Randy Johnson’s impending enshrinement in Cooperstown has caused baseballs fans to look back in sheer awe at his remarkable run in pinstripes.
The purple and teal (or aqua?) pinstripes of the Arizona Diamondbacks, that is. The left-hander with an incredible resume—five Cy Youngs Awards, 10 All-Star Games, 303 wins, 4,875 strikeouts (second all-time)—will wear a Diamondbacks cap on his plaque. After all, it was in Arizona that Johnson spent eight seasons, winning his lone World Series championship, four of his Cy Young Awards, and put together four consecutive 300 strikeout seasons.
Discussed with slightly less wonder and frequency is Johnson’s two seasons (2005 and 2006) with the New York Yankees. In fact, his time in the Bronx seems relegated to the dustbin of history, and when remembered, it is often viewed as disappointing and maybe even slightly embarrassing. At the time, though, it was a major acquisition which the Yankees made to reestablish themselves as the best team in the American League. And for one season, though it is often forgotten, Johnson lived up to the hype.
The 2004 offseason, as you might remember, was a time of frustration and reflection for the Yankees. Their offense had finished first or second in the AL in almost every major category, and they were returning peak Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Gary Sheffield, and would be augmented by the arrival of Robinson Cano. The offense was not the problem.
No, when the Yankees assessed the 2004 season, it was the starting pitching that would need improvement. In 2004, the Yankees had just two pitchers in the top 30 in FIP in the AL. Meanwhile, the Red Sox had three of the top 10, with a fourth ranked 19th. In the ALCS, the Yankees had turned to Jon Lieber and Kevin Brown to starts Game Six and Seven, respectively.
Enter Randy Johnson. He was coming off a 2004 campaign in which he led the NL in strikeouts (290), strikeout rate (30.1 percent), WHIP (0.90), opponent’s OPS (.557), ERA+ (176), and FIP (2.30). He even pitched a perfect game against the Atlanta Braves on May 18. Johnson lost the Cy Young Award to Houston’s Roger Clemens, despite having superior numbers across the board, except in the win-loss columns (remember those days before us baseball geeks inherited the earth?). While Johnson benefitted from a .267 BABIP, 30 points below his career average and his lowest season since 1990, it didn’t reflect a declining pitcher who was lucky.
At age 41, Johnson was still among baseball’s most dominant pitchers. In the six seasons from 1999 (his first full season in the NL) through 2004, Johnson had put up just ridiculous numbers:
| Starts | ERA | FIP | ERA+ | K% | BB% | OPS | WHIP | |
| 1999-2004 | 192 | 2.65 | 2.57 | 175 | 32.9% | 6.5% | .617 | 1.042 |
The Yankees had targeted their guy. In January 2005, the Yankees acquired Johnson for left-handed starter Brad Halsley, catching prospect Dioner Navarro, and Javier Vazquez. He was headed to the Bronx, following a waived no-trade clause, a $57 million contract extension, and one camera guy shoved onto the sidewalk.
Johnson got off to an excellent start in 2005. He got the ball at home to start the season, taking on the Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball. Johnson went six innings, giving up one earned run on five hits and two walks, and striking out six. He earned the win in the Yankees 9-2 victory.
Johnson, amazingly, made six starts against the Red Sox in 2005. He went 5-0 with a 3.63 ERA, 1.235 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings pitched. On the season’s second-to-last day, Johnson picked up the win as the Yankees clinched the division at Fenway Park. He threw a season-high 122 pitches, striking out eight and allowing three earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.
Johnson’s strikeout numbers plummeted in 2005. Johnson’s first double-digit strikeout game did not come until June 16th against Pittsburgh. He had just three on the season, after posting 14 double-digit strikeout starts in 2004.
Johnson finished the season at 17-8 with a 3.79 ERA and 112 ERA+. He was second in the AL in strikeouts (211), strikeout rate (22.9 percent), and WHIP (1.13), and eighth in FIP (3.78). However, despite his impressive totals pitching in the AL East, Johnson did not receive a single Cy Young vote in 2005.
2006 was not as productive for Johnson. For the second consecutive season, Johnson earned a win as the team’s Opening Day starter, giving up one earned run in seven innings at Oakland. It was mostly downhill from there. He posted a career worst ERA (5.00), his lowest ERA+ since 1989 (90), his highest FIP since 1990 (4.27), and his worst walk rate since 2001 (7.0 percent). His strikeout numbers fell again (just one double-digit strikeout game), but he still ranked 10th in the AL in strikeouts (172) and 11th in strikeout rate (20.0 percent). He would finish 17-11. Home runs remained an issue, as Johnson surrendered 28 that season, and 60 total in his two seasons with the Yankees.
In two regular seasons, Johnson posted average to very good numbers, overall:
| Starts | Quality Starts | IP | Avg. Start (IP) | ERA | FIP | ERA+ | OPS | K% | BB% | WHIP | BABIP | |
| 2005-2006 | 67 | 36 | 430.2 | 6.43 | 4.37 | 4.01 | 100 | .711 | 21.5% | 6.0% | 1.180 | .285 |
However, Johnson made two disastrous postseason starts for the Yankees, both coming in the ALDS. In the 2005 ALDS against Anaheim, Johnson did not start until Game Three at home, due to pitching in the second-to-last game of the regular season. With the series tied 1-1, Johnson lasted just three innings and struck out just two Angels batters. He surrendered all five runs on home runs, including a three-run homer to Garrett Anderson in the first inning and a two-run homer to Benji Molina in the third inning. The Yankees would rally to take a lead after Johnson left the game, but the Angels would prevail 11-7 in the game, and 3-2 in the series.
In Game Three of the 2006 ALDS at Detroit, with the series tied 1-1, Johnson fell victim to Kenny Rogers’s Magical Mystery Tour through the postseason. Johnson lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and two walks. The Tigers would get to him in the second inning, scoring three runs on four hits and sending seven batters to the plate. The Yankees would lose 6-0, and be eliminated the next day (with Alex Rodriguez batting eighth, you might recall).
Game Three in Detroit would be Johnson’s last start with the Yankees.
In January 2007, the now 43-year-old Johnson was traded back to Arizona for Alberto Gonzalzez, Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, and Luis Vizcaino. Johnson pitched three more seasons for the Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants, posting a 4.17 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 23.3 percent strikeout rate in 57 starts.
The Yankees acquired Johnson at a time when they needed an ace. In 2005, at least, Johnson was a true number one starter and among the very best pitchers in the American League. With him, the team stretched their AL East title streak to nine seasons, but failed to advance to the ALCS in consecutive seasons for the first time since before the strike in 1994. Randy Johnson’s time in the Bronx might not be the highpoint of his Hall-of-Fame career, but it should be more than a just a footnote.
Lead photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports