Knuckle Curve » randy johnson

Randy Johnson to Return as a Reliever?

Stephen Kersey — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:21:23 +0000

Randy Johnson has been out of action for the San Francisco Giants since July 6th. Recently, Johnson said that he thinks he can return during the 2009 baseball season — as a reliever.

In his career, which dates all the way back to the 1988 season with the Montreal Expos, he has only ten relief appearances. He last appeared out of the bullpen with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 campaign.

On the season, the Big Unit has an ERA of 4.81 and a record of 8-6. The biggest moment of the season was when the 45-year-old won his 300th game. He now has a career record of 303-166.

At the moment, the Giants are tied with the Colorado Rockies in the NL Wild Card race with records of 72-59. If Johnson can return — even as a reliever — he’ll give the Giants a boost that may be enough to lead the team into the 2009 MLB postseason.

Said Johnson: “It would be nice to come back in some capacity and help the team.”

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Randy Johnson Headed to the DL

Stephen Kersey — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:08:35 +0000

Randy Johnson, the 45-year-old starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, is headed to the 15-day disabled list. The left-hander has a strained left shoulder.

On the season, Johnson is 8-6 with a 4.81 ERA. He has 80 strikeouts in 91.2 innings. The highlight of his season so far was when he won the 300th game of his big league career. For his career, he has a 303-166 record to go along with a 3.29 ERA, 4869 strikeouts and 4131 innings pitched.

The good news is that the Giants don’t think Johnson’s shoulder strain is a long-term injury.

Said Giants manager Bruce Bochy: “As of now we hope he can pitch when his 15 days are up. We’ll continue to evaluate him but also give him time to get his arm back.”

Thanks in part to Randy Johnson, the Giants sport a 44-37 record and are in the race for the NL Wild Card. To make a legit push for the playoffs, however, San Francisco will need a healthy Big Unit.

Randy Johnson of the Giants headed to the DL (Image: Zuma Press)

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San Francisco Giants after Manny Ramirez?

Stephen Kersey — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:10:09 +0000

According to a report, the San Francisco Giants are making a hard push to land Manny Ramirez. Ramirez, who spent last season with the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a Hall of Fame talent who many teams are considering.

The deal for Ramirez is expected to be four years in total. The first two years would be guaranteed, while the third season would become guaranteed if certain performance levels are met. The fourth year of the offer is thought to be completely a team option.

The Giants, who earlier in the offseason signed 45-year-old Randy Johnson, are quietly making moves to contend for the National League pennant in 2009. If they can land Ramirez, that would definitely help in that regard.

Last season, the Giants were very poor offensively. With Ramirez, he could step into the cleanup spot and single-handedly turn that lineup around.

Stay tuned to see if the Giants get their man.

Photo credit: Newscom

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Randy Johnson Signs with the Giants

Stephen Kersey — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:06:56 +0000

Randy Johnson garnered a lot of attention on the free agent market despite his advanced age. On Friday, he found a home when he signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants.

The 45-year-old Johnson signed a deal worth approximately $8 million over one season. However, there are performance bonuses that could make the deal worth as much as $13 million.

After struggling with injuries in 2007, Johnson had a bounce back season in 2008. He finished the campaign with an 11-10 record and an ERA of 3.91. He also tallied 173 strikeouts in 184 innings.

On the Giants, Johnson will be a valuable veteran pitcher that can help teach the young pitchers in San Francisco’s starting rotation how to win. And when he’s on the mound, he’s still one of the most feared pitchers in the league.

Johnson could also help draw fans to the ballpark. He has 295 victories and should crack 300 victories at some point in the season. With 4789 career strikeouts, there’s also a chance that he could get his 5000th strikeout in the upcoming season with the Giants.

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Best Baseball Teams in April 2008

Stephen Kersey — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:02:11 +0000

Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are young but amazingly talented. With great pitching, bashers at the plate and a solid manager, the Diamondbacks are for real. If Randy Johnson can return to 80% of his former self, he’d make Arizona the heavy favorite to represent the National League in the World Series.

Boston Red Sox
The reigning champs haven’t shown too many weaknesses so far this season. David Ortiz got off to a slow start but he’s playing well again. The pitching can only get better and the bats can only get hotter. You have to think the New York Yankees will make a run but the Red Sox could be too far ahead by the time they get healthy.

Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have a devastating lineup that never seems to end. They certainly have the potential to be the best hitting team in all of the major leagues. Their pitching needs step up but there’s enough talent on that staff to figure things out. The Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners will keep the heat on in the AL West.

Chicago Cubs
Even though Alfonso Soriano has missed a chunk of the season to date, the Cubs have been able to get off to a hot start. Derrek Lee is smashing the ball again and Geovany Soto is as hot as any catcher in baseball. If the pitchers can become consistent, the Cubs have a chance to – eh nevermind, they’re still the Cubs.

Geovany Soto, Cubs catcher

Photo: Newscom

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Worry About CC Sabathia?

Stephen Kersey — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:08:47 +0000

CC Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, is off to an absolutely dreadful start to the season. On Wednesday, he allowed nine earned runs for the second consecutive start. His ERA now sits at 13.50.

Last season, Sabathia was lights out. He was 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA as he dominated in his best season to date. He was particularly dominant after the All-Star Game, posting a 2.76 ERA in 15 starts.

Is it time to worry about Sabathia?

Well, first before we worry, we should try to figure out what is wrong with him. The first thing everyone thinks of is his contract situation. Sabathia can become a free agent at the end of the season. If he has a good season, Sabathia can become a very, very rich man. Is the pressure getting to him? It’s certainly possible.

Another possibility could be wear and tear. Last season, Sabathia pitched a baseball high of 241 innings, plus 15 more in the postseason. That’s a whole lot of innings, especially for someone who had pitched more than 200 innings only once in his career. Could the extra innings be the cause of his problems?

Again, it’s possible. In 2006, Bronson Arroyo led the majors in innings pitched and had an off season last year. Livan Hernandez led the majors in innings pitched in 2005 and played worse in 2006. In 2004, Randy Johnson pitched 245 innings and struggled the next season. While obviously this is a small sample size to look at, Sabathia carrying the load last season may be catching up to him this year.

So, should we worry about Sabathia? If it’s contract related, that’s something he should be able to get over once he relaxes (or signs an extension). However, if it’s wear and tear, this could very well be an off year for Cleveland’s ace. Not 13.50 ERA bad, however.

His next couple starts will be key. If Sabathia can’t show signs of turning it around, the Indians should consider putting him on the DL while they delve more into this issue.

Image details: Cleveland Indians Media Day served by picapp.com

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