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(AP) -- Ervin Santana feels like a rookie again, getting a fresh start with the Kansas City Royals.

The 29-year-old right-hander took a physical with his new team, and toured Kauffman Stadium on a brisk Monday afternoon, after a trade earlier this month sent him from the Los Angeles Angels to
the Royals for a minor league pitcher and some cash to help cover his contract.

"It's like I'm a rookie now," Santana said between meetings. "It's a new team."

Indeed, Santana has been a fixture in the Angels' rotation since 2005, going 96-80 with a 4.33 ERA while starting at least 28 games in eight consecutive seasons - precisely the kind of dependable
starting pitching that the Royals have been lacking for close to three decades.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)