Max Scherzer did not replace departed free agent Randy Johnson in the Diamondbacks' starting rotation. New free agent acquisition Jon Garland did.
But Johnson saw a lot of himself in power pitcher Scherzer, who has a fastball that touches 96-97 mph on a radar gun and adds a complementary breaking pitch, as the two developed something of a mentor/pupil relationship in 2008, Johnson's last with the D-backs and Scherzer's first in the majors. "We sat there and talked a couple of times on how to pitch. How much he preached location. The sooner you can learn that, the more success you can have," Scherzer said.
"Really, the biggest thing for me was just to sit there and watch how he pitched to hitters. How he used his fastball and his slider. How he elevated. When he threw a back-door slider. Things like that. For me, that's when I learned the most. There are certain ways he attacked hitters. When he did it. What type of hitters. There are certainly things you can learn."
The two will face each other Sunday, when Scherzer makes his first start of the season after being briefly delayed out of spring training and Johnson makes his first career start against the D-backs, the only team he has never faced. Scherzer will make his first career start against the Giants, too.
"My job is to go out there and pitch. Nobody is going to take Randy Johnson's place," Scherzer said.
GIANTS 2, DIAMONDBACKS 0: RHP Dan Haren still cannot get any support. Haren made his third consecutive quality start, giving up one run in six innings, but fell to 0-3 despite dropping his ERA to 1.89. The D-backs have scored one run while Haren has been on the mound in his three starts. The D-backs managed three hits, two off LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings. The D-backs had battered Sanchez for 26 earned runs in his previous 27 1-3 innings in seven appearances against them.
