Randy Johnson got his 299th win last night. Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News notes that no one in the Bay Area really cares:
Tonight, for the third time in 12 days, Randy Johnson will attempt to win his 299th game. Great seats are still available. And they might be available whenever Johnson tries to win his 300th game. Because, the truth is, the huge milestone for the pitcher from Livermore doesn't mean that much to the Bay Area . . . There isn't much investment, emotional or otherwise, in the 45-year-old Johnson. The Giants signed him to a one-year contract in December, inheriting the right to market his 300th win. The Giants adore marketing that kind of milestone and view anything that could goose ticket sales as a good thing . . . But, aside from the feelings of Johnson's family and friends in Contra Costa County, there isn't a lot of local meaning attached to his milestone
I'll admit, I'm far more underwhelmed by Johnson's quest for 300 than I have been for any recent milestone save Bonds' pursuit of the home run record. Part of it has to do with the fact that even Randy Johnson doesn't seem to be enjoying it. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say it's because he's such a tough and serious competitor, but the fact is that he has never given any indication that he truly enjoys being on the field, and because of that, it's hard to get behind him for this kind of thing. It also doesn't help that he's kind of staggering towards 300. Yes, he looked good last night, but that's mostly because (a) Chipper Jones is obviously hurt; and (b) the rest of the Braves' lineup rivaled some of the ones they ran out back in the Chuck Tanner days.
Last night notwithstanding, Johnson is very, very hittable these days, and his ERA is still close to 6. I appreciate all he's accomplished in his career and want him to get to 300, but I can't say that his quest has been at all enjoyable.
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At that event with Darren Sutton that I blogged about recently (), someone asked him about Randy Johnson. Sutton's the D-Backs' TV guy after all, so he should have a pretty good feel for who Randy Johnson is. I can't remember exactly what he said (it *was* a month ago), but it was something along these lines: "Randy is a great competitor and good for him that he'll be getting #300 this year. But, if I were the Giants, I'd be worried about his competitiveness after he gets #300." He then talked about how the D-Backs didn't want him back ("the reason they gave him such a crappy offer this winter is because they did *not* want him to come back.") and how the other players on the team really resented him and the way he acted in the clubhouse. He told a story of how, in September and still fighting for the playoffs, Arizona played a series in Colorado but Randy didn't fly with the team. Instead, he just met them in St Louis for his start, and then left town. It didn't sit well with his teammates.
I wonder, though, if Johnson is working so hard for #300 because he truly feels it's a milestone that he wants to have or if he feels that it's a milestone that everyone (ie, the press) thinks he should have. Either way, I can see how it might manifest itself in his personality as less than excited. But, if it's the latter, it might be particularly joyless.
I just hope he goes winless in his next 5 or so starts so that he'll still be sitting on 300 when the Giants make it to Milwaukee at the end of the month. (His home/road splits are pretty drastic, by the way. he's more than capable pitching in San Francisco. The road is giving him major problems, though.)
Even though Darren Sutton was not the D'Backs TV guy in AZ during the Big Unit's heyday here, winning Cy Young and WS MVP awards, Darren has seen enough of him to know that this is the way Randy has been wherever he goes- aloof and grouchy-even in the clubhouse to his own teammates whomever they may be at the time.
Let's face it though, HE IS 45 YEARS OLD and still winning MLB games. He would have been at 300 a long time ago had it not been for the absolute absence of run support from his former AZ teammates last year. In 12 of his 14 losses the D'Backs offense scored 2 or less runs.
I have been in AZ from Day One of the D'Backs and seen enough of Randy Johnson to know that even after winning 300 he will prepare and compete just as hard in every game he pitches. I'm not saying he will be back next year or anything, I just think his intense competitiveness defines him and is in his DNA regardless of milestones or other distractions. He plays to WIN everytime he steps on the hill. Ask any major league batter that has faced him.
Regardless of the scowl and mullet, if you look at his career over the years you have to put him in the top eschelon of pitchers ever to play the game.
Oh, I totally agree, Sean. I'd put Randy in the top 5 or 10 pitchers of all time (and possibly at #1 of left-handed pitchers). And I fully believe that is competitiveness is there for the long haul, and that he should probably have 320 wins by now. He's probably my favorite pitcher of my lifetime.
I just thought Sutton's comments about Johnson were especially relevant to Craig's point of view here, so I wanted to share them.
I'm a Giants fan, so please take the following with a grain of salt: Despite Unit's struggles, he has been a positive influence on the rest of the Giants' staff -- notably Barry Zito. Even Jonathan Sanchez is pitching better than he ever has (all relative, of course). It could all be coincidence, of course. After all, there was nowhere for Zito and Sanchez to go but up.
If only the Giants' offense were as impressed with Unit's veteran presence...
I saw Unit's first no-no in person (one of about 9,000 people in the entire world who did, as there was no TV), and his perfecto thanks to TBS, and the only person to blame for baseball fans' not caring about #300 is the baseball fans themselves.
We're not talking Gaylord Perry here - this has been the most dominant pitcher of his time. This is likely his last year, which is all the more reason to hop on whatever hell bandwagon you have to to see the milestone and wish him well.
Of course, if the Giants "dynamically price" their bleacher seats to $100 for the next RJ start, "great seats" may still be available too.
BTW, consider the source when you read that Mercury-News article: Ann Killion's recent baseball articles (she's NOT a baseball columnist, she's a "sports" columnist) either deal with steroids, or the Hall of Fame and steroids, or how nobody cares about baseball because of steroids.
He would have won 300 a long time ago if he hadn't spent so many years playing with bad Seattle and Montreal teams!
Does Randy ever smile? He acts like an extremely spoiled jerk and that's when he's not angry...
Well, I think he is a great pitcher that can make any hitter look bad at any time. If you were to put him (During his prime) with the Yankees or the Braves, There would be no doubt of him being on top of almost every pitching stat. When i think of Randy Johnson, I see the video of good ole John Kruk. The Phillies all star slugger who was scared senseless. Johnson intimidated batters. It's hard to be friendly when you are known for intimidating people. How many left handed batters have you seen get out of the way of a slider that is right down the middle when Johnson was on the rubber.