Randy Johnson tipped Pitches his Entire Career...and still TERRORIZED hitters!

Randy Johnson's pitching greatness irrefutably proven in under 5 minutes.
The most dominant Left Handed Pitcher of all time in baseball history?
Shop now at PitchingNinja.com !
Follow on social media!
Twitter: @pitchingninja
Instagram: @pitchingninja
Tik Tok: @pitchingninja
Directed by Rob Friedman
Produced by Will Leahey
Subscribe to our presenting sponsor, FanDuel, and connect with them on social:
FanDuel on Twitter: / fdsportsbook
FanDuel on KZbin: bitly.com/sub2FanDuel

[@Gregory_tottie]

There’s a great story about him going to a Rush concert. Rush was playing about an hour away from where Randy was pitching one night. Randy told Geddy Lee he was going to come to the show. And Geddy, the big baseball fan that he is, said “Randy, your game starts at 7 and we go on at 10. You’ll miss the entire show.” Randy said “I’ll pitch a fast game” I think he pitched a complete game, lasted about 2 hours and he made it to the Rush show

[@davidp3051]

That’s awesome

[@nepzski]

one could say he rushed there

[@nathancantano6973]

That he was tipping his entire career is nuts.

[@JammastaJ23]

That is remarkable to think that he probably left some runs out there and had multiple sub 3 ERA seasons anyways

[@glnb1747]

I wonder what was tony gwynn average against the big unit?

[@jimwerther]

He wasn't

[@conorjohn490]

I thought it was going to be like he always blinks twice or something... It's like the most obvious thing 😄

[@tonyrauls1941]

I like the attitude of 'I'll tell you what's coming and you still won't hit it'. That's masculinity, no trickery, just BALLS.

[@wojciechbieniek4029]

And after he retired from baseball, he's now a very acclaimed photographer. What a legend.

[@djquinn11]

Yes, and he seems like a humble gentleman.

[@kevinhaskey6668]

He can get those above shots

[@pumpbustersv1]

His companies logo is just gold.

[@RagnarokCo]

Dude doesn't even need to own a drone to get drone footage.

[@fromulus]

I saw Randy Johnson once at Fenway when he was with the mariners. He didn't pitch that game but I saw him during BP and warm-ups, and I was just flabbergasted by how gigantic he is, even compared to all the other players.

[@fromulus]

Oh and to boot he seems like such a genuinely sweet person. Guys got it all.

[@72jm71bh]

U gotta love some FENWAY PARK....

[@EyeInTea]

@@fromulus and now he is just living the life as a photographer

[@sueyourself5413]

But he hates birds!

[@driveral1305]

I saw him at a Phoenix convenience store. He had to duck a bit to make sure he didn't hit his head. He was pretty quiet though. He was the second tallest guy I've ever met. Tom Chambers was the tallest.

[@chriszablocki2460]

When you were listing his statistical accomplishments, you forgot that he also won a world series. Against the Yankees.

[@mastod0n1]

For a franchise that didn't even exist 4 years prior.

[@chriszablocki2460]

@@mastod0n1 exactly. I think they still rank that as one of the most significant world series wins of all time.

[@rick_fortune]

Also forgot: "Most birds destroyed in a career" :D

[@chriszablocki2460]

@@rick_fortune *career

[@drewdrewski4188]

Still the greatest World Series I've ever seen with my own eyes. So many legends and legendary moments.

[@danhill7889]

Randy nuking that bird is an all time classic moment in baseball

[@dannyhightower911]

yeah I was disappointed he didn't include it in this video, no reason not to,

[@hessunator]

@@dannyhightower911 Watch the first 10 seconds of the video again

[@deusvult6920]

@@dannyhightower911 weird I saw it. You fkn blind ?

[@seymourglass26]

@@dannyhightower911 It's in the video, and even an 80mph pitch would obliterate a bird that size. It was luck, not a superhuman feat.

[@dannyhightower911]

@@seymourglass26 Never said it was a superhuman feat. What it is supernaturally crazy luck.

[@SenorTortas]

What's funny is that in that Ozzie at bat, he's obviously standing so far away from the plate for fear of that 100 MPH heater. But Randy doesn't waste much energy and simply attacks him with a slider. It was a mind game with this man! He had three 80-grade pitches with wicked velocity and movement and still tried to get in your head like Greg Maddux. That's a dangerous combo and why I personally think he's the greatest pitcher of all time

[@Arminian100]

Greatest Lefty without a doubt

[@michaelmappin4425]

There are some players that I still can't believe played during my time on earth. Randy is one of them.

