Randy Johnson News: Pro Sports Daily

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June 29

San Francisco Chronicle

"Randy Johnson was asked Sunday how he has fared against Albert Pujols, now the best hitter in baseball, and said with a smile, "I'm sure he's hit a home run off me and I'm sure I've struck him out once." Actually, Pujols has slammed three regular-season homers against Johnson, and Johnson has struck him out three times. On Tuesday, Pujols will take a .429 lifetime average against the Big Unit into the second night of a four-game series at Busch Stadium, which begins tonight with Tim Lincecum pitching. "I'm looking forward to the challenge," Johnson said. The Giants actually have limited the potential damage by Pujols in recent years. Even in San Francisco last month, Pujols went 7-for-11 ..."

When Radar Gun Hits 100 M.P.H., Theres More Than Meets the Eye

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June 21

New York Times

"In every obvious way, Randy Johnson and Tim Lincecum are the polar opposites of pitching. Separated by 20 years in age, nearly a foot in height and 270 victories, they embody contrast: Johnson as the older, taller, surly left-hander; Lincecum as his younger, shorter, right-handed, more personable counterpoint. Yet for all their differences, these San Francisco starters and Cy Young Award winners have each flung fastballs in excess of 100 miles an hour, a rarity even in the rarefied air of the major leagues. The question, then, is how? How can Johnson, the towering lefty with the intimidating scowl, and Lincecum, the marvel of motion who has been mistaken for a batboy, accomplish the same ..."

Giants set to fete Big Unit for 300th win

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June 20

MLB.com

"Randy Johnson's 300th career victory must feel like it occurred weeks ago. Well, technically, it did. Johnson joined the club every starting pitcher aspires to become a member of when he pitched six solid innings against the Washington Nationals on June 4. The Giants will honor Johnson on Saturday at AT"

D'backs honor Johnson

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June 11

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Bruce Jenkins

"The Arizona Diamondbacks were in a more celebratory mood than Randy Johnson was Wednesday night. After missing a day to attend his daughter's eighth-grade graduation, Johnson declined media interviews on the night he was given a video tribute at Chase Field, saying he had too much catch-up work to do. As well as he pitched for so many teams over the years, Johnson was most dominant in his first of two stints with Arizona (1999-2004). He was co-MVP of the 2001 World Series, pitched a perfect game against Atlanta in May of '04, racked up 36 complete games, had a 24-5 season in 2002, led the National League in ERA three times, and had a phenomenal four-year run of strikeouts, leading the ..."

D-Backs fans give Unit standing ovation

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June 11

East Valley Tribune

"Randy Johnson returned to Chase Field Wednesday as a 300-game winner, and Diamondbacks fans gave him a standing ovation. Johnson, who recorded his 300th career victory last Thursday, was honored during a video tribute at the end of the third inning of the Diamondbacks-San Francisco Giants game. Several of his career highlights were shown, including his perfect game in May 2004, his 20-strikeout game three years earlier and, of course, the famous shot of Johnson and Curt Schilling hoisting the World Series trophy high above their heads. When the tribute was completed, the crowd rose as one and warmly applauded Johnson, who stood up from his seat in the dugout, tipped his cap and ..."

Giants' Johnson could go for win No. 301 on short rest

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June 7

San Jose Mercury News

"The Giants aren't talking about skipping Randy Johnson's next start any longer. Amazingly, they might send the Big Unit to the mound on short rest instead. Manager Bruce Bochy made the stunning announcement that Johnson would be a candidate to pitch Monday's series finale at LandShark Stadium. Johnson, the newest 300-game winner, noted significant improvement to his bruised left shoulder while playing long toss Saturday. "Better than I thought it'd go," said Johnson, who didn't hold anything back during the flat-ground session. "I was encouraged. We'll see what they have planned and go from there." Johnson threw 78 pitches while winning his 300th game Thursday. Matt Cain threw 86 pitches ..."

