Full Name : Randall David Johnson
Born : September 10, 1963
Hometown : Walnut Creek, CA
Height : 6' 10
Weight : 231 lbs
Bats : Right
Throws : Left
Major League Baseball debut : September 15, 1988 for the Montreal Expos
Family : wife, Lisa; children, Sammay, Tanner, Willow, Alexandria
Primary Position : SP (Starting Pitcher)
Very few pitchers show that they can take as much control of the game as Randy Johnson. Born on September 10, 1963, Johnson has been recognized for his powering fastball that freezes hitters at the plate. Standing at almost seven feet tall, batters are intimidated by his presence. No doubt an exceptional performer, Johnson has exemplified what it means to be a true ace.
Attending high school in California, Johnson played both basketball and baseball. His teammates and coaches considered him a tremendous athlete and knew that he was full of extreme potential. In his last high school start as a pitcher, he stunned many by throwing a perfect game. As for basketball, he was a league leader in scoring on multiple occasions. Looking to pursue a career as a baseball player, Johnson decided to attend the University of Southern California. Surprisingly, he struggled at the college level, as was evident when he led the nation in walks during the 1985 season.
Major league scouts' jaws still dropped when they saw the velocity that Johnson was getting on his pitches. It was obvious that Johnson had much talent but needed to work on his control to succeed. The Montreal Expos took a shot at him when they selected Randy in the 1985 amateur draft. Debuting in 1988, he impressed many after his four starts by going 3-0 and posting a 2.42 ERA. Unfortunate for Expos fans, Johnson was traded to the Seattle Mariners in the 1989 season. He still showed that he lacked consistent control; from 1990-1992, Johnson was at the very top of the American League leader board for walks allowed in addition to leading the league in hit batsmen in 1992 and 1993.
Though it took a while, Johnson did show significant improvements in the 1993 season. During that year, he recorded his first of six seasons with 300 or more strikeouts and went on to be a 19-game winner. In 1995 Johnson did something that no other Mariner had ever accomplished by winning the American League Cy Young Award. Finishing up 18-2 with an astounding ERA of 2.48 (not to mention 294 strikeouts as well), it was clear that Johnson was becoming one of the most dominating pitchers in the game. His reputation earned him the nickname the “Big Unit,” and batters were devastated by his fastball that was said to reach over 100 miles/hour at times. He continued to show success in Seattle, but in 1998 he was due to become a free agent and the Mariners organization knew that they would not be able to afford him.
After a short stint with the Houston Astros in the second half of the 1998 season, Johnson was acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks. His stint with Arizona was inarguably nothing short of perfect: he won four consecutive Cy Young Awards in his first four years with the organization. The Diamondbacks, seeking to solidify their pitching staff, would eventually go after Curt Schilling, another ace of the era. Johnson and Schilling became baseball's most feared duo as teams dreaded having to face both of them in back to back games. In 2001, Johnson (along with Schilling) played a vital role in bringing a World Series victory to the Diamondbacks organization, which was only in its fourth year of existence. When Johnson and Schilling both put on stellar postseason performances, they ended up sharing the World Series Most Valuable Player Award and were named Sportsmen of the Year by Sports Illustrated.
After the 2002 season, Johnson was picked up by the New York Yankees, who were suffering from a struggling pitching rotation. Though out of his prime, Johnson was able to make notable contributions by winning 17 games in his two seasons with the New York organization. As a shocker to many, the Yankees traded him back to the Diamondbacks prior to the 2007 season. Being elected to 10 all-star games, winning the Cy Young Award on five separate occasions, and striking out more than 300 batters during six different seasons, it is no question that Randy Johnson has defined dominance throughout his profound career.
|
