More "Seattle is my sentimental home" talk from a former Mariner..

by seattlesundevil on Mar 4, 2009 8:26 AM PST Comment 45 comments

In today's Arizona Republic, the newspaper that covers the Phoenix area, there is a story about Randy Johnson and how he is considering going in to the hall of fame as a Mariner..

When asked how it felt to perform so well in front of his former bosses, Johnson mockingly asked if Jerry Colangelo was in attendance. And then he did something unexpected. He made it clear that his sentimental home is in Seattle, just in case the Hall of Fame was curious as to what hat he'd like to wear for eternity.

"I'd say the biggest thrill I got was going back to Seattle," Johnson said. "The time I spent there, what it meant to me and my career . . . I had more wins there than any place else, more time there then any place else. It was kind of my steppingstone. All the other teams I played for kind of reaped the benefits . . . "

Interesting bit of news and considering it was in a paper / website that not a whole lot of people probably read around this site, here ya go!

More Mariners in the hall of fame is a-ok with me..

Whoops - forgot the link.. Link here

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I think the Hall would strongly suggest he consider going in as a D-Back.

by acblue on Mar 4, 2009 8:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The Hall can go fuck itself.

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Mar 4, 2009 8:45 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Johnson did much for with Arizona than he did with Seattle.

You can't hide from the omnipresent eye.

by Goose on Mar 4, 2009 9:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

for=more

You can't hide from the omnipresent eye.

by Goose on Mar 4, 2009 9:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He did save the Seattle Mariners from becoming the St. Petersburg Mariners.

by waldo rojas on Mar 4, 2009 9:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But Seattle is where he became really really famous. It just assumed he’d we a “D” because he’s from there, and he spent his best years there as well. Maybe their rejection of him this off season has soured him on being a Diamondback for life.

by JI on Mar 4, 2009 9:36 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a Mariners fan, not a Dbags fan.

Why should I care about rationality?

Fear the NPE

by thewyrm on Mar 4, 2009 10:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Word

Why would I watch Transformers when I can play with them at my house?

by Taylor H on Mar 4, 2009 11:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Another BOO CHUCK reason...

For as much as having Chuck Armstrong involved in the negotiations with Griffey helped us, it likely cost us a better player (and one who’s even higher on my favorites list) in RJ. I would’ve LOVED to see him retire in an M’s uniform…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Mar 4, 2009 8:53 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

But he isn't ready to retire.

There is also next year.

by msb on Mar 4, 2009 11:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Griffey and Unit this year would have been so amusing/exciting, and could have easily been done

if Chuck didnt kill the Washburn deal.

by Rudy4three on Mar 4, 2009 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Grunit!

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 4, 2009 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But it wouldn't be like Wade Boggs trying to sneak in with a TB hat, would it?

I mean, there is a case for him to go in as a Mariner. I understand that the case is stronger for him as a Diamondback, but would it really be so bad if he requested that he wear a M’s hat?

by Omerta on Mar 4, 2009 8:56 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

No, but all he can do is make the request

the Hall are the ones who make the final call, and that World Series title and those Cy Youngs will probably make the Hall decide to send him in as a D’back. I just hope when they do it’s with the old logo.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 4, 2009 9:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorta more like if Boggs had wanted to wear a Yankees hat in the hall.

He wasn’t there VERY long but he was part of the ’96 Series team.

by Two Rs and Two Ls on Mar 4, 2009 1:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm touched.

I really hope he ends his career here. Hopefully he has 2 years left in the tank. Seeing him get #5000 in a M’s uniform would be awesome assuming he was still a productive player.

by JI on Mar 4, 2009 9:05 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

And fuck it we can have two #51s

Works in college football.

by JI on Mar 4, 2009 9:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ichiro will just DH whenever RJ is pitching

that way only one is on the field at a time

by seattlebruin on Mar 4, 2009 9:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously the rosy scenario

is to acquire him in July and have him pitch us into the playoffs in route to #5000… then he walks off into the sunset.

by JI on Mar 4, 2009 9:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Motherfucking ownership

by Jeff on Mar 4, 2009 10:02 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking about this awhile ago

Does the Hall have any notion of heart when it comes to the hat they get to wear? I mean RJ meant so much to this city with keeping the Mariners here/ putting them in the national spotlight… I was little but remember being there in the Kingdome when he struck out his 300th of the season

by CHEAP ROUNDS AT NORM'S on Mar 4, 2009 10:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I guarantee you that D-Backs fans feel similarly towards him.

by acblue on Mar 4, 2009 11:40 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I know several and I can confirm this is the case.

Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling singlehandedly (dualhandedly?) won the World Series, according to most casual Diamondbacks fans.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 4, 2009 12:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Luis Gonzalez's 57 HRs probably helped a little.

by JI on Mar 4, 2009 12:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

True, i didn't think about their position before the WS title

by CHEAP ROUNDS AT NORM'S on Mar 4, 2009 1:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The post-Boggs rule is that the Hall decides which cap a player wears UNLESS said player really did split his great years between two teams.

In this case, RJ will almost certainly get to choose between the Mariners and the Diamondbacks. Yes, he got the four consecutive CYAs with AZ, but he also got one in Seattle plus three Top 3 finishes. He has slightly more service time in Seattle than AZ, and he can justifiably claim to be equally important to Seattle as he was to AZ on the premise that ‘95 and ’01 are really equally huge in both fanbases’ minds.

If the decision were purely left to an objective 3rd party, I think RJ would go in with a D-Backs cap. But there are enough good arguments for Seattle that the HOF committee will almost certainly give him the choice.

Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism

by esoteric on Mar 4, 2009 12:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This is the back up i was looking for

If the article is true, then he may just be able to make it his choice

by CHEAP ROUNDS AT NORM'S on Mar 4, 2009 1:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Have I told you lately that I love you, Chuck?

by Matthew on Mar 4, 2009 11:01 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

We should have signed the dude this year. SF got a steal. If we had only had 10 million or so lying around

Thanks Chuck

by Rudy4three on Mar 4, 2009 3:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You have not

by Robert on Mar 4, 2009 7:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wish RJ could come back here, finish his career, and go to the hall as Mariner

but he’s a Diamondback

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org

by I'm NOT Corco on Mar 4, 2009 11:09 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

He must first come back and win 4 championships at a couple more Cy Youngs.

Then have them demolish Safeco and build a new stadium sponsored by CBS’s show The Unit.

I think at that point he’d go in as a Mariner.

I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Mar 4, 2009 11:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't Wade Boggs go in with a D-Rays hat?

by waldo rojas on Mar 4, 2009 12:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

No, he wanted to (there were rumors of a payoff), but the HOF overruled him and gave him a Boston cap.

After the Boggs incident a new rule was put in place (as I described above): the HOF will have the final say in every situation except one where a player genuinely split time/achievement between two teams, in which case they’ll defer to the player’s wishes. Think Nolan Ryan – who objectively should have gone in as an Angel but chose to wear a Rangers cap, which was defensible enough given his late-career achievements and Texas affiliation — although he obviously predated the rule.

Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism

by esoteric on Mar 4, 2009 1:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nolan Ryan spent almost an equal amount of time between four teams.

But I would say he is best known as an Astro than any other team.

And I think the Boggs situation can be compared to RJ more easily. Spent the large portion of his career (and prime) in Boston, but went on New York for a few seasons and won a championship. Johnson also spent the prime of his career in Seattle (at least age-wise), but absolutely sealed his HOF fate as a Diamondback by dominating those first 4 years in Arizona.

by Wilder. on Mar 4, 2009 1:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have to think that Johnson is a Diamondback in the Hall.

I mean yes, an argument could be made that a Mariners cap would be appropriate with the Cy Young award and the no hitter of the Tigers, but when you look at his sheer dominance of the NL with his time in Arizona, factor in the World Series and the Perfect Game, Arizona’s case has much better merit.

by Two Rs and Two Ls on Mar 4, 2009 2:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs