Can anyone guess who my favorite Seattle Mariner is?

_

Griffey?
No.
A-Rod?
No.
Martinez?
No.
Moyer?
No.
Ichiro?
No.

It was and is, Randy Johnson.

Today, after a long, successful career, Randy Johnson is retiring.

I will remember him as the most intimidating player of my lifetime. He was a giant on the mound. Standing 6'10" on top of an 10" mound, he towered over hitters. Starring into the opposing hitter, with a glove over his face and cap shading his eyes, he looked more like a villain from a movie than an MLB pitcher. When it came to his delivery, when his left arm cocked to three quarters coming from the side, hitter knew it was going to be a long day when the ball flew by them at 99 mph or disappeared into the ankles of their right handed stance.

Lefties feared him. John Kruk, who had the fortune of playing in different leagues as Johnson, most of his career, had the mis-pleasure of seeing two wild pitches by Johnson pass behind him in to separate All-Star games.

To add to his villainy, wild life was not even safe. Remembered as one to the most bizarre events in sports, during a preseason game, a fastball directed at the plate collided with a dove crossing its path. With a puff of feathers, the dove rolled to the ground to never discover what hit it.

After a great career there is no doubt that we will be seeing his figure hovering over you, and with his eyes intent on destroying anything in his way in Cooperstown.