"If you believe the prevailing wisdom, Randy Johnson is about to become a 6-foot-10 dodo bird.

With his next win, he'll be the 24th pitcher in major league history to join the 300-victory club. And it's fashionable to suggest he'll be the last of his kind.

But if you make that suggestion to Johnson, don't expect a polite nod. Johnson's own fossil record suggests that the next 300-game winner could be among us right now, not necessarily ticketed for greatness but toiling to throw strikes.

"I'm not going to say I'll be the last because everyone overlooked me," said the Giants' 45-year-old left-hander, who pitches Wednesday at Washington. "That was the talk when (Tom) Glavine got there (in 2007). I wasn't given a chance because of my back surgeries.

"So I'm not one to say who could or couldn't. Anything's possible. Look at me."

Johnson has more victories in his 40s (71-50 in 155 starts) than in his 20s (64-56 in 158 starts). His career path took an entirely unexpected arc. Who's to say there aren't a few more strange curves out there?

So let's come at this question from a different angle: Assuming there will be a 25th member of the 300-win club, what will he look like?

The Mercury News spoke with several pitchers, coaches and managers, who sketched the following profile:"