The `Big Unit` Randy Johnson Won the Cy Young Award for Four Consecutive Years

Randy Johnson (39. Arizona Diamondbacks) heard the news that he was selected as the Winner of the Cy Young Award at a prestige golf club in California, the Pebble Beach Golf Links on the 6th.

Johnson, who said, “It was the moment that I tried to putt in the second hole,” answered the reporter`s question of his emotion, “The biggest honor for a player is winning the World Series. It (winning the Cy Young) is a kind of bonus if you spent a good season.”

Randy Johnson, who is known as `the Big Unit` because of his great stature, has been selected for four consecutive years (1999~2002) as the Winner of the Cy Young Award. Considering that he swept 32 number 1 votes, his being in the National League pitchers is unchallenging. It has been 11 times in the history of the National League that a Cy Young Award winner is decided unanimously, and he was the second person to win the Award for four consecutive years since Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves. 1992~1995).

Johnson, who entered the Big League in 1988 and recorded 224 wins and 106 losses for 15 years, is especially a `Doctor K` who got more than 300 strikeouts for 5 consecutive seasons since 1998. He was ranked on the 4th in this category all time with 3,746 career strikeouts.

He throws only fastballs and sliders. However, the near 160km fastball from his great stature and sliders in 140km`s are `impregnable` to opponent batters. Johnson once said, “I don`t find a need to throw other type of balls.” His fastball is still powerful although he is near in his 40`s, so he got the Triple Crown for a pitcher with 24 wins and 5 losses, 2.37 ERA`s, and 334 strikeouts.

Since he got the Cy Young for four consecutive years, he got ranked on the 2nd with 5 career winnings including 1995 with the Seattle Mariners. The player with most winnings is the `Rocket Man` Roger Clemens (40) of the New York Yankees. Clemens, who won the American League Cy Young Award 6 times, overwhelmed an age with firing fastballs and sinking curveballs, and he did his job by recording 13 wins and 6 losses and 4.35 ERA this season.

If Johnson and Clemens are the players who are burning their `twilight flame`, Pedro Martinez (31. Boston Red Sox) is the player enjoying his peak.

Martinez, who got fastballs in 150km`s and `state-of-the-art` change-up`s, recorded 20 wins and 4 losses (3rd), 2.26 ERA (1st), and 239 strikeouts (1st), and his the favorite candidate of the American League Cy Young Award, which will be announced on the 7th.

The Major League Cy Young Award is an award for the best pitchers of both Leagues commemorating Cy Young, who recorded most career wins (511 wins 316 losses), and winners have been decided since 1956.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com