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Randy Johnson To Announce Retirement

By Tim Dierkes | January 5, 2010 at 4:04pm CDT

4:04pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that the conference call has been moved up to tonight, and that The Big Unit will indeed announce his retirement.

2:47pm: According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter), it appears that Randy Johnson will announce his retirement tomorrow morning.  A bunch of other reporters are talking about tomorrow's poorly-timed conference call as well.

Johnson would finish with five Cy Young awards, 303 wins, 4,875 strikeouts, and a 3.29 ERA in 4,135.3 career innings.  Baseball-Reference puts his career earnings at $175.55MM.

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San Francisco Giants Randy Johnson

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Comments

  1. Fur

    13 years ago

    Great career but it’s time to go.

    Reply
    • bomberj11

      13 years ago

      Agreed.

      Reply
  2. supersteve1492

    13 years ago

    Class Guy and a 300 game winner.

    Reply
  3. Infield Fly

    13 years ago

    Well, hey…if he retires now he’s that much closer to his HOF induction!

    Reply
  4. Philip Marlowe

    13 years ago

    Too bad, there’s a lot of clubs who still need a fifth starter. I could see him slotting in well with the Cubs, Mariners, Giants, Brewers, or Diamondbacks especially

    Reply
    • AngelsFan718

      13 years ago

      Agreed. He should retire out as a Mariner. It’d do the team some justice.

      Reply
      • pcain1027

        13 years ago

        why should he retire as a Mariner?

        Reply
        • Moebarguy

          13 years ago

          He made himself during his tenure as a Mariner.

        • icedrake523

          13 years ago

          He became a Hall of Famer with the D’backs though.

        • Moebarguy

          13 years ago

          Yeah, I guess that’s debatable.

        • pcain1027

          13 years ago

          Won the world series as a d back

  5. Jiujitsu411420

    13 years ago

    Good choice Randy. You have had a great career, your hof bound, and really have nothing left to proove. Now go relax and try out for a new sport…bird hunting with 98mph fastballs.

    Reply
  6. andrewdavis82

    13 years ago

    I always hate to see the greats go but he had a great career 1st ballot hall of famer for sure. Him and Glavine will go in the same year I beleive. The two greatest lefties of our time in one shot.

    Reply
  7. AngelsFan718

    13 years ago

    2011, 2013 and 2015 will be some great years for baseball fans.

    2011 sees Jeff Bagwell (hopefully), 2013 sees two of the greatest second basemen of our time (Craig Biggio and hopefully Jeff Kent) and 2015 gets the Big Unit and Glavine.

    Reply
    • Michael Brown

      13 years ago

      Guess we don’t get to see the greatest pitcher of our time make the HOF….Maddux?!?!?!

      Reply
    • Michael Brown

      13 years ago

      Plus Glavine will be inducted in 2014 he didn’t play last year…minor leauge rehab doesn’t count…

      Reply
    • Fur

      13 years ago

      Bagwell was a steriod guy. No way does he or Mark McGwire deserve to be in the HOF.

      Reply
    • coachofall

      13 years ago

      Bagwell is NOT a HOF’er.

      Reply
      • Mule

        13 years ago

        Bagwell is easily a Hall of Fame caliber player. His career was slightly shorter then most first ballot guys (only 15 season) but he was dominate in just about every one of them. His OPS+ never fell below 130 in his first 12 season and his career OPS is 23rd all time. He was an MVP, a Gold Glove winner, and a ROY, all things that baseball writers like to see on a resume. He might not get in first ballot since he doesn’t have any of the “magic” numbers–500 HR or 3000 Hits–but he does belong in the hall. As for the steroids, yes that might be a problem, but Bagwell wasn’t the poster boy for PEDs the way McGwire was. I don’t think the writers will block all of the steroid era from the Hall.

        Reply
  8. jdub220

    13 years ago

    I agree, it’s a good choice to retire.
    I wonder if he’ll go into the hall as a Mariner or Dback.
    My guess is as a Mariner, because he didn’t leave AZ on a particularly good note.
    I really, really hope it’s as a Diamondback though.

