Yesterday San Francisco Giants pitcher Randy Johnson, collected his 300th win in anonymity against the Washington Nationals on a rain-soaked day in Washington. The final score of the game was 5 to 1 in favor of the Giants but it was more like taking a time warp to the beginning of Randy Johnson's career with the Montreal Expos.
The NBA Finals were the big story of yesterday and understandably so but this might be the last time that we see a pitcher win 300 games in his career for a very long time. I was shocked yesterday to see a poll on ESPN asking what was more difficult: 3,000 hits or 300 wins. Almost 89% of the viewers polled said 3,000 hits was more difficult. That, in my mind, is absolutely ridiculous since a hitter in baseball generally has a more prolonged career than a pitcher does along with the movement towards the specialization of the pitching position.
Johnson career has featured many high profile places, from Seattle to New York, Houston to San Francisco, and at his high point winning a title with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson who is currently 45, is still as effective as when he first came in the big leagues. He dazzled the Nationals, who looked star-struck as they left the field. Johnson was congratulated by his son after it was announced that he picked up the victory.
One of my personal favorite baseball games of all-time is Randy Johnson's Perfect Game against the Atlanta Braves in 2004 when at the 40, he became the oldest pitcher to throw one.
Randy Johnson's career has gone through many changes, but in the end, he was "The Big Unit" and on a rain-soaked day in the Nation's Capital, Randy Johnson stood alone with 300 wins.
Congrats on 300, Randy