From history to future: Unit looks forward

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June 6

MLB.com

"To Randy Johnson, his performance now can be viewed properly in terms of how it affects the team, not just his personal record. Johnson has repeated since he joined the Giants last offseason that his goal was to help the club improve, not to secure the five victories he needed to reach 300. With Johnson having achieved the latter Thursday night, he hopes that attention will be paid to his efforts to hasten the Giants' turnaround. "The part that I really came here for starts from my next start until the end of the year," Johnson said Friday in the wake of his six-inning, one-run outing in the Giants' 5-1 triumph at Washington.When that next start will come is an issue. Johnson's bruised ..."

Next up for Randy Johnson is to pass Tom Terrific

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June 6

Contra Costa Times

columnist Carl Steward

"DARTING HERE and there ... i So what's next for Randy Johnson? Anything he wants. Even though he's just 155 strikeouts from 5,000, his amazing career doesn't really require any additional milestones. But here's one that hasn't been dwelled on much: He's the greatest pitcher Northern California has ever produced, and arguably the entire state. Johnson became the 24th major leaguer to achieve 300 wins, but he's only the second California-born player to do it. Tom Seaver, a Fresno native, was by himself until Thursday with 311 wins. The chance to pass "Tom Terrific" might be more incentive for Johnson to stick around another year than the 5,000 K's. The Seaver-Johnson "who's better" ..."

Giants' Johnson flooded with messages after notching 300th win

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June 6

San Jose Mercury News

"When Randy Johnson receives a text message, his cell phone trills like a slot machine. So when he switched it on a few hours after achieving his 300th career victory Thursday night, the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park sounded like the floor at Caesar's Palace. "The final tally was 50 text messages, 39 voice mails, and when I fired up my computer in the hotel, 40 emails," said Johnson, who spent most of Friday morning returning calls. If any of the well-wishers asked about No.301, Johnson didn't have an answer. The 45-year-old left-hander said his shoulder was "pretty sore" on Friday, one day after he jammed it while making a diving throw in the sixth inning. Johnson's next start is ..."

At his core, Johnson is a laborer

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June 5

East Valley Tribune

columnist Scott Bordow

"It was never easy for Randy Johnson. Even when he was slinging fastballs in there at 99 mph and his slider was turning hitters into pretzels, pitching was always a heavy weight for Johnson. He knew no other way. He'd work himself into a competitive rage on the days he pitched, often fueled by some perceived slight or injustice. He'd give everything he had - both emotionally and physically - so even when he was perfect for nine innings that magical night in Atlanta, it took a young catcher named Robbie Hammock to run toward him with a silly grin on his face before Johnson would allow himself to relax and, finally, crack a smile himself. "It was a total laser-beam focus," former Diamondbacks ..."

Empty seats for milestone game

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June 5

Washington Examiner

columnist Rick Snider

"The Big Unit reached a big milestone - 300 wins. Randy Johnson looked like the sure Hall of Famer he'll one day become. Relying on a fastball 10 mph slower than his prime, the San Francisco Giants left-hander secured his historic moment with a 5-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Johnson opened with three perfect innings before dinged for a walk in the fourth, a hit in the fifth and an unearned run in the sixth. Fans clearly were behind Johnson, moaning twice over questionable ball calls that would have been strikeouts while cheering Johnson after chasing down a grounder while tripping. Johnson became baseball's 24th and perhaps last 300-game winner for many years. It was ..."

Big win for the Big Unit

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June 5

Washington Examiner

"It did not matter that the climactic win came 3,000 miles from home. It did not matter that it came on a rainy weekday afternoon against a last-place team in an empty stadium. History can still be made in such places. And Randy Johnson was ready for it on Thursday against the Nationals. The San Francisco Giants' 45-year-old lefthander put an exclamation point on his brilliant 22-year career, pitching six solid innings in a 5-1 San Francisco victory to earn his 300th win. Only 23 other pitchers in Major League Baseball history have won that many games. It is unlikely anyone will do so again soon. After the final out was recorded - a swing-and-a-miss strikeout by Nats catcher Wil Nieves - ..."

