Gambo: Fans need to thank Randy Johnson
Apr 24, 2009, 9:42 PM | Updated: Jan 14, 2011, 4:21 pm
With all the discussion in this town focusing on the NFL draft this weekend let’s not forget Randy Johnson returns to Chase Field for the first time as the enemy.
On Saturday, Johnson will face Max Scherzer and the emotions will be high. For Johnson it is a chance to gain win number 297 and to prove to the Diamondbacks that they made the wrong decision in not bringing him back to win #300 for the team where he had his greatest success.
For the fans it is an opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for a World Championship. Thank you for 4 Cy Young Awards. Thank you for a no-hitter. Thank you for signing with the Diamondbacks when they were awful and bringing legitimacy to the franchise. And thank you for always playing the game the right way.
D-back fans need to let Johnson know how much they appreciated him when he takes the mound Saturday. From the second he steps out of the dugout to take the mound in the bottom of the first to the second he delivers the first pitch he deserves to get a thundering standing ovation. Nothing less will be acceptable. The D-back fans should force Randy to tip his cap to them and to make Randy feel the emotions of a special day.
Due to the free agent circumstances in the offseason the fans never got to say goodbye properly to Johnson. Not the first time he left to go to New York and not the second time in going to San Francisco.
But tomorrow the fans will have their opportunity to make the best player to ever participate in professional sports as a member of an Arizona team know how they feel.
I can only hope they take advantage of it.