[@BenFishing23]

I remember seeing him at Englishtown NJ for the NHRA Summer Nationals as a photographer. Much love for the big unit.

[@Ascending11]

I remember seeing a comment a while back that still makes me laugh. Randy Johnson looks like a civil war calvary officer. 😂

[@Jlundeen]

He always struck me as a modern Wild Bill Hickok.

[@412StepUp]

Yeah he does. LOL

[@Osiris3657]

I saw Randy pitch in the Astrodome during his 3 month stint with the Astros. The atmosphere was electric. I was crushed when we didn't sign him (even knowing that he's from AZ and was likely to go there no matter what)

[@JLtheactor]

Wanted to see Randy pitch and got too in 2001. My favorite pitcher as a kid

[@davewestner]

I love that he looked like the meanest bastard on the planet when he was on the mound, but now that he's retired, he's just the nicest guy. Never woulda thought he'd take up photography.....seems more like he'd be a member of fight club or something.

[@10Peter25]

Early in his career, Johnson walked a lot of hitters like so many power pitchers do. However, once he gained command of his pitches and lowered his walk rate to less than 4 per 9 innings, he became one of the most dominating pitchers to ever take the mound. I remember one All-Star Game when I think even Barry Bonds or Tony Gwynn was afraid to bat against Johnson. Johnson's exceptionally long arms and sidearm pitching angle made his fastball look as if it was coming from first base.

[@72jm71bh]

A lil pitching ninja never hurt nobody....awesome content everytime....LOVE how u brake down everything....

[@marcfitzhenry7581]

I am loving these historical PN segments!! More please.

[@VACATETHE48]

I have recently gone through some Randy Johnson footage from his playoff runs in 1998 and 2001... Correct me if I'm wrong but I think his slider had two distinct velocities. He had a slider that would go in the low 80s like 80-84 and a hard slider that would go 86-89.. occasionally touch 90. You could've sit on his slider all you wanted but he had the ability to just drop in a 83mph slider when you were expecting an 88mph one.

[@Lefty755yt]

yeahp that slower one is more of a slurve

[@nkmason8284]

Your break downs on hall of famers/ greats are must see videos for me!

[@TheRandalHandle]

The fact that this video does not have 50 million views is bothering me more than it should

[@SirJoelsuf1]

"He threw a slider from hell, basically treating the batter like they were the 10 pin in bowling"

[@Wonderboywonderings]

I watched Randy Johnson beat out the throw on an infield chop single during spring training. I was even sitting front row behind 1st base. One of his more incredible baseball accomplishments. Total delight to see. And hilarious. Must gangly runner ever, but boy did he hustle!

[@Nammm37]

My favorite pitcher of all-time, I never knew the bit about him tipping pitches. Great video!!

[@therealbs2000]

The Big Unit makes my Rushmore of baseball nicknames.

[@fahimp]

Its crazy that some of the most intimidating and dominant pitchers mainly utilized 2 pitches to terrorize the league. Johnson and Gibson with the fastball/slider, and ryan and koufax with the fastball/curveball combo. To this day, I rank Randy's slider up there with koufax's curve and ryan's fastball as the most unhittable pitches of all time. Especially during his time in AZ, as a hitter you had no chance of hitting the big unit's slider AND you knew it was coming. Easily my favorite pitcher to watch growing up.

[@JurassicParker13]

Unit is so fucking cool. I saw his 300th win in person as a kid. Visiting DC on vacation, and had tickets to the game that got rained out. Went to the 300th win. All I remember: my dad taking a picture of me and my brother in front of the jumbotron congratulating him on the 300th W. “Son, this is a big deal.” My dad maintains we saw the last 300th win ever in person. Doesn’t think there will ever be another guy to rack ‘em up. Thanks for the memories, Randy! See you in the funny pages

[@0neFamily]

It’s unlikely, but I really hope Verlander can get there. He doesn’t need it since he’s already a lock for HOF, but what a bookend that would be.

[@JurassicParker13]

@@0neFamily Funny enough, I’ve got $100 on a bet with my dad bc I think Verlander will get to 300. At this point I dont think itll happen due to 2020 and 2021 being completely missed time. That’s in theory 35-40 wins at the rate he’d need to reach it.