Cowboy up! Johnson wins 300th

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June 5

Contra Costa Times

columnist Cam Inman

"NEITHER RAIN NOR a near-empty stadium (nor a league-worst Washington Nationals team vs. the Giants' iffy bullpen) prevented Giants pitcher Randy Johnson from winning his 300th career game Thursday. The conditions were terribly sad for a significant milestone. But Johnson, a Livermore High School Cowboy, blocked out the elements in six impressive innings of work. He exited with a 2-1 lead, and the Giants used a three-run rally in the ninth to cushion their (Johnson's) 5-1 triumph. Take a moment and appreciate this pitching milestone, especially because hitting milestones (see: 763 home runs, 3,000 hits) won't be as regaled because of the steroid-era's effect. Great scene (via Comcast ..."

Johnson reaches 300-win milestone

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June 5

Baltimore Sun

"The 6-foot-10 lefty with perhaps the most menacing sneer and imposing mound presence in baseball history had to take a few exaggerated breaths to keep from breaking down Thursday night. Sitting before reporters at Nationals Park after becoming the 24th member of major league baseball's 300-win club, San Francisco left-hander Randy Johnson's face reddened as he struggled to explain what he was feeling after the Giants' 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals. "This is kind of a long-term thing that has been going on for 21 years, and you finally get to this day," said Johnson, who at age 45 is the second-oldest pitcher to reach the milestone. "And you know that if your team plays well, you ..."

Johnson wins 300th game

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June 5

Baltimore Sun

"The 6-foot-10 left-hander with perhaps the most menacing sneer and imposing mound presence in baseball history had to take a few exaggerated breaths to keep from breaking down Thursday night. Sitting before reporters at Nationals Park after becoming the 24th and newest member of Major League Baseball's 300-win club, San Francisco Giants left-hander Randy Johnson's face reddened as he struggled to explain what he was feeling after the Giants' 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals. "This is kind of a long-term thing that has been going on for 21 years, and you finally get to this day," said Johnson, who at age 45 is the second-oldest pitcher to reach the 300-win milestone. "And you know that ..."

Despite gloomy day, Big Unit still shines

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June 5

Washington Times

columnist Thom Loverro

"Some might say it was wrong for Randy Johnson to make history on such a rainy, gloomy day before such a sparse crowd at Nationals Park on Thursday afternoon. That is not the case. It was a fitting way for Randy Johnson to get his 300th career victory - a dark, dreary day, befitting his public persona, as a handful of fans witnessed the historic 5-1 win by Johnson and the San Francisco Giants. The 6-foot-10 left-hander who once shoved a New York cameraman out of his path upon his arrival as a free agent with the Yankees carried himself throughout his career as if he would have rather pitched with no one watching. There won't be any tears shed when Johnson finally leaves the game. His ..."

Johnson gets 300th win

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June 5

Washington Times

"When the Montreal Expos traded a gangly left-hander named Randy Johnson to the Seattle Mariners in May 1989, they were unloading a 6-foot-10 mountain of hyperbolic contradiction. Johnson's fastball touched 100 mph, but he rarely knew where it was going. He stepped toward the plate with swirling aggression, his scraggly mullet and moustache framing a permanent scowl. In his first no-hitter, for the Mariners in 1990, Johnson struck out eight and walked six -- the latter being the statistic his father, Bud, harped on in a phone call that night. Johnson pitched Thursday looking as different as the franchise that traded him away all those years ago. The team had been threatened with ..."

Randy Johnson notches 300th victory

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June 5

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"Somewhat shy, somewhat aloof and armed with a Hall of Fame glare, Randy Johnson rarely has slapped backs. He never has led the league in hugs and postgame beers with the boys. But his greatness commands respect. His 300th victory on the line, Johnson needed some help in the eighth inning Thursday at a soggy, mostly deserted Nationals Park. He got it from plate umpire Tim Timmons. Timmons gave San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson a phantom strike call on a 3-2 pitch at the ankles with the bases loaded, stunning Adam Dunn and preserving a 2-1 lead. Hello, Cooperstown. "That was a huge pitch [to Dunn]," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That got the win for Randy." As Wilson finished off ..."

On First Try, Johnson Joins 300 Club

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June 5

New York Times

"After Randy Johnson recorded victory No. 300, after he tipped his cap and hugged his family and soaked in a standing ovation, it was hard to conjure a similar milestone played under worse conditions, with less fanfare. Johnson pitched Thursday at Nationals Park in front of a sparse crowd whose members carried umbrellas and wore ponchos. He pitched in both light and pelting rain. He left after 6 innings and 78 pitches because of his "senior moment," a diving throw that bruised his shoulder. After some 21 seasons and more than 22 hours of rain delays, Johnson celebrated his milestone victory and the San Francisco Giants' 5-1 win over Washington inside a cramped office in the visitors' ..."

Rain delays Johnson's shot at No. 300

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June 4

Washington Times

"Randy Johnson's pursuit of career win No. 300 will have to wait another day. The San Francisco Giants left-hander was due to start Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals in his first attempt at joining the most exclusive pitching club in baseball, but several lines of vicious thunderstorms and a soaked field forced the game to be postponed after a delay of more than 3 1/2 hours. "We really tried," Nationals president Stan Kasten said. "The umpires did a great job. We were all trying to get it done. But at the end of the night, it's not worth the risk to our players to play on that field tonight." The two teams now will play a true doubleheader Thursday beginning at 4:35 p.m. ..."

Johnson Has to Wait To Go for 300th Win

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June 4

Washington Post

"Randy Johnson's pursuit of his 300th win must wait. After a rain delay that lasted 3 hours 42 minutes, last night's scheduled game between the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants was called at 10:47 p.m. because of the condition of the playing field. Johnson, the veteran Giants pitcher, will chase history in the first game of a traditional doubleheader. He will match up against Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann at 4:35 today. Fellow rookie Ross Detwiler will start the second game for the Nationals against San Francisco's Matt Cain. "The field is not playable, and that's the reason we can't play tonight," Nationals President Stan Kasten said minutes before 11 p.m. "As you know, ..."

Johnson's first try for win No. 300 will wait till Thursday

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June 4

San Jose Mercury News

"There was only one way Randy Johnson could've sparkled on the mound Wednesday night: Walk onto the field and hold a 7-iron in the air. Steady rain and occasional lightning made it impossible for Johnson to throw the first pitch in pursuit of his 300th career victory. Mindful of the milestone, the Giants and Washington Nationals waited until 10:47 p.m. EDT before relenting to a postponement. The game will be made up as a traditional doubleheader today at Nationals Park; Johnson will start the first game, which is scheduled to begin at 4:35 EDT. But with more problematic weather in the forecast, both sides could be stuck in another holding pattern. "For a game with a player going for a ..."

Johnson at the height of his profession

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June 3

San Francisco Chronicle

"Had the Norse deity Thor grown his hair into a mullet, he might have looked something like Giants pitcher Randy Johnson. For nearly two decades, Johnson was baseball's god of thunder, a scowling, intimidating left-hander, 2 inches shy of 7 feet tall, who could sling a baseball side-armed at 100 miles an hour and gelatinize the knees of even the best hitters. At 45, Johnson no longer hurls lightning bolts the way he once did, but he still can win, as he has done four times in 2009. When he returns to the mound today in Washington to face the Nationals, the worst team in the majors and the franchise that drafted him 24 years ago, Johnson has a chance to become the 24th major leaguer to reach ..."

As 300th victory looms, Randy Johnson perseveres

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June 3

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"Randy Johnson had just become the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game -- a feat that left him with some mixed feelings. He wasn't looking to take the Advil account away from Nolan Ryan. "You guys keep saying I'm old," Johnson said to reporters. "And someday I will be." That was more than five years ago, after his 2004 bit of perfection against the Atlanta Braves, a game in which his final pitch clocked at 98 m.p.h., and the truth is we're finally closing in on that chapter in his one-of-a-kind career. Johnson can't go to the mound and beat hitter after hitter with his blazing fastball anymore. He has to pitch. But you figure that's probably all right with the 6-foot-10-inch left-hander ..."

