SAN FRANCISCO — Five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson announced his retirement Tuesday, a decision that had been expected from the left-hander who reached 300 wins last June.
“I really wanted to go out on my terms,” Johnson said. “I just feel like there’s not a lot more for me to do in this game. I just think it’s a natural progression when you play this long. Eventually you have to say it’s time.”
Johnson, 46, threw two no-hitters, including a perfect game, and ranks second on the career strikeout list. He finishes with a record of 303-166 and 4,875 strikeouts in 4,135 1/3 innings for Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, the New York Yankees and San Francisco.
Johnson went 8-6 with a 4.88 ERA for the Giants last season despite missing more than two months with a shoulder injury.
• Catcher Kelly Shoppach and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a $5.5 million, two-year contract.
• Rory Markas, a play-by-play sportscaster who spent the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, was found dead at his home in Palmdale, Calif., on Monday. He was 54. The cause of death was not immediately available.
Tuberville talking with Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas — Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is checking out the vacant coaching position at Texas Tech.
Tuberville, 55, was 85-40 at Auburn, including a 13-0 season in 2004 when the Tigers finished No. 2. He hopes to succeed Mike Leach, who was fired last week in the wake of the alleged mistreatment of receiver Adam James.
• Oklahoma cornerback Domi- nique Franks has changed his mind and decided to enter the NFL draft, forgoing his senior year.
• Defensive end Thaddeus Gibson will forgo his final year at Ohio State to make himself available for the NFL draft in April.
• The NCAA upheld its decision to vacate up to 14 victories from former coach Bobby Bowden as part of Florida State’s penalty in an academic cheating scandal.
Footnotes.
The Philadelphia 76ers guaranteed guard Allen Iverson‘s prorated $1.3 million, one-year contract for the rest of the season.
• Cleveland’s Jamario Moon is expected to miss at least three weeks with a left abdominal strain.
• Former NBA star Jayson Williams was charged with drunken driving after his SUV veered off an exit ramp and struck a tree, New York police said. Williams suffered a minor bone fracture in his neck and cuts to his face in the crash, authorities said.
• Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron will be out about two weeks because of a thumb injury.
• Carolina Hurricanes forward Scott Walker will be sidelined for four to six weeks after having shoulder surgery.
• Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz will undergo surgery today to repair a torn abdominal muscle and is expected to be out four to six weeks.
• Representatives for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ended a lengthy mediation session with no word on any progress on the drug-testing issues endangering the boxers’ prospective March 13 bout.
