Climate key to Johnson's start
NEW YORK - Mother Nature, not Randy Johnson's arm, could dictate how long the Diamondbacks' three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasts in today's series finale against the New York Mets.
Johnson is making his first start since hurling a season-high 149 pitches Wednesday in a 5-1 victory over Montreal. Johnson has conducted his normal training between starts but is expected to pitch in temperatures in the low 90s with a 40 percent chance of rain.
"The conditions might factor in," manager Bob Brenly said.
But it doesn't appear that Brenly will follow the same strict course he did last year after Johnson struck out 20 against Cincinnati, then threw 146 pitches against Philadelphia in his next start May 13. Johnson's work was scaled back to five innings in each of his next two starts before the restrictions were lifted. He then won four consecutive decisions and 12 of his next 13.
"I think we'll just have to play it by ear and see how it goes," Brenly said.
"If he goes out there and mechanically has to work a little harder, sure we'll have to cut back a little bit and limit some of his pitches. But if he's in the same kind of groove he was in Montreal, pitch count is inconsequential when he's locked in."
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Estes in position to go only 6.0 innings also off pitch count and rest pattern.
both bullpens very overused.
both teams hot with the bats.
NEW YORK - Mother Nature, not Randy Johnson's arm, could dictate how long the Diamondbacks' three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasts in today's series finale against the New York Mets.
Johnson is making his first start since hurling a season-high 149 pitches Wednesday in a 5-1 victory over Montreal. Johnson has conducted his normal training between starts but is expected to pitch in temperatures in the low 90s with a 40 percent chance of rain.
"The conditions might factor in," manager Bob Brenly said.
But it doesn't appear that Brenly will follow the same strict course he did last year after Johnson struck out 20 against Cincinnati, then threw 146 pitches against Philadelphia in his next start May 13. Johnson's work was scaled back to five innings in each of his next two starts before the restrictions were lifted. He then won four consecutive decisions and 12 of his next 13.
"I think we'll just have to play it by ear and see how it goes," Brenly said.
"If he goes out there and mechanically has to work a little harder, sure we'll have to cut back a little bit and limit some of his pitches. But if he's in the same kind of groove he was in Montreal, pitch count is inconsequential when he's locked in."
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Estes in position to go only 6.0 innings also off pitch count and rest pattern.
both bullpens very overused.
both teams hot with the bats.