Johnson Quietly Nears a Defining Moment

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June 3

New York Times

"Anticipation shot through the visiting clubhouse Tuesday, briefly interrupting the video games and the card games that occupied the San Francisco Giants. They seemed to sense a milestone approaching, a date sure to be recorded, a moment they will not soon forget. Only this moment had nothing to do with Randy Johnson, the pitcher who will attempt Wednesday to become the latest 300-game winner. Instead, Wednesday's scheduled visit to the White House dominated conversations the way Johnson has long dominated the opposition. Johnson strolled through the clubhouse, slim as ever, 6 feet 10 inches, unnoticed and unbothered, on the verge of a landmark victory but not inclined to speak about it. He ..."

Randy Johnson on future 300-game winners: 'Anything's possible. Look at me.'

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June 2

San Jose Mercury News

"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 ..."

300 wins is still a huge unit

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June 2

Arizona Republic

columnist Bob Young

"For the most part, Randy Johnson's pursuit of a 300th career pitching victory has been met with indifference. He could become the 24th pitcher in major league history to reach the milestone Wednesday when he goes for No. 300 against the Washington Nationals. Whenever he gets there, he will be one of only four pitchers to record at least 300 victories and 4,000 strikeouts. Considering that with so much specialization in the game, only four other pitchers have reached 300 victories from 1990 on, it is even more newsworthy. So how come it doesn't seem like that big of a deal? Part of it is Johnson's own doing. He hasn't exactly connected with fans through the years. Plus, he has no history ..."

Randy Johnson on brink of 300 wins

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May 29

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The Cardinals will not face Cooperstown-bound lefthander Randy Johnson during this weekend's series against San Francisco. That does not mean they have seen the last of the "Big Unit." Johnson earned career victory No. 299 on Wednesday night, working six strong innings in the Giants' win against Atlanta at AT"

Griffey offers memories of Big Unit

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May 23

Seattle Times

"Ken Griffey Jr. was left out of the lineup against the Giants and former Mariner Randy Johnson on Friday night. But that didn't mean Griffey didn't get in a few playful cuts against his longtime teammate. Griffey held court for about 10 minutes before the game to discuss Johnson, who played alongside Griffey in Seattle from 1989 to 1998. And when asked his favorite Johnson memories, he mentioned one obvious - coming out of the bullpen against the Yankees in the 1995 AL Division Series - and one long forgotten: an inning of left field Johnson played in 1993. "He asked Lou [Piniella, then the Mariners' manager] and Lou was like, 'Yeah, go out there,' " Griffey said. "I was like, 'Huh?' I was ..."

McGrath: 'Unit' next in line to become last 300-game winner

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May 23

Tacoma News Tribune

columnist John McGrath

"If it weren't for Bill Risley, Safeco Field would be the center of the baseball universe tonight. Randy Johnson is starting for the Giants. As recently as a few days ago, fans were buzzing over the possibility of the Mariners' former ace attempting to win his 300th game in the city where he ascended to prominence. The notion of Johnson taking the Safeco Field mound with a career milestone on the line posed an intriguing quandary: Would you root for him? (It'd be a chance to witness history.) Or would you root against him? (Johnson hasn't pitched for the Mariners in 11 years, and it's been longer than that since he consistently gave a 100 percent effort while wearing a Seattle uniform.) ..."

Road rude again to Giants' Johnson

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May 7

San Francisco Chronicle

"The most noticeable oddity in the box score is the zero strikeouts next to Randy Johnson's name. In 592 major-league starts, that has happened seven times, three when he has pitched at least five innings. That should be a clue that the rest of Johnson's line Wednesday night was not pretty. In an 11-1 Rockies rout, Johnson allowed seven runs for the second time in six starts as a Giant, both on the road. His ERA away from China Basin actually dipped to 11.37. Johnson's chances of winning his 300th game against the Mariners on May 22 have been reduced to extraordinarily slim. For one, he would need to win each of his next three starts. For two, the game is in Seattle, and as much as the ..."

