to have sex. Afterward, she said she watched him play tennis. The state attorney’s office declined to prosecute the case, citing lack of evidence and inconsistent statements. Santana said Wednesday that “the case is closed” and said he would not comment any further. The Mets said the situation is a personal matter. Santana pitched for Minnesota from 2000-07. As he neared his chance to become a free agent, the cost-conscious Twins traded him to the Mets in February 2008. He signed a $137.5 million, six-year contract with New York. Santana said he’s a little surprised that the Twins, playing in a new outdoor ballpark this season, have increased their payroll substantially since he left. But he said he’s happy for them and their success.