=== HOF Monitor ===

With 100 points being a "likely Hall of Famer," the Big Unit amassed 331 points.  In essence, Johnson had three HOF careers.  

He's 3rd among all-time pitchers (Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens). 

Johnson had more HOF Monitor points than Cy Young, who had >500 wins.  He had more than double the HOF points that Juan Marichal had.

...........

Randy and Lefty Grove were the two best left-hand starters who ever lived, and even there, Randy has 331 HOF points to Grove's 232.  A nice even C-note more HOF points than the man who was, for 50 years, baseball's best LHP.

With 331 HOF points, Randy has 330 more than Casey Kotchman.

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=== Founding Father Dept. ===

We vividly remember the 1995 Player Handbook that Bill James put out.  Randy being 32 at the time, and nobody yet understanding the PWR = LONGEV idea, James asserted, "I expect him to be pitching effectively in 10 years."

A little later, James wrote, You better enjoy watching him, because there is never going to be another pitcher like him.

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=== Age 40 ===

Johnson's last great season was in 2004, at the age of 40.   Bear in mind that your muscles weaken noticeably at 36-37-38.  At the age of 40 you are no longer the man you were at 30, not by a long shot.

At age 40, Johnson did the following, which Felix Hernandez will likely never do:

1. 0.90 WHIP led the National League
2. 290 strikeouts, 44 walks
3. 2.60 ERA, 190 ERA+
4. #2 in Cy Young voting
5. Won 16 games for a 51-111 team that was 35-97 in his ND's

Then, from ages 41-44, Johnson averaged about 110 ERA+.

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=== Seattle ===

Mariners fans enjoyed four (4) full years of Johnson's brilliance, and as soon as his first big contract was to be signed, they lost him.

I'm still melancholy that Seattle then missed the next 10 seasons of Johnson's performances.   It's probably my worst regret in sports, not being able to watch Johnson in Seattle.

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=== Heartbreak Dept. ===

The Johnson Concept is why major league teams chase after pitchers with golden arms.  Bear in mind that Johnson wasn't any good until age 29.

Daniel Cabrera, Aroldis Chapman, Brandon Morrow ... as one scout put it on Johnson, back in the early 90's, "You can't afford to give up on him.  He's got so much potential just based on pure velocity."

It's one thing to talk about hitting the jackpot and getting a good player.  But with the 100 mph arms, you've got a shot at a Randy Johnson.  Up until they're 30 years old.  No wonder teams stick with them.

Stephen Strasburg and Tim Lincecum, the last decade, are the two guys to come out of the amateurs with that kind of shot at immortality.  But even they have a looooong ways to go...

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Cheers,

Dr D