Park life: Three days with GOAT coach Tom House and his ‘misfits’

In early August 1992, the Rangers were in Seattle. The Mariners had a struggling giant on their staff: the lanky, 6-foot-10, 28-year-old Randy Johnson. Nolan Ryan was Johnson’s idol, and like House, Johnson was a USC product.

Hours before a game in the series, they met Johnson at the Kingdome. The two uniformed Rangers personnel visited with Johnson in the Mariners bullpen, in foul territory on the playing field down the first-base line.

Johnson made a few throws. House made a suggestion. Instead of landing on the heel of his right foot in his delivery, he ought to land on the ball of his foot.

In 125 1/3 innings that season, Johnson posted a 4.52 ERA and walked 97.

After the bullpen session, Johnson posted a 2.65 ERA over 85 innings and struck out 117 while cutting his walks to 47 - a reduction of about two walks per nine innings.

In a one-on-one discussion with Ryan for a magazine piece in 1996, Johnson said: “It’s unheard of, unfortunately, to have other people on another team take the time to help another professional athlete. … You and Tom House didn’t have to help me.”

Much of House’s eye comes from studying video, motion analysis, and staring at biomechanical stick figures for 40 years. He’s almost apologetic for his ability to “see things,” drawing from his mental library.

House was hired by the Rangers in 1985 when the club was looking for an edge to close the gap with rivals who had more resources and talent.

House credits then GM Tom Grieve and manager Bobby Valentine’s openness for allowing his experiments. “They were behind it 100%,” House says.

Even future U.S. President George W. Bush, the managing general partner of the team’s ownership group, gave his approval.

“I got along with Barbara the best,” House said of the Bush family.