Randy Johnson

Spikemax

I'm a collector of Randy's cards on the Registry under WAW206 so I'm a fan even though I'm from Boston. I was wondering why one of the top lefty's and not so loved pitchers in baseball history is never discussed on the forum?

jeffcbay

I like his Geico commercial!

itzagoner

<< <i> I was wondering why one of the top lefty's and not so loved pitchers in baseball history is never discussed on the forum? >>



i am certain that if RJ was either selling fakes on eBay or talking trash about a fellow board member on another forum, he would be a regular topic of discussion.

BunchOBull

It's not dislike toward Randy; he's probably one of the most well-liked pitchers in the last 30 years. This board isn't big on modern collecting though.

Spikemax

Just curious but 2 of the 3 first responses to the thread have Cal Ripken and Frank Thomas pictures but we don't like modern collecting?

itzagoner

interesting observation.

i think collectors will learn to appreciate RJ as he gets closer to HOF election...he made the brutal mistake of coming out at the same time as Griffey Jr., so take it for what it's worth....that, and there aren't a whole lotta signed and numbered and speckled with sparkle Randy cards like there are for that Harper kid.

Dboneesq

HERE YOU GO:



WHAT? Not the guy you were referring to??????

RookieWax

I have wondered the same. I think interest in Johnson will grow dramatically in the future when the media starts looking back at his career and realizes how amazing his numbers were. To dominate the way he did in the steroid era, to win over 300 games and finish second to Nolan Ryan on the career K list, despite not becoming a regular starter until age 25 is more than incredible. And his card values will follow.

To me, his most under-appreciated and under-valued card is his 1989 Topps Big card in high grade. It's the reason I recently sent in several of my best copies of this card for grading. My grades just popped 2 days ago on these - with 1 out of 8 getting a 10. That was only the 3rd grade of 10 out of 54 total cards graded on the population report. These cards in general are not nearly as plentiful as other 1989 cards, and the Johnson card is nearly always off-centered. Additionally, they often suffer from factory edge nicks and bent corners from the tight packaging. By the way, its a great looking card as well.

Dialj

Would a scan of the PSA 10 be possible in the future?

olb31

Modern stars/cards are not discussed much on this board because there is a very little value in them, especially if grading with PSA. Every star card Bonds, Griffey, Maddux, Johnson, Mcgwire, Clemens, Glavine, Etc have thousands of 10's making their value basically meaningless. However, if grading with Beckett, the modern cards take on a different value. For example using Randy Johnson:

1989 Upper Deck PSA 10 probably sells for $50 or so, while a BGS 10 sells $300.

1989 Upper Deck PSA 10 Griffey sells for about $200 or so, while a BGS 10 sells for $1,000

To me this is a slight problem for PSA and something they will have to deal with sooner rather than later. Right now, it makes little or no sense to send a mint 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux into PSA to have graded. You are much better off taking a chance at getting a high grade 9.5 or 10 from Beckett. I think there are something like 14 BGS 10 donruss Maddux's and something like 1,500 or so PSA 10's. Why bother with getting number 1,501?

To sum it up, modern stars are not important to PSA graders, but are to BGS graders.

RookieWax

<< <i> Would a scan of the PSA 10 be possible in the future? >>



Yes, I will add a scan when the card arrives from PSA...hopefully today! By the way, an additional factor in the rarity of this card in high grade is the fact that they were slightly over-sized. This made safe storage very difficult....especially back in 1989.

RookieWax

Ask and you shall receive....fresh from my mail lady:

storm888

A Randy Johnson card question for the experts:

1986 ProCards

West Palm Beach Expos


Some of these cards list:

Throws: Left --- Bats: Left

Some of these cards list:

Throws: Left --- Bats: Right


I have seen both in TPG slabs.

Is one an error that was corrected, or is one of them not genuine?

Thanks.

itzagoner

dig the Big.

BunchOBull

<< <i>Just curious but 2 of the 3 first responses to the thread have Cal Ripken and Frank Thomas pictures but we don't like modern collecting? >>



The overwhelming majority of members here collect vintage material, a lot of whom are specifically building registry material. The registry is much stronger pre-1980.

miconelegacy

I love modern, mainly because it helps fund my vintage collection. Not very hard, just requires some money and timing. I have cleaned up on PSA 9 and 10 Bryce Harper base cards. Easiest way to take a $5 card and turn it into $50 or $75.

No trimming or alterations either!

lanemyer85

t's not dislike toward Randy; he's probably one of the most well-liked pitchers in the last 30 years.

I don't know if I'd say "well liked". He wasn't Milton Bradley or Jeff Kent, but he wasn't exactly a warm fuzzy fellow either. He didn't get the tag "The Big Red Arse" for nothing. That said, he also played for 6 different teams and the majority of his career in small or mid-markets like the Expos, M's., and DBacks without the attention that larger and East Coast markets receive. Also factor in that during his time with the M's he was arguably third or even forth in popularity behind Griffey Jr, A-Rod, and Edgar.

Spikemax

CNote

<< <i>t's not dislike toward Randy; he's probably one of the most well-liked pitchers in the last 30 years.

I don't know if I'd say "well liked". He wasn't Milton Bradley or Jeff Kent, but he wasn't exactly a warm fuzzy fellow either. He didn't get the tag "The Big Red Arse" for nothing. That said, he also played for 6 different teams and the majority of his career in small or mid-markets like the Expos, M's., and DBacks without the attention that larger and East Coast markets receive. Also factor in that during his time with the M's he was arguably third or even forth in popularity behind Griffey Jr, A-Rod, and Edgar. >>



Well, all his whining about his back here and wanting to be traded didn't do him any favors with Seattle fans. Trading for him, and trading him away were both two of the better deals in franchise history- and while he was here, he was top notch on the mound.