    Reply
    • Fur

      13 years ago

      How about as a Montreal Expo?

      Reply
      • jdub220

        13 years ago

        Yeah, what a great job he did with a whole 55 2/3 IP there.

        Reply
        • Fur

          13 years ago

          They drafted him, that should account for something.

        • Moebarguy

          13 years ago

          The only thing it accounts for is the mistake the Expos made by letting him go to another team before he was able to prove himself.

    • C. Wesley Baier

      13 years ago

      He’ll go in as a Dback. He has no choice in the matter, and he had most of his career accomplishments as a Dback

      Reply
      • AngelsFan718

        13 years ago

        Remember, though, that while he may have no choice in the matter, he DOES get to have an input on who he would prefer to have on his cap, whether that be Seattle or Arizona (but for a funny twist, wouldn’t it be great if he had Montreal, Houston or San Francisco?). The Hall gets final say on who goes on his cap, but the Big Unit DOES have a say.

        Reply
  9. Guest

    13 years ago

    hmm, wish he’d come back for one year and retire as a mariner. surprised he doesn’t even want to attempt 5000 strikeouts.

    Reply
  10. Cesar

    13 years ago

    Hands down a HoF. Wish he would still pitch though, so he could get to 5000 K’s.

    Reply
  11. omegaman47

    13 years ago

    … but his mullet has announced a comeback.

    Reply
    • K Man

      13 years ago

      nice

      Reply
  12. adamlarmie

    13 years ago

    why is this poorly timed?

    Reply
  13. bjsguess

    13 years ago

    Best pitcher that I’ve ever seen. In his prime I would put him against Pedro, Maddux or Clemens.

    Reply
    • K Man

      13 years ago

      Let not disrespect Maddux and Pedro by including that other guy along side them. Let’s leave him with those “others guys” that are NOT getting in any HoF! Maybe Clemens will get in the HoF of old guys dating really cute young girls. Cant say she was hot as she was only 15 when they went on their first date.

      Can’t be bothered to check for exact numbers, but didn’t Maddux have almost as many Wins as BB’s one season. I hated the Braves (still not a fan) but man could you appreciate that guy on the mound!

      Imagine if the Expos kept both RJ and Pedro into their primes? WOW.

      Reply
      • bjsguess

        13 years ago

        No question about it Maddux and Pedro were both silly good. The problem with Maddux has always been that he’s hard to appreciate. You watch a game and think to yourself – why aren’t these guys hitting him? He’s always around in the zone, his speeds were relatively consistent, and he didn’t appear to have great movement. That said, he was a freak. People just couldn’t touch him. His control was outstanding (as you pointed out) as was his defense. Guy was even decent with the stick. Just a great all-around player.

        Pedro in his heyday was very close to Johnson in terms of sheer dominance. I just think Johnson did it better at his peak and did it for much longer.

        I’m not a huge Clemens fan, and doping up certainly doesn’t help. That said, there is no denying that he was amazingly good.

        Reply
  14. R_y_a_n

    13 years ago

    Not exactly a great guy (of course, only from what we hear as fans) but one of the greatest of all-time. Peace Randy.

    Reply
    • willgoangels27

      13 years ago

      Yeah not the nicest guy, but he was a competitor. Unless you knew him he would turn his back to him, i have the luckiness to actually know him and find him not hating everyone… and if your wondering yes.. all his kids have mullets haha 🙂

      Reply
  15. pageian

    13 years ago

    Great left-hander. Greatest ever? He should go into the hall as a Diamondback imo, his greatest success was there if not his most years.

    Reply
  16. Yankees10

    13 years ago

    Should wait till Thursday so the players that get elected to the Hall can have their day.

    Reply
    • coolstorybro222

      13 years ago

      uh no. as a Mariner. besides, he had like the perfect game with the D’backs. and then nothing else happened.

