The Big Unit calls it quits after 22 seasons
SAN FRANCISCO — While at home with his family this fall and winter, Randy Johnson thought long and hard about whether he could accomplish any more on the baseball diamond.
Yes, he believes he could. Whether still at the highest level, he doesn't know.
The Big Unit retired Tuesday after 22 major league seasons, a decorated career by the overpowering pitcher who will go down in history as one of the best ever.
"I will miss having an outlet to be that competitive," Johnson said during a conference call. "Every fifth day it was a process. I enjoyed and relished that process. There's nothing I will do the rest of my life that will match that."
There aren't many who will match Johnson and his long list of accolades. Most recently, the 6-foot-10 Johnson became the latest pitcher to reach 300 wins.
A five-time Cy Young Award winner, the 46-year-old Johnson accomplished just about everything in his remarkable career. He owns a World Series ring and co-MVP honors, was a 10-time All-Star, threw two no-hitters and ranks second on the career strikeout list.
Johnson finishes with a record of 303-166 and 4,875 strikeouts in 4,135Z\c innings for Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, the New York Yankees and San Francisco. His strikeouts are the most by a left-hander and second to Nolan Ryan's 5,714.
"It's all been a bit of a whirlwind. I never really got caught up in what I did," Johnson said. "I never really dwelled on my achievements. They're nice. Maybe now I'll be able to reflect on them."
Johnson overcame several injuries to keep pitching effectively into his mid-40s. He said before last season ended that he looked forward to going home to Arizona and spending time with his family before making a decision about his future.
"It's taken this long into January because I definitely wanted to just kind of relax from the season being over and make sure I had a clear head when I made this decision, and that I would be making it wholeheartedly and would be sticking to it," he said.
