Johnson ponders pitching future
Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2007 06:28 PM
Will Randy Johnson ever pitch again?
Even he is beginning to wonder.
Two hours after throwing a three-inning simulated game, his first competitive work in nearly a month, Johnson sat at his locker thumbing through a magazine and raised the possibility that he and the Diamondbacks might have some difficult decisions to make soon.
"I think everybody in this clubhouse, maybe not the players, but I think the coaching staff and front office people would like to know - and I would like to know - whether I'm going to be able to pitch and help this organization," Johnson said in a quiet, deliberate voice.
"If not, I think I need to take care of things. And I think they would need to take care of things."
Johnson is in the first year of a two-year, $26 million contract he signed in January to return to the franchise he led to a World Series in 2001 and a city where he won four of his five Cy Young Awards in consecutive seasons from 1999-2002.
The future first-ballot Hall of Famer had back surgery for a herniated disk in October and started the season on the disabled list. He went 0-2 in four starts in late April and early May that, under normal circumstances, should have come during spring training.
Then, from May 15 to June 10, Johnson was back in midcareer form, going 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 42 strikeous in 29 2/3 innings.
"Every time he went out there, we thought we were going to win the game," manager Bob Melvin said.
And the Diamondbacks did win every game, beating the Rockies, Phillies, Pirates, Giants and Red Sox during Johnson's healthy stretch.
Then, in mid-June, Johnson was diagnosed with a newly herniated disk, the same injury that sent him to the operating table last October. He went on the disabled list for two weeks, pitched a simulated game and tried to come back but lasted just three innings against the Dodgers on June 28 and has been out since.
Johnson threw 42 pitches and six hard warm-up tosses between the second and third innings of his latest simulated game before Tuesday night's game. He faced 12 batters, giving up two balls that probably would have been hits in a real game and one sequence that probably would have led to a walk.
Between innings, Johnson looked tired, toweling his head, stretching to touch his toes and, at one point, pacing between the mound and second base with his hands on his hips.
"It's been almost 24 days since I pitched," Johnson said after he had showered and rested. "I think when you haven't done anything, let alone something like that physically and competitively, in 24 days, my stamina was not where I like it to be.
"I will probably talk to BoMel (Melvin) and (pitching coach) Brian Price later on today or tomorrow and see how I feel later on tonight and see how I respond to that tomorrow. If I feel good, then we'll march forward. If I don't then . . . " - Johnson paused a few seconds - "we'll cross that bridge as well."
Johnson said he had "taken all the appropriate steps" to put himself in position to pitch again and would continue to work hard to pitch competitively again.
"Obviously, if I can come back and pitch effectively it's almost like (the Diamondbacks) just made a trade," Johnson said. "I missed a month of starts. To come back and be effective like I was at one time this year, I think that would be a big boost."
No question. And it would be a big loss if he can't come back.
"I'll cross whatever bridge I have to when the time comes," Johnson said. "Right now, I've thrown some pitches today to see how I feel. I think today and tomorrow we'll go from there and see how I feel. It's kind of a boring scenario, but that's kind of the way it is."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0724dbjohnsononline.html
Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2007 06:28 PM
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Will Randy Johnson ever pitch again?
Even he is beginning to wonder.
Two hours after throwing a three-inning simulated game, his first competitive work in nearly a month, Johnson sat at his locker thumbing through a magazine and raised the possibility that he and the Diamondbacks might have some difficult decisions to make soon.
"I think everybody in this clubhouse, maybe not the players, but I think the coaching staff and front office people would like to know - and I would like to know - whether I'm going to be able to pitch and help this organization," Johnson said in a quiet, deliberate voice.
"If not, I think I need to take care of things. And I think they would need to take care of things."
Johnson is in the first year of a two-year, $26 million contract he signed in January to return to the franchise he led to a World Series in 2001 and a city where he won four of his five Cy Young Awards in consecutive seasons from 1999-2002.
The future first-ballot Hall of Famer had back surgery for a herniated disk in October and started the season on the disabled list. He went 0-2 in four starts in late April and early May that, under normal circumstances, should have come during spring training.
Then, from May 15 to June 10, Johnson was back in midcareer form, going 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 42 strikeous in 29 2/3 innings.
"Every time he went out there, we thought we were going to win the game," manager Bob Melvin said.
And the Diamondbacks did win every game, beating the Rockies, Phillies, Pirates, Giants and Red Sox during Johnson's healthy stretch.
Then, in mid-June, Johnson was diagnosed with a newly herniated disk, the same injury that sent him to the operating table last October. He went on the disabled list for two weeks, pitched a simulated game and tried to come back but lasted just three innings against the Dodgers on June 28 and has been out since.
Johnson threw 42 pitches and six hard warm-up tosses between the second and third innings of his latest simulated game before Tuesday night's game. He faced 12 batters, giving up two balls that probably would have been hits in a real game and one sequence that probably would have led to a walk.
Between innings, Johnson looked tired, toweling his head, stretching to touch his toes and, at one point, pacing between the mound and second base with his hands on his hips.
"It's been almost 24 days since I pitched," Johnson said after he had showered and rested. "I think when you haven't done anything, let alone something like that physically and competitively, in 24 days, my stamina was not where I like it to be.
"I will probably talk to BoMel (Melvin) and (pitching coach) Brian Price later on today or tomorrow and see how I feel later on tonight and see how I respond to that tomorrow. If I feel good, then we'll march forward. If I don't then . . . " - Johnson paused a few seconds - "we'll cross that bridge as well."
Johnson said he had "taken all the appropriate steps" to put himself in position to pitch again and would continue to work hard to pitch competitively again.
"Obviously, if I can come back and pitch effectively it's almost like (the Diamondbacks) just made a trade," Johnson said. "I missed a month of starts. To come back and be effective like I was at one time this year, I think that would be a big boost."
No question. And it would be a big loss if he can't come back.
"I'll cross whatever bridge I have to when the time comes," Johnson said. "Right now, I've thrown some pitches today to see how I feel. I think today and tomorrow we'll go from there and see how I feel. It's kind of a boring scenario, but that's kind of the way it is."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0724dbjohnsononline.html