      Reply
      • Yankees10

        13 years ago

        Uh Ok?

        Reply
  17. justin gallagher

    13 years ago

    Randy Johnson retiring won’t take any of the spotlight away from anyone that gets in. If anything, it will take some of the attention away from him announcing his retirement. Jesus the media will try and make something out of any little thing

    Reply
  18. Chris

    13 years ago

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I’m going to miss seeing a man who was 6’5 and looked like he was 95 pounds who has a mullet and a biker mustache.

    Reply
  19. dodgerblueboys

    13 years ago

    Too bad, I was hoping he would go for 5,000 strikeouts with Seattle this year.

    Reply
  20. bucs_lose_again

    13 years ago

    Hats off to the greatest I’ve ever watched pitch. His 2001 line with Arizona was one of the filthiest seasons I’ve ever witnessed a pitcher have. 21-6 2.49 ERA 1.01 WHIP 372 Ks 13.4 SO/9 I can’t fathom being a batter in the NL West that year. I still think he’s got more left than some other guys out there, but if the guy wants to hang em up, I gotta respect that.

    Reply
  21. rishathra

    13 years ago

    Great pitcher. First ballot HOF. But along with his strikeouts, wins, ERA, and other numbers, you forgot one: 1 exploded bird. (Not going to provide a link, but YouTube has it, if you search “Randy Johnson bird”) I suppose if Dave Winfield can go in for his fowl ball, so can Randy J. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Alldaybaseball

    13 years ago

    Good luck after baseball. It will be good to be with your family. One of the best lefties.

    Reply
  23. markjsunz

    13 years ago

    Great career, one of the top 10 leftys of all time, and he had some wicked nasty stuff in his prime.It is a shame that most big leaguers will not stay with one team there whole career anymore. Clemente is always a pirate, Campanella a dodgers, you get the picture. Johnson could go in as anything from a Montreal expo to a san francisco giant. Anyway I am so glad I had a chance to see him in his prime. Those seattle teams with AROD, Griffey, Bhuner, Martinez and yet they won nothing.

    Reply
    • Guest

      13 years ago

      …? ya he’ll definitely be going in as a giant

      Reply
  24. K Man

    13 years ago

    I can only imagine how cool it was to be in the stadium when RJ came out of the bullpen against the Yanks…That must have made the hair on your neck stand up.

    What tune did he come out to? Was is Welcome to the Jungle?

    Anyway, I have to imagine that was quite a night at the ballpark!

    Reply
  25. Angelsbaseball

    13 years ago

    Good career best pitcher along with Nolan Ryan but know he gets too sit down on his couch,relax,and remember the old days congrats johnson you earned it

    Reply
    • penpaper

      13 years ago

      Nolan Ryan isn’t one of the best ever. But that’s another discussion.

      Reply
  26. YanksFanSince78

    13 years ago

    RJ, you were one of the best. Now let the lettuce grow long. Business in the front, party hard in the back.

    Reply
  27. Ramses

    13 years ago

    The best left pitcher in MLB History!!!!!………Randy you’re the BEST baby!!!!!!…Thank you for all the histories that you give us……….Now to enjoy all the money that you took out in contracts to the teams. I believe that they are $175,550,019 M. Enjoy them HOF!!!!!!!!……..jejejejejejejejeje.

    Reply
  28. 131914013

    13 years ago

    125 strikeouts away from 5000. I wish his body had a little more left in it so he could try to reach that plateau.

    Reply
  29. AaronWBraves

    13 years ago

    Its tough to say but I would agree he goes in as the first Diamondback—3 Cy Youngs and a WS ring. But still ill always remember him as a mariner with Griffey. And crazy I just saw the guy had 100 comlete games and 37 shutouts—now that is true dominance, no one else has done anything like that in 30 years.

    Reply
  30. nebikard

    13 years ago

    Why is Randy Johnson retiring less than half a season away from getting 5,000 strikeouts? That’s a really nice accomplishment to achieve. He’s only 125 away…

    Reply

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