[@0neFamily]

@@JurassicParker13 Yeah that missed time is killer. With those years he probably had it sealed, assuming he was healthy the rest of the way. Still just a cool milestone he could be the last to reach, like EVER. Crazy to have attached to your legacy.

[@jgp6574]

@@0neFamily unfortunately, verlander isnt getting 300. he's 40 this year and has 244 wins. he needs some insane years to close out his career, or pull a julio franco and just never quit

[@0neFamily]

@@jgp6574 Positive thoughts man! Pujols somehow, by the grace of the baseball gods, managed to grind it out to 700. Dude was written off years ago. Positive thoughts! 😂

[@brianmulholland2467]

If this story is true, then it is an absolutely BRUTAL indictment of every pitching coach and manager and maybe even front office staff for every team he ever played for. The idea that no self-scouting ever caught this is absolutely criminal negligence. That's why I have a hard time believing he was doing this his whole career. Some teammate would have noticed, or someone who used to hit against him and then joined him would have tipped him off.

[@seymourglass26]

Yeah, it's not like all his teammates and coaches hated and/or feared him to that degree, and it's not like he only played for one team. Wild.

[@justinlast2lastharder749]

I mean...why mess with a good thing?

[@seymourglass26]

@@justinlast2lastharder749 To get better. You have to think like someone who's literally trying to be the best in the world. "Good" is not acceptable.

[@TimNelson]

I’ve seen Seaver, Gibson, Koufax, Sutton, Richard, Jenkins and the rest. No one was as terrifying as Johnson.

[@djquinn11]

He was so great, what a legend.

[@codyallen9486]

Awesome video!

[@deankelley1]

I'm still upset with how he left Seattle, but damn do I respect his ability as a pitcher. One of kind.

[@sea4our]

watched him in the Kingdome when i was a kid. what i would give to see one more game in there.

[@seymourglass26]

It's kind of hard to believe that he never had a single coach who knew this and wouldn't say something. I'm so confused.

[@Zach_Beebe]

I'm happy I was a baseball fan during prime Clemens, Maddux, Martinez and Johnson. You could pick them as the 4 best ever and not be wrong.

[@godfather4377]

Agree, but I think Clemens and Nolan Ryan were just a notch before those three. Just me personally. The pitching competition was incredible. Some all-time greats all pitching in the same era.

[@michaelericson45]

The Big Unit was my childhood hero. I'm short and right handed, but he was still an inspiration

[@dougfowler1368]

That's crazy. Even crazier than the video, maybe on This Week in Baseball, that I saw once the show that Nolan Ryan grunted when he threw a fastball. But by the time the sound got to you it was too late.

[@gravy2142]

0:54 - you forgot most birds killed by pitcher stat

[@theb3654]

Randy was in my team's division during his Cy Young years what a nightmare that was.

[@TraumaER]

He didn't tip that bird he demolished... 🕊

[@hjean6ugranger590]

Just remember when he played for the Mariners he was pitching in the King Dome, not exactly a pitcher friendly park. The guy was a strikeout machine.

[@RockCh4lk]

I was going to see his 300th win. The game was rained out and we had to fly back home. He got his 300th the following day.

[@bignastystinky]

randy wore 51 cause he was so big, anywhere he was located was also considered a state.

[@kali6651]

I was there when he hit the bird in Tucson, Arizona. I wasn't paying attention when it happened lol

[@billgatesleavingyamomshous8177]

My fav player of all time

[@francescosmith7859]

haha, you might know what pitch was coming but not even Randy knew where the ball was going. 99 that might be at your head or on the outside corner, phew, doesn't sound like fun to me. Great video!

[@OrentholJames]

What?!? He was tipping his pitches? I thought he was kind of overrated because he was just a tall and his pitches were just hard to feel out because of his height. But if they knew what was coming, that totally changes everything on what i think about Johnson. Might be the GOAT.

[@HercuLync]

That's crazy that no one told him how he was tipping his pitches. Pitching coaches and teammates?

[@MrBendylaw]

Was he tipping, though? He was a two pitch pitcher with over 300 wins. Was he just messing with batters, since it was such common knowledge and all? As I recall, Randy had a pretty deliberate setup and staredown, do you think he might've been 'flashing the leather' a bit there to get the batter where he wanted them sometimes?

