MINNEAPOLIS - Ervin Santanas given name was Johan. Troy Polamalu Jersey . This was a fine way to be identified for the right-hander raised in the Dominican Republic and working his way up through the minor leagues.Except there was this other pitcher named Johan Santana who had begun to make a big name for himself with Minnesota.Baseball card after baseball card would come to him from confused autograph seekers, when Santana was just an unproved prospect with the Angels organization. So he decided to make the change in 2003. Enamoured with former NBA star Earvin Johnson and his famous nickname Magic, Santana switched from Johan to Ervin and forever separated himself from the eventual two-time AL Cy Young Award winner.Johan Santana is seven seasons removed from that stellar career with the Twins, so the 32-year-old Ervin Santana wasnt signed to a $55 million, four-year contract to somehow replicate that success. The Twins, in dire need of starting pitching improvement for yet another off-season, would simply welcome more of the steady statistics Ervin Santana has posted over his 10-year major league career.Hes the type of guy that doesnt want to come out of games, general manager Terry Ryan said.Santana has surpassed 200 innings in half of his seasons in the majors, just missing in 2014 with 196 innings for Atlanta. Over the last five years, Santana averaged 12 wins, 207 innings and 164 strikeouts while making 30 or more starts each season. The Twins pursued him a year ago, too, but he held out until March and signed with the Braves for one season and $14.1 million.They had some recruiting advantages, which paid off this time. Right fielder Torii Hunter, who recently returned to his original team, spent five years with Santana with the Angels. He put in a good word. So did a certain former Twins pitcher who lives near Santanas winter home in the Dominican Republic, Francisco Liriano.I always asked him about this team, and he told me a lot of good things about this team. Thats one of the reasons I chose Minnesota, Santana said at his introductory news conference at Target Field on Saturday.Alexi Casilla was another former Twins player and current winter neighbour of Santanas who helped sell him on Minnesota. The Twins didnt need to be sold, particularly with his durability.Work hard. Thats my main thing, Santana said. I always get to the stadium early, work hard and just pitch. I dont try to do too much.Santana will make $13.5 million over each of the next four seasons. The Twins have a 2019 option at $14 million with a $1 million buyout, and that salary for 2019 would become guaranteed if Santana pitches 400 or more innings combined over the 2017 and 2018 seasons, including 200 or more in 2018, and passes a physical exam. The contract also provides for several award bonuses, including $25,000 for an All-Star selection, $50,000 for a Gold Glove and $100,000 for a Cy Young.To make room for Santana on the 40-man roster, first baseman/right fielder Chris Parmelee was designated for assignment.Minnesota gladly made room for Santana in the rotation, too, after ranking next-to-last, last and last in the majors in collective starting pitcher ERA over the last three years.Its obviously a huge upgrade, manager Paul Molitor said. As our interest increased, I got a chance to check out different things about him, his career, his video. Obviously, just tremendous stuff. Joe Haden Jersey .I dont think it comes to mind in this business, in this game, the Philadelphia Flyers forward said. You dont try to lose games. Morgan Burnett Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days. http://www.officialsteelersnflauthenticshop.com/jordan-berry-stitched-jersey/ . Or at least on everyone elses expectations. Costa Rica followed up its surprise win over Uruguay with another World Cup stunner on Friday, beating four-time champion Italy 1-0 to secure a spot in the next round and eliminate England in the process.JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- South African prosecutors pressing a murder charge against Oscar Pistorius secured a meeting Thursday with Apple officials in the United States over accessing potentially crucial evidence on the double-amputee athletes locked iPhone, they said. Pistorius claimed he forgot the password for the cellphone, one of a number found at his upscale villa after he shot dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Feb. 14, 2013. Investigators have been seeking help from Apple through the F.B.I. since last year to get access to the phone, a spokesman for South Africas National Prosecuting Authority said. Investigators from South Africa would now meet with Apple officials Thursday at the tech giants headquarters in California, spokesman Nathi Mncube said. Pistorius trial starts Monday, giving both prosecutors and Pistorius defence team just four days to analyze any information on the iPhone. Prosecutors would be obliged to also give any evidence they find to Pistorius lawyers. "It can only add on the evidence we already have," Mncube said in an interview with TV station eNCA. "It cannot be prejudicial to our case. The people concerned, should the evidence be favourable to us, are the defence. Then we have a responsibility to make it available to them as soon as we have it so they can also prepare for the trial." Mncube also confirmed the meeting and the reason behind it separately to The Associated Press after his telephone interview with eNCA. The prosecution maintains that Pistorius had a fight with Steenkamp before killing her, a cornerstone of its case, and information oon the Olympians phone may shed light on events before the pre-dawn shooting last Valentines Day. Coty Sensabaugh Jersey. Pistorius says he shot the model and reality TV star after mistaking her for a dangerous intruder. South African prosecutors hope to have the information from the phone by late Thursday, Mncube said, adding that they would make any evidence from the phone available to Pistorius defence lawyers. He wouldnt comment on what prosecutors might be looking for on the phone. But even without access to Pistorius iPhone, Mncube said the state had enough evidence to support the premeditated murder charge. Court documents indicate prosecutors are expected to build much of their case against the world-famous runner on witnesses who the state claims will testify to hearing a woman in Pistorius house screaming before the sound of gunshots. That suggests a fight and contradicts Pistorius version of events. Prosecutors also will likely try to use the trajectory of the bullets from the four shots fired by Pistorius through a toilet door to show he intended to kill Steenkamp and was not fearful and acting in self-defence. "We are very confident that we have sufficient evidence," prosecution spokesman Mncube said. "And that the evidence we have already will be more than sufficient to secure us hopefully a conviction in this matter." Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Pistorius should he be convicted of murder in Steenkamps killing, meaning he would have to serve at least 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole. There is no death penalty in South Africa. 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