Randy Johnson agrees to $8 million from Giants

During the winter meetings this month in Las Vegas, Giants general manager Brian Sabean didn’t hide the fact that he was seeking a veteran starting pitcher for a short-term deal and that Johnson would be a great fit. Randy Johnson and the Giants agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract Friday, he can earn an additional $5 million in performance bonuses.. The 45-year-old pitcher will go for his 300th win with the new team. The five-time Cy Young Award winner has 295 victories after going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA last season.

“This will give him a chance to reconnect with some of his old friends,” Johnson’s agent, Barry Meister told reporters.

San Francisco lured Johnson with a number of bonuses already including spring training in the Phoenix area, and the opportunity to stay on the West Coast and in the NL West so he can pitch near his current home in Arizona.

“All of those things kind of fell into place with the Giants,” Meister continued.

Johnson will not be the only giant of pitching in the San Fransico team. Fellow Cy Young winners Tim Lincecum (2008) and Barry Zito (2002) are in the rotation that also features Matt Cain, whom looks to be heading in the same direction as the rest of the pitching staff. San Francisco also becomes the first team with three Cy Young Award recipients since the 2002 Atlanta Braves with Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.

“He’s looking forward to pitching between Lincecum and Cain and serving as a mentor for the young pitching staff,” Meister said.

Johnson has 4,789 strikeouts, second on the career list to Nolan Ryan (5,714). The 6-foot-10 lefty made $16 million last season, when he struck out 173 and walked 44.

“Randy continues to be one of the most intimidating and competitive pitchers in baseball today,” Sabean said. “He commands respect and will have a dramatic influence on the way the 2009 team conducts business.”

Johnson certainly will help attract fans as he chases career win No. 300. The Giants went 37-44 at home for their fourth straight losing campaign in San Francisco. They also failed to reach 3 million fans for the first time in the 9-year-old ballpark’s history, certainly in part because home run king Barry Bonds was gone. Johnson, a 21-year big league veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was born about 30 minutes from the Giants’ waterfront ballpark in Walnut Creek, Calif. He grew up in nearby Livermore and the Owners are hoping that will increase ticket sales.

Sabean also has added shortstop Edgar Renteria and relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Bobby Howry.