Randy Johnson: Will Another 300-Game Winner Emerge?

Not only does Randy Johnson’s 300th victory raise questions about where he stands among Major League Baseball’s all-time great pitchers, it also raises the question as to who will be the next 300 game winner, if anyone.

After lefty Tom Glavine won his 300th game in 2008, Randy Johnson of the San Francisco Giants was clearly next in line to claim that same record. But who is to follow Johnson? 

Before I answer that question, let's decide where to place Johnson on the list of elite pitchers in MLB history. Among left-handed pitchers, Johnson deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as 300-game winners Warren Spahn (363), Steve Carlton (329), and Lefty Grove (300).   

Johnson has never been a flashy player or a friend to the media, so his numbers and dominance are often forgotten and overlooked. But let's remember, this is a man who has won five Cy Young Awards—four of which came in consecutive years (1999 to 2002). 

Furthermore, during his years of dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s he repeatedly came in second and third in the Cy Young voting and also received votes for the MVP award. 

Johnson’s current strike-out count of 4,845 is second only to Nolan Ryan and is almost 200 more than seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. So not only should we consider Randy Johnson one of the all-time great left-handed pitchers, he's also one of the most dominant pitchers of his era.

The numbers are clear, and his greatness is indisputable; Cooperstown, make room, this 300-game winner is coming.

But again, the question remains: Who will be the next 300 game winning pitcher in MLB?  Arguments have been made for CC Sabathia of the Yankees and Johan Santana of the Mets. 

Both are legitimate contenders due to their age, number of wins posted, and the teams for which they play. However, both men are and have already been called upon to pitch too many innings. Over time their arms and bodies will hinder their quest for 300 wins.

Today's game is not set up for starters to get as many wins as they used to. There is now so much emphasis on saving the starters' arms for the postseason and getting the middle relief in the game as soon as possible to set up for the closers. The game is just different and not designed for starters to rack up wins like they did in the past. 

Think about Cy Young himself. Can anyone even fathom how he got to 511 wins? Or how about the 417 wins Walter Johnson accomplished? Those numbers sound absurd when you think of them in the context of the game today.

If there is another 300-game winner out there, he is probably in the fourth grade right now or has not yet been born. Until the nature of the game changes, we should enjoy and celebrate Randy Johnson’s 300th win because it may be a long while before we see its likes again.