Giants sign Randy Johnson

The Big Unit has become the tallest of Giants.

Randy Johnson will bring his 6-foot-10 presence, Hall of Fame credentials and menacing glare to the mound at AT&T Park next season, after agreeing to a one-year, $8 million contract Friday night with the team of his boyhood.

The 45-year-old Walnut Creek native and Livermore High School alumnus comes home needing five victories to reach the magic 300-victory mark; he could become the final pitcher in a generation to achieve the benchmark.

But the Giants have had ample chances to celebrate milestones amid four consecutive losing seasons. They're counting on Johnson to provide more than a platform for the marketing department.

"He can still pitch," Giants General Manager Brian Sabean said earlier this month. "He's an intimidating force. The opposition knows who he is, and if he's on your side, the team knows you've got a chance to win every time he goes out."

A five-time Cy Young Award winner, Johnson joins a Giants rotation that already boasted two Cy winners; Barry Zito won the A.L. award with the A's in 2002 and Tim Lincecum captured the N.L. trophy last season. The 2002 Atlanta Braves (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz) were the last major league team with three Cy Young winners.

"I'd say we've got a stout staff now," said right-hander Matt Cain, another solid starter along with left-hander Jonathan Sanchez. "This is Randy Johnson. He's a monster out there. We don't have to worry about his heart or his dedication, that's for sure.

"It'll be awesome to have him on our side and watch him work.''

While Cain and Sanchez are expected to open the season in the rotation, the Giants could revisit trading one for a hitter this spring — particularly if left-hander Noah Lowry proves he is fully recovered from a pair of arm surgeries.

For now, the Giants wanted insurance for Lowry at the back end of the rotation and they aggressively pursued Johnson because of his experience and desire for a short-term contract.

"He's a guy who commands instant respect whenever he toes the rubber,'' Giants outfielder Randy Winn said. "That will be huge not only for our pitching staff, but the team as a whole. He has a presence about him. It gives you confidence to play behind a guy like that."

Johnson was a basketball and baseball standout at Livermore High who chose to focus on his fastball at USC. He conquered bouts of wildness to become one of the most intimidating pitchers in history, starring with the Seattle Mariners before achieving his greatest feats with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

With his mullet flowing in the breeze and his slider blistering the heels of right-handed hitters, Johnson was instrumental in Arizona's run to the 2001 World Series championship. He has pitched two no-hitters, including a perfect game in 2004 — just the 15th in major league history.

The "Big Unit" ranks second all time with 4,789 strikeouts; only Nolan Ryan, with 5,714, has more.

After two up-and-down seasons with the New York Yankees, Johnson returned to Arizona in 2007. He avoided recurring back problems and is coming off one of his best seasons in years, going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts. He threw a complete game in his final outing and had a 2.41 ERA after the All-Star break.

"He's not the same pitcher in terms of how hard he throws, but he's still successful," Winn said. "He knows how to win."


Source: mercurynews.com