Johnson comes up big in win over Rockies

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May 2

San Francisco Chronicle

"Even 45-year-old pitchers on the cusp of 300 wins and bound for Cooperstown fall into traps that ensnare their juniors. Pitchers are supposed to put lousy starts behind them, but Randy Johnson could not let go of his seven-walk game in Arizona last week. Finally, after visiting his alma mater, Livermore High, and talking to the baseball teams Thursday, he went home and thought to himself, "I really kind of have to get going here." The Big Unit did not stop until he secured his 297th win with seven shutout innings in a rain-soaked 3-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. History oozes through China Basin every time Johnson takes the mound. He insisted again he is not ..."

Big Unit gets best of Rockies

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May 2

Denver Post

"The youngster was no match for the master. Randy Johnson, the Giants' 45-year-old lefty, notched the 297th victory of his career, striking out nine and allowing four hits in seven shutout innings as the Giants squeaked by the Rockies 3-2. Pitching for the Rockies was right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, 20 years Johnson's junior. Jimenez, who fell to 1-4, brought 95 mph heat and pitched his best game since April 7 in Arizona. In seven innings Jimenez gave up three runs on five hits. The crazy mechanical difficulties that plagued him in his last three starts were, for the most part, cleaned up. But while Jimenez was solid, Johnson was almost untouchable in leading the Giants to their eighth win in ..."

Big Unit leads Giants over Rockies

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May 2

Denver Post

"The youngster was no match for the master. Randy Johnson, the Giants' 45-year-old lefty, notched the 297th victory of his career, striking out nine and allowing four hits in seven shutout innings as the Giants squeaked by the Rockies 3-2. Pitching for the Rockies was right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, 20 years Johnson's junior. Jimenez, who fell to 1-4, brought 95 mph heat and pitched his best game since April 7 in Arizona. In seven innings Jimenez gave up three runs on five hits. The crazy mechanical difficulties that plagued him in his last three starts were, for the most part, cleaned up. But while Jimenez was solid, Johnson was almost untouchable in leading the Giants to their eighth win in ..."

Defense helps Johnson's effort vs. D-Backs

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April 20

Arizona Republic

"San Francisco's Randy Johnson cited the Giants defense, and there were several good plays behind him on Sunday. Randy Winn made a sliding catch on a sinking line drive to right off the bat of Eric Byrnes in the first. Bengie Molina made a nifty play fielding a bunt by Chris Snyder in the third. And Johnson made a nice if not graceful play on Byrnes' infield chopper in the fourth, falling over as he made the throw to first. Notes Sunday was Johnson's first career start against Arizona. The Diamondbacks were the only team he hadn't faced."

To Giants' Kruk and Kuip, talking about it isn't a no-no

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April 20

San Jose Mercury News

"The Giants' TV team tiptoed around the no-hitter jinx for a while Sunday. Then they strode up and rapped their knuckles on the beast's forehead. That was in the bottom of the sixth inning. The beast's response? A double by Arizona's Augie Ojeda on the first pitch of the seventh. OK, disclaimer time here: We cannot be seriously thinking Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow and the camera crew cost Randy Johnson a no-no. Come on, us. Then again, what is baseball without its silly traditions? And the clever avoidance of the word "no-hitter" is one of them, at least in some corners. It's certainly a gray area. To Krukow, the superstition applies only to the players in the dugout; indeed, as he said on ..."

Johnson superb in Giants' victory

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April 20

San Jose Mercury News

"Randy Johnson says he had nothing to prove to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, although the five-time Cy Young Award winner's timing couldn't have been much better. Intent on redeeming himself after losing the first two starts of his Giants career, Johnson took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his first appearance against his former team — and moved another step toward baseball history in San Francisco's 2-0 victory. "A game like this instills a little bit of confidence,'' said Johnson, who allowed one hit and walked two in seven innings. "A game like this can jump-start me.'' Johnson typically hasn't needed a jolt during his 22-year career, which, after Sunday, includes 296 ..."

Johnson has gem for ages vs. D'backs

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April 20

Oakland Tribune

"Randy Johnson says he had nothing to prove to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, although the five-time Cy Young Award winner's timing couldn't have much been better. Intent on redeeming himself after losing the first two starts of his Giants career, Johnson took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his first appearance against one of his former team — and moving another step closer to history in San Francisco's 2-0 victory. "A game like this instills a little bit of confidence,'' said Johnson, who allowed one hit and walked two in seven innings. "A game like this can jump-start me.'' Johnson typically hasn't needed a jolt during his 22-year major league career, which, after Sunday, ..."

