Randy Johnson returns to baseball with the Diamondbacks:
Johnson has spent the five years since he retired mostly away from the game — traveling the world, engaging his love of photography and making a series of USO tours.
“I knew that I needed that time to kind of unwind,” Johnson said. “I was wound pretty tight for 22 years, especially probably the last 15, when I really came into my own in this game.”
…
The Diamondbacks announced Tuesday that Johnson had been named special assistant to President Derrick Hall.
Hall said that the left-hander’s No. 51 would be retired soon.
If you read the whole article, it seems the Diamondbacks are lobbying for Johnson to go into the Hall with an Arizona cap. Johnson did accumulate 53 or his 104 rWAR with Arizona, so it does seem right. It’s also interesting that the most productive part of Johnson’s career came in his late 30s, although that was true of Nolan Ryan, who didn’t find his control until he was in his 40s.
Hmm. I wonder why Randy Johnson had such an interesting career and his best years were in his late 30s. Oh it also coincided with the steroids era. What a coincidence. He even said, “I went to GNC and all that stuff. I took a lot of different things.” He gets a free pass though and sails into the HOF while Clemens, the far better pitcher doesn’t come close.
My thoughts exactly, David G. And I’m not accusing Randy. We just don’t know. And I remember, as an 11 y.o. kid, the rumors of the 1976 East German women’s Olympics swim team. Reporters were on notice and they did nothing, so any PED scandal is partly on them.
I’d rather have the one dimensional Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in the HOF than keep Bonds and Clemens and even A-Rod out.
Manny did fail two tests so I could keep him out.
David G., by that logic, you could argue that Nolan Ryan should be under suspicion. Anyway, Johnson’s best years didn’t come from throwing harder but from throwing with more control. Not sure how you can connect that to steroids.
I agree with David G. I really don’t see how anyone can claim that they are sure that Clemens did PEDs and equally sure that Johnson didn’t. When a guy rattles off 4 consecutive 340+ strikout seasons *starting* at age 35, and starting the year after McGwire and Sosa hit all the HRs, AND those four years being 4 of his top 5 IP seasons in his career – topping out at 271 IP, if *nothing* about that says possible PED use to you then I think you’re just sticking your head in the sand. Bostondreams – everything that Nolan Ryan did after his 35th birthday, he had already done to a greater degree before his 30th bday. The same is not true for Randy Johnson. He did things at age 35-39 that he had never done before.