Big Bum Rap

Dave Paisley

So the Padres take out the Astros, and Randy Johnson gets saddled with his fifth consecutive postseason loss. It's a sad end to his brief but incandescent reign in Houston, and shows just how difficult it is to buy playoff success.

No doubt Johnson will be labeled a choker by much of the mass media, but unlike someone who has never produced in the postseason (hello, Barry Bonds), Johnson has produced on most occasions, but been stymied either by a slightly better pitching performance by his competitor, or the ineptitude of his own team's offense.

The start of the streak goes back to 1995, when Johnson and the Mariners, worn out from the one-game AL West playoff, the exhausting Yankee series, and then six games against a well-rested Indians team, finally succumbed to the exhaustion and went out without a whimper in Game 6. No disgrace for Johnson there, as he had done everything possible to get the Mariners into that position.

The streak continued in 1997 with a genuinely and uncharacteristically bad game against the Orioles to start the Division Series. Bumbling defense (some of it his own) contributed, but it wasn't the Randy Johnson that finished a hair behind Clemens for the Cy Young award. He almost redeemed himself with a gritty performance in Game 4, but he was still vulnerable to scrub right-handed middle infielders like Jeff Reboulet, and Mike Mussina flat out-pitched him again.

Fast-forward to this year, and Game 1 of the Astros-Padres series. Johnson pitches remarkably well, giving up only two runs in eight innings, but his offense is mowed down by Kevin Brown, who is having yet another game of his life.

Finally, there was tonight's game, in which Johnson faced a middle-of-the-road Padre starter in Sterling Hitchcock. Somehow, Hitchcock elevated his game to Johnson-esque proportions, giving up only one run on three hits, no walks, striking out eleven in a mere six innings. Johnson himself could only manage eight strikeouts, and gave up two runs on three hits and one walk.

The second run given up by Johnson was unearned -- Greg Vaughn reached second on a so-called double, which was in reality a misjudgment by Gutierrez, then scoring on a throwing error by Sean Berry. Once again, Johnson was let down by his defense and offense.

So it's all over for Johnson and the Astros. In all likelihood, Johnson will resurface in the AL next year with one of the incredibly rich teams -- probably the Yankees or Indians. Maybe the Angels, if Disney wants to spend the cash. Good luck to him in finding the postseason at least one more time so he can shed the undeserved loser tag.

As for the Padres, it won't be so easy winning 2-1 games against the Braves.

On to the League Championship Series, I say!

 

 

about the author

Dave Paisley, who is covering the National League playoffs for strikethree.com, is English, which explains the "I say." We're still not sure how to explain the subscription to Soldier of Fortune. We recommend you be careful what you say at drdjp@strikethree.com.