Toro

<< <i>Modern stars/cards are not discussed much on this board because there is a very little value in them, especially if grading with PSA. Every star card Bonds, Griffey, Maddux, Johnson, Mcgwire, Clemens, Glavine, Etc have thousands of 10's making their value basically meaningless. However, if grading with Beckett, the modern cards take on a different value. For example using Randy Johnson: 1989 Upper Deck PSA 10 probably sells for $50 or so, while a BGS 10 sells $300. 1989 Upper Deck PSA 10 Griffey sells for about $200 or so, while a BGS 10 sells for $1,000 To me this is a slight problem for PSA and something they will have to deal with sooner rather than later. Right now, it makes little or no sense to send a mint 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux into PSA to have graded. You are much better off taking a chance at getting a high grade 9.5 or 10 from Beckett. I think there are something like 14 BGS 10 donruss Maddux's and something like 1,500 or so PSA 10's. Why bother with getting number 1,501? To sum it up, modern stars are not important to PSA graders, but are to BGS graders. >>



You're comparing apples to oranges in regards to a PSA 10 and a BGS 10. In the early 2000's a BGS 9.5 and PSA 10 were equivalent grades. A PSA 10 was/is a Gem Mint........a BGS 9.5 was/is a Gem Mint......a BGS 10 "Pristine" was virtually impossible to come by and considered the best of the best........and the prices reflected....then the company was sold.....fast forward to now....and BGS 10's are being handed out like candy.....the prices will come down on BGS 10's OR PSA 10's will close the gap.....in the modern market. The only exception are modern rookie auto's.....personally I like the BGS slab better for that type of card.....as for the vintage market....BVG isn't even in the game.....


About RJ, I went to his high school, he graduated years before me but I remember a picture of him in his high school uniform on the wall of my coaches office. I also remember a box full of jerseys in an old storage room...I wonder if RJ's was in there.

RookieWax

Some of you might have already caught this, but MLB network recently named Randy Johnson the #1 most intimidating player of all time.

To give you some perspective, here are the top 3:

#1: Randy Johnson
#2: Nolan Ryan
#3: Barry Bonds

mcadams

<< <i>Some of you might have already caught this, but MLB network recently named Randy Johnson the #1 most intimidating player of all time.

To give you some perspective, here are the top 3:

#1: Randy Johnson
#2: Nolan Ryan
#3: Barry Bonds >>



To not have Roger Clemens on this list is a joke.

RookieWax

Clemens was #4 on the list I believe.

MooseDog

storm888:

I don't think it mattered which side Johnson batted on...possibly the worst hitter every to pick up a bat in a major league game.

Spikemax:

Only going on 2nd hand information here, but a couple of things about RJ that stick out...he came along long after I stopped getting autographs in person, but 100% of the people I have spoken to about his fan-friendliness were 100% negative with words like d**k, a**hole frequent adjectives. One kid I met played high school ball with him here in the Bay Area and said he was an awesome player but he used the term "self-centered jerk" in describing him.

Years later I was down at Spring Training in Arizona and was really fortunate to have a booth right behind a couple of sports writers, couldn't help but eavesdrop as they were telling some great stories. The subject turned to RJ and one of them just said "what a miserable human being". When we left I recognized two of the writers as long time baseball writers for a national publication, I won't say who.

Don't get me wrong, as a baseball fan I've thought RJ is one of the greatest pitchers ever to play the game and as far as that goes I could give a rats you know what about his personality, but if you are looking for reasons why some might have a negative impression of the guy it might be 'cause he didn't do himself very well in the PR department.

yankeesman

For some reason, RJ has haunted me - once in a good way and once in a bad way - in person. First, the bad. A friend of mine calls me on a Tuesday afternoon and asks if I want to go over to Atlanta to see the game that night (I live about an hour and a half from Atlanta). I didn't have anything going on, but didn't feel like fooling with it so I told him no thanks. I turn on ESPN the next morning, and...lo and behold... a perfecto in Atlanta by Mr. Johnson.

Now, the good. My two sons, my dad, and I take a baseball trip every year to a different major league city (seen 17 different stadiums so far). A couple of years ago, we were going to Washington. We had tickets for a Friday game but were driving up on Thursday. Planned this long before pitching probables were announced. On the way up, I see that RJ is pitching in Washington for # 300 so we bust tail driving up there. Get there just in time for game time and... rained out. We got to game 1 of the doubleheader the next day with maybe 2000 of our closest friends to watch Randy win his 300th. And got my only foul ball ever in the first inning. Once game one was over, I asked the usher should we go back out the gate and come back in with our new tickets for the actual Friday game and he looks around at the empty stadium and says "Don't worry about it. Sit wherever you want."

nendee

I have a great RJ story, 1998 - I was at OHare airport flying to a job interview at ESPN.COM ( they used to have their website done by a company called Starwave in Seattle), and the flight to Seattle was delayed. Laying across about 6 seats at the gate waiting area for my flight was - you guessed it - Randy Johnson! I was racking my brain why he was there in the beginning ( it was April ) of the baseball season, in the middle of a road trip more or less. It turns out he was ejected in Cleveland the night before, and was flying back ahead of the team to be with his pregnant wife. He was he'll surly, but after he sat up, I walked over , asked if he could sign my job interview schedule, and he grunted and did!

Talk about a great interview ice breaker story ! I got the job and have been happily working on Sports Internet stuff since then!

rbdjr1

He hit a bird? Yikes!