NEW YORK–On Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Randy Johnson agreed to a two-year, $26 million dollar contract, making it likely that the Big Unit will end his career as a snake.
Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes was thrilled to have the Big Unit back in the Diamondbacks’ folds. “When you get a guy whose name carries the kind of girth that Johnson’s does,” Byrnes said, “You obviously get really excited.”
Byrnes was hopeful that Johnson would retire a Diamondback. “We wanted to restructure the contract so that we could lock up the Big Unit in our little box for the rest of his baseball life,” Byrnes said.
Johnson was happy with the contract extension, but did not regret his two seasons in the Bronx. “In gorge- I’m sorry. In George [Steinbrenner], you had a guy who was a winner, who knew how to win, and who was willing to go to great lengths to do so. But I’m also happy to be returning back home to the Diamondbacks.”
Johnson pitched brilliantly for the Diamondbacks from 1999 through 2004, including winning the co-MVP of the 2001 World Series with Curt Schilling, when the two led the Diamondbacks past the Yankees in a thrilling seven-game series. “I’ll never forget watching Schilling and the Big Unit double team the Yankees and helping the snakes come out on top,” Byrnes said without a hint of sarcasm. “Having the Big Unit back in 2007 will be a great fit for the whole team.”
Hot as a Kerry Wood fastball.
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