Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News takes a look at the possibility of Randy Johnson leaving the Diamondbacks this winter. Ringolsby says the D’Backs aren’t sure if Johnson will remain committed after he gets the five wins needed to reach 300. Plus, Johnson doesn’t travel with the team these days. Arizona GM Josh Byrnes weighed in on the Big Unit, saying they’ll wait a few weeks before engaging in contract talks with him.
Johnson is an interesting free agent. He’s 45 years old, yet he posted a solid 3.91 ERA in 184 innings this year. His control is excellent, and he’s still a strikeout pitcher even though his average fastball is down to 90.8 mph. He earned a $10MM salary this year, with additional signing bonus money coming in the future. We’ll have to ask Eddie Bajek whether Johnson’s shutout last weekend nudged him into Type B territory. If so, the D’Backs will have to decide whether to offer arbitration.