[@colemathews137]

It's the most effortless looking 100 there is

[@cizzymac]

If he wasn't tipping his pitches, he probably would have racked up 6000 strikeouts. Even still, he's arguably the greatest lefty ever to step on the mound, right up there with Koufax.

[@inflameslp311]

He’d have given up at least 4 fewer homers 🤣

[@85mcarnold]

I easily have Randy as the best LHP ever and it’s not even close. Koufax is the one I see most often at people’s lists but if you compare Randy’s 5 best seasons they are just as good, if not better, than Koufax’s top 5. The big tie breaker is the opposing batting average for lefties: The most important task a LHP has is to get the LHB out, and Randy was the best to ever do that. Randy has a similar career WAR to Greg Maddux over a similar number of seasons. If Randy had better run support he could have won 350 games in his career.

[@dukedematteo1995]

Unit and Clemens are my 1 and 1A. Can't really decide whose better. Johnson struck out 68% more batters than league average (2nd alltime) and lefties were totally neutralized. Clemens struck out 42% more. But prevented HRs 35% better than league average. (3rd alltime). Johnson was 12% better, and was 88th alltime. The fact Clemens was a top 12 strikeout guy and was the 3rd hardest guy to HR off of in relative terms. I think he takes it by a bit.

[@torcmatrix]

GOAT pitcher. Prove me wrong.

[@spoinkyboy3595]

Let’s go Rob!!!! Love the content. First comment.

[@rotcod2886]

Randy Johnson was a beast. He never struck me out though.

[@Gahmuret]

Randy was so dominant that even if he was tipping his pitches, it wouldn't have mattered. His stuff was just that nasty.

[@shanewoosley8303]

He also is the only pitcher that I know of that made a bird explode in a game.

[@rm9615]

Just curious, any idea if all the players knew? You’d think if they all knew, eventually he’d have run into a player that would’ve told him… unless all the hitters had a “don’t tell Randy” policy lol

[@drewdrewski4188]

Ya I doubt this as well. There are at least a thousand guys who swung straight through the strike zone for Strike 3 against a Johnson slider at their ankles; hard to imagine they knew that was coming.

[@dankauffman3456]

That tipping story is absolutely nuts. What I'm about to say is probably blasphemous ... but in today's game hitters are a little more used to high-90s heat on a regular basis, so I wonder if tipping his pitches would hurt him more. But lefties would probably still be DOA given his arm slot.

[@Jlundeen]

Today's pitchers have better scientific analysis and training to help them add velocity, which is why they throw faster now. Could you imagine Randy Johnson adding 2 mph to his pitches? Hitters today still wouldn't fare any better against him.

[@hahalerymc6878]

@@Jlundeen everyone would pised their pants seeing a 104 heater and almost a 98 slider

[@xtlm]

I don't know if everyone knew, you would think a teammate or coach would have caught wind and told him at some point. Right?

[@stevewilson9778]

I don't know what's more amazing. That he was tipping his pitches or that he didn't realize he was tipping his pitches. Unreal.

[@johnnynephrite6147]

Larry Walker got into the Hall of Fame for that at bat.

[@chriszablocki2460]

🐐

[@travisp5747]

His late 90s-04 run was absolutely insane. If he woulda had that meeting with Nolan Ryan a couple of years earlier then you’re looking at the strikeout king. The dude K’d over a thousand in 3 seasons which is mind boggling

[@harrymiram6621]

Anybody have stats on how many times Randy faced off against McGwire/Canseco/Sosa/Bonds & who was most successful against him, i.e....BA/total hits/K?

[@Joseph-lz5er]

Griffey, Big Unit, Arod, and then a few years later Ichiro. What could have been if they all stayed with the Mariners.

[@achabotte]

TBH I'd be even more scared if i knew what was coming. "Please don't be fastball please don't be the heat, please fucking pl- FUCK! Oh fuck here it comes"

[@VeteranVandal]

The thing is, his arms and range got so close and his ball was so fast you had very little time to even see.

[@Heath580]

How did he not know? Did none of his teammates know? Surely some of them faced him on previous teams

[@pauladams5044]

Do Maddux next, please. I think him and Johnson have the best arguments for GOAT pitchers.

[@Donald38]

He did that before

[@jimwerther]

Maddux isn't even top 15

[@pauladams5044]

@@jimwerther lol

[@jimwerther]

@@pauladams5044 Probably not 20 either, actually, but definitely not top 15.

[@pauladams5044]

@@jimwerther This is laughably wrong. Name 15 starters better than Maddux.

