Former SF Giants lefty has interesting post-retirement career

Randy Johnson is not a name you normally associate with SF Giants history but he did spend the final year of his career in San Francisco way back in 2009. The lefty made some history in a Giants uniform as he won his 300th career game with San Francisco in a victory against the Washington Nationals. He is forever enshrined in the Hall of Fame but he has picked up an interesting hobby in his post-playing career as well.

Former SF Giants lefty has interesting post-retirement career

The 2009 season was a very fun year for Giants fans as Johnson was brought in to shepherd a pair young pitchers in Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. That pair became a trio at the end of the season with the inclusion of Madison Bumgarner.

That team nearly snuck into the playoff picture but fell just short with an 88-74 record. By that time, it became obvious that the Giants were building something special. No one could have predicted three championships in five seasons, but you knew something was on the horizon.

The 6-foot-10 lefty was a part of that very fun team in 2009. Johnson registered a 4.88 ERA, 4.91 FIP, 1.33 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, and a 2.77 SO/W ratio in 22 appearances for San Francisco. He suffered a torn rotator cuff while swinging a bat midway through 2009, which sidelined him for much of the second half of the season.

He was limited to bullpen work by the time he returned and it was not too surprising when the 22-year veteran announced his retirement shortly after the conclusion of the 2009 season. If he wanted to continue pitching, it felt like the Giants would have been eager to have him back.

Of course, the veteran southpaw was enshrined in the Hall of Fame five years later in a no-brainer decision. Since then, Johnson has picked up a hobby that not many would expect:

Yup, photography has been a hobby of Johnson's for years and he is getting a chance to work NFL games as well. His art includes pictures of concerts, wild life, and traveling to go along with the occasional NFL game.

The logo for Johnson's photography company might some folks uneasy as it is a silhouette of a dead bird, which is a callback to bird incident from his playing days.

It will be an interesting circle of events if Johnson gets to capture an Arizona Cardinals game. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray's uncle, Calvin Murray, was a Giants outfield prospect and the hitter at the plate during Johnson's infamous incident.

For years, Johnson was known for his competitive edge. He would wear his emotions on his sleeve and challenge any hitter who stepped in the batter's box. But, there is a different side to him now that includes photography. That is his outlet for expression and it is cool that he gets to do that during NFL games now.