Drama? It's just a game

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April 20

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Scott Ostler

"Ballplayers always tell you they have no time to wallow in drama and side stories when they're busy playing baseball. Randy Johnson shooting for a no-hitter Sunday against the Diamondbacks? His teammates were aware, sure, but in a back-burner kind of way. Johnson, who gave up zero hits through six innings and got his first win as a Giant, said no-hitter thoughts were not allowed to creep into his consciousness. "I can't emphasize enough, I just want to win," Johnson said. "All that (other stuff) is just bonuses." Brian Wilson, who closed out the 2-0 win by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth, said he wasn't thinking about saving career win No. 296 for a 45-year-old legend who had come up empty and ..."

Johnson looks dominating once again

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April 20

San Francisco Chronicle

"Bruce Bochy shuffled his lineup again Sunday, moving Fred Lewis to leadoff for the first time this season, making Randy Winn the No. 3 hitter and dropping Pablo Sandoval to No. 6. Boy, did that work. The Giants scored twice, on a sacrifice fly and double-play grounder, and that was enough because Randy Johnson and two relievers combined on a one-hitter in a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Winning two of three in the series had little to do with the offense - which eked out four runs - and a lot to do with three starting pitchers tossing 212/3 scoreless innings. Johnson (seven innings) followed Jonathan Sanchez (62/3) and Tim Lincecum (eight), helping to take heat off an offense ..."

Big Unit flirts with no-no in win No. 296

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April 20

MLB.com

"Asked the standard question about whether teammates ignored him as his no-hit bid lengthened Sunday, Randy Johnson prompted laughter from reporters by saying, "I think they ignore me anyway." Actually, nobody could overlook Johnson during his seven scintillating innings. Continuing to belie his age, the 45-year-old no-hit the Arizona Diamondbacks for six innings before allowing Augie Ojeda's seventh-inning leadoff double, helping the Giants prevail, 2-0. It marked the 14th time that Johnson had taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Johnson (1-2) collected the 296th victory of his 22-year career on his third attempt and moved a step closer toward becoming the 24th pitcher to win 300 ..."

Giants' Johnson faces his old team for the first time

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April 19

San Jose Mercury News

"Johnson gets first shot at his old team Randy Johnson has faced 29 of 30 major league teams over his 22-year career. He'll complete the circuit today when he starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks. There will be plenty of emotional fuel for the 45-year-old left-hander, whose first choice was to re-sign with the Diamondbacks and pursue his 300th victory in a Sedona red jersey. But both sides claim to be more focused on the result than the opponent. Johnson has an 11.42 ERA in two starts as a Giant. And the Diamondbacks' young lineup is off to a terrible start. "The way I'm looking at it, we're facing another guy," Conor Jackson said. "He's our ex-teammate, and it'll be weird to see him in ..."

Giants' Johnson pounded in 11-1 loss

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April 14

San Jose Mercury News

"Randy Johnson is not young. He does not have a fragile psyche. And he had never lost in 11 career starts at Dodger Stadium. He seemed like the perfect choice to take the mound Monday as the Giants tried to reset the hierarchy against their archrivals in the National League West. But the Dodgers outclassed the Giants in every way, schooling Johnson in a six-run fourth inning and coasting to an 11-1 decision that felt more like a scolding than a victory. In front of an announced crowd of 57,009, the largest to see a baseball game at Chavez Ravine, Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle and Andre Ethier launched two home runs to support a stellar, 11-strikeout effort from Chad Billingsley. ..."

Trouble comes early for Johnson and S.F.

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April 14

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Giants are off today, which is a blessing. The last thing they need is another ballgame. Their first four on this inaugural trip of 2009 have been an unqualified disaster, all losses, none worse than Monday's 11-1 undressing in which Orlando Hudson became the first Dodger to hit for the cycle in 39 years. He got the single, double and homer against former teammate Randy Johnson and the triple against Brandon Medders - all by the sixth inning. As for the Giants, where do you start, with another awful performance by a starter (Johnson, seven runs in 32/3 innings) or another disappearance by an offense that has not had a lead nor scored more than once in an inning since it left home? Chad ..."