[@RecardoGuillermo]

The most casual 100mph ever

[@soxwon04]

I call bullshit on the tipping pitches. Isringhausen and Armando Benitez also tipped their pitches and managed to catch it when a new teammate or coach joined and spilled the beans. Johnson's peak lasted for more than a decade on two different teams. He played with lots of smart players and coaches who would have wanted to keep him from tipping and would have noticed something that obvious or told him when they joined. And if this was such common knowledge, the idea that Johnson didn't find out until some time between 2015 and 2018? No way.

[@TheLostOne156]

im not sure but is Randy Johnson a side arm pitcher?

[@oshowxbox1363]

I wish he tipped his pitches in the Show😂

[@influentialdetour]

for real. that Perfect Game Randy is absolutely the best pitcher the games ever had

[@ZR-lj9xv]

Imagine if Johnson knew about the spin rate, mechanics, and tunneling that pitchers know about now. He may have had a 500 strikeout season.

[@Arminian100]

GOAT 🐐 LHP. Easily

[@larrymazzone9485]

Volquez and cueto had been punishing the Mets for so long they rebuilt Harvey syndergaard and degrom wheeler and matz

[@mr.t1941]

The only picture I know that could walk the bases loaded and then strike out the side

[@therealbs2000]

Damn look at all them swords

[@drewdrewski4188]

I have a hard time believing that the whole league knew what Johnson was throwing. I saw batters get fooled by that slider countless times with my own eyes.

[@andrewbloom7694]

It's not as surprising as it seems really I mean pitchers like Rivera, it was no mystery what was coming. It just didn't matter if you knew because the pitch was unhittable

[@larrymazzone9485]

Yeah maddux was similar to Pedro but when Mariano entered things got complicated and boom wettland became the icon

[@MetalDetectingNYC]

Randy Johnson’s slider INVENTED the term SPIN RATE. Someone had to measure that after watching his slider break the laws of physics….

[@RemyOrtiz]

Johnson’s slider: “Physics? Never knew her. Probably just a suggestion anyway.” 😂

[@MetalDetectingNYC]

@@RemyOrtiz aww did you strike out in Tee ball Remy? 🤣

[@RemyOrtiz]

@@MetalDetectingNYC I got walked, actually. Thanks for asking. 😂

[@larrynorton2533]

I didn't see the difference between the 2 pitches

[@isaiahtate8601]

The slider breaks down to righties more it's just that his slider doesn't break that much.

[@woobackwednesday2299]

His glove grip is tighter when he's throwing his fastball so the glove's more collapsed inward while his glove grip looks relaxed when he's throwing a slider English isn't my first language if that sounded weird

[@larrynorton2533]

@@woobackwednesday2299 no you explained it gooder than me would

[@Donald38]

@@larrynorton2533 you mean better than I would

[@benjihuynh2970]

How the hell did his coaches and teammates not make him stop tipping pitches?

[@untetheredmoon6971]

haha that is insane!

[@dave9242]

Great pitcher and any left handed batter that had the misfortune of facing him I feel bad for you.

[@lamontcranston3185]

The big eunuch

[@eddie_editzz]

Imagine if he didn't tip his pitches 💀

[@Brhoward31]

Mike piazza was injured, he would've smoked that if he wasn't @1:11

[@civil_leuthie]

Not everyone knew he was tipping pitches. His own team didn't know or they would have told him.

[@jimlee420]

And the bird

[@alfanoza]

And all that greatness in the steroid era, what makes it even more astonishing. Only Gibson could be as intimidating as the Big Unit.

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

F’s in the chat for the birdie

[@johnathonhiner3015]

Nolan Ryan.....Bob Gibson.

[@B33Ra8it]

Did he trow a “sweeper”?

[@dungeonmasterv]

If he had cleaned that up... god, could you imagine th K's he would have had? 😳

[@dahillbillynews5923]

On top of all of his stats he is the only pitcher to kill the national bird of Canada and was arrested for it after the game, And terrorized birds across the US nation!!!!!

[@kevincanning3051]

That was Dave Winfield.

[@therealbs2000]

Also, "johnson" is another name for "fastball"

[@tim8801]

And toilet. He make hitters shit themselves.

[@stankfaust814]

how many pictures have killed a pigeon in flight with a thrown baseball?

[@chrisdunfield513]

Just like Satchel Paige's fastball. You knew it was coming, but . . .