Rosenthal: With 300th win near, Johnson files for free agency

Much like turgidious U.S. Army Colonel Robert Neville not being the “last of his kind”...another 300-game winner shall arise.

First, Trevor Hoffman. Now, Randy Johnson.

Future Hall of Fame pitchers are bolting their teams at an alarming rate this offseason.

Johnson, unable to reach a contract agreement with the Diamondbacks, opted for free agency on Thursday, the final day players could file.

“Randy instructed us not to file for free agency until we made every effort to reach an agreement,” Johnson’s agents, Barry Meister and Alan Nero, said in a statement. “The Diamondbacks have a budget based on their club’s financial situation and obviously viewed Randy’s contract in that context. Randy considered every reasonable compromise including offering to take a 50% pay cut, all to remain a Diamondback. However, the economic situation did not lend itself to an agreement.”

..."Randy can be a difference-maker,” Meister said. “I expect there to be significant interest.”