Swan Song to the Big Unit

Well the greatest Seattle Mariner pitcher of all time is calling it a day. Randy Johnson will not be coming back for 2010 after 22 seasons and is definitely to be first round hall of famer when the time comes in five years. Ironically, his 300th win and last major milestone came with the San Francisco Giants, whose star pitcher Gaylord Perry earned his 300th win with the Mariners back in 1982. Tit for tat I guess.

His other credentials are more than worthy. Johnson posted 303 wins with a 3.29 ERA and 4875 strikeouts. Among lifetime leaders, Johnson's 2nd in strikeouts (Only pitcher with more is Nolan Ryan) and 1st in strikeouts per 9 innings (10.6098). He threw 2 no hitters, one of which was a perfect game and he won the Cy Young Award 5 times, 4 of which he won consecutively from 1999-2002.

Now, in light of Edgar Martinez's poor showing at his first hall of fame voting and the uncertainty of how he will fare in future voting, Johnson could be the first player voted into the hall of fame with a Mariners cap. He did throw one of those no hitters with Seattle and he was the first and only Mariner to win the Cy Young Award. However, he won 4 others with Arizona, was Co-MVP on Arizona's only World Championship team with Curt Schilling, and won a Perfect game for the Diamondbacks. Only time will tell, but either way, it won't take Johnson any longer than 5 years to get in the hall.