Addition of the Big Unit looks better by the day

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April 6

San Francisco Examiner

columnist Bob Frantz

"A little of this, and a lot of that ... - I wrote in January that I liked the Randy Johnson signing, but the Unit wouldn't make the Giants a contender unless he was ready to hit fifth in the lineup. After watching Johnson post a 2.20 ERA this spring, I'd like to amend my statement: I love the signing. The Giants still don't have enough to win the NL West, but having a healthy Johnson to go along with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain gives the Giants as formidable front of the rotation as any in baseball - and makes the club fun to watch in spite of itself. - Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen should have been arrested last week. The charge? Aggravated robbery. By stealing not one, but two ..."

Johnson dazzles his former team

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March 4

Contra Costa Times

"The Arizona Diamondbacks made a low-ball offer to keep Randy Johnson, but the five-time Cy Young Award winner has kept his comments classy about his former organization. On Tuesday, though, he seized the chance to hiss back. Johnson overwhelmed his former teammates with his fastball and biting slider over three scoreless innings, striking out seven of the 12 he faced during the Giants' 7-6 exhibition win at Scottsdale Stadium. Asked about facing hitters such as Chris Young, Stephen Drew and former batterymate Miguel Montero, Johnson took a long pause. "Well, I've watched them for two years," he said, "and you know, I pay attention." Johnson insisted it was just another spring training ..."

Unit distancing himself from D-Backs

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March 4

Arizona Republic

"San Francisco already has celebrated a tainted milestone. The city cheered wildly when Barry Bonds and his asterisk passed Hank Aaron, snatching the home-run record from a man who deserved better. Now the Giants and their fans will get another hollow bit of history. They will clap in appreciation when Randy Johnson wins his 300th game. It will be a towering achievement, and maybe the last time a pitcher reaches the hallowed milestone. It will be a sad, empty moment. "We'll be proud of the fact when he does it," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "We just hope he doesn't do it against us." Whatever emotional threads tied Johnson to his former employers were snipped apart Tuesday at ..."

D-Backs face Randy Johnson on Tuesday

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March 2

Arizona Republic

"The Diamondbacks will see a familiar face Tuesday in Scottsdale, only it will be from an unfamiliar perspective. Left-hander Randy Johnson will face his former team for the first time since signing a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants in December. "No big deal to me," Johnson told reporters. "It's just spring training." The Diamondbacks are expecting the sight of Johnson in a Giants uniform to be a strange one."

Randy Johnson's early career was out of control

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March 1

San Jose Mercury News

"In the early days of Randy Johnson's pro career, between the bouts of wildness and the 12-hour minor league bus rides, some very smart baseball men believed the 6-foot-10 slingshot left-hander never would live up to his potential. He might bump his head against the ceiling. But he wouldn't reach it. And now, after two decades, 295 victories, 4,789 strikeouts and five Cy Young awards, Johnson has a confession to make: He was among the doubters. "I just thought I'd get lost in the shuffle," said Johnson, who at 45 is simultaneously the Giants' newest and oldest pitcher. "I saw kids that were light years ahead of me. I threw harder, but they had everything else with it: fluid mechanics, ..."

Johnson and Zito post scoreless innings

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February 25

Contra Costa Times

"In an early spring intrasquad game, you expect the pitchers to be ahead of the hitters. Many believe that pattern will hold for the Giants all season. But any lineup probably would have struggled at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday. Instead of Single-A pitchers, the 4?1/2-inning scrimmage featured two scoreless innings apiece from Cy Young winners Randy Johnson and Barry Zito. On the eve of the Giants' first Cactus League game, Johnson allowed one hit - a double by phenom Buster Posey - and Zito attacked the strike zone while yielding two singles. Johnson made the biggest impression by just being himself. He paused during warm-ups to shoo a group of photographers working in front of the ..."