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Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Friday, May 09, 2008

Bordow: Scherzer gets tutorial from Johnson

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Max Scherzer delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday, May 5, 2008 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

By Scott Bordow | McClatchy Newspapers

PHOENIX — Max Scherzer will tell you he and Randy Johnson don’t have a lot in common.

Johnson is 44 years old; Scherzer is 23.

Johnson is a 6-foot-10 lefty. Scherzer is a 6-foot-3 righthander.

Johnson paid his dues in the minor leagues, spending four years on buses and in cheap hotels before making his major league debut with the Montreal Expos.

Scherzer, a Northwoods League All-Star for the Loggers in 2004, didn’t even spend one full season in the minors before the Arizona Diamondbacks called him up.

But there is a bond between the two men, a gift that makes Johnson the perfect mentor for Scherzer these next few weeks and months:

The fastball.

Once upon a time, Johnson was Scherzer. He threw 98 mph but wasn’t quite sure where the ball would go.

During the years, Johnson refined his craft and became a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Now he has the opportunity to pass on those lessons, one power pitcher to another.

“I think the general concept of how to pitch is important to share with everybody,’’ Johnson said, “but when you have someone that’s out of the same mold from where I’ve come from, I think I finally have the opportunity to share my ideas with someone else.’’

Johnson already has begun schooling Scherzer. He pulled the rookie aside a few days ago and helped him prepare for his first start. He told Scherzer not to be afraid to “go to his strengths,’’ even if hitters were waiting for his fastball.

“He really emphasized that,’’ Scherzer said. “It was a great conversation.’’

Emboldened by Johnson’s invitation to chat, Scherzer asked a million questions. How much video did Johnson watch between starts? How much emphasis does he put on the scouting reports? How does he throw his two-seam fastball? What is he thinking in certain situations against hitters?

“I was trying to find out anything I could that will help me with my game,’’ Scherzer said.

There are some things Johnson does with a baseball that Scherzer will never be able to do — “his hands are about twice as big as mine,’’ Scherzer said with a laugh — but imagine having one of the greatest pitchers in history at your disposal every day.

Except, of course, on the days Johnson pitches. He’s off limits, then.

“Yeah, I’ve learned that,’’ Scherzer said.

Johnson never has been shy about sharing his knowledge. He and Brandon Webb had long talks about the art of pitching when Webb was a rookie.

In that sense, Johnson is repaying the favor Nolan Ryan did for him late in the 1992 season. Ryan, then 45, recommended that the 29-year-old Johnson change his delivery so he landed on the ball of his foot rather than his heel.

Johnson adopted the change, and in 1993 he went 19-8 while lowering his ERA from 3.77 to 3.24.

“I think it’s critical to be able to give back,’’ Johnson said. “Someone young that comes up I think it’s important to give him a little bit of an earful and let them know, ‘Hey, there’s somebody in your corner that used to be the same kind of pitcher as you and these are the things that you can expect.’”

Scherzer won’t need as much help as Johnson did early in his career — “To some extent, he’s light years ahead of where I was because he’s already pretty much got his mechanics down,’’ Johnson said — but when Scherzer needs some advice, Johnson will be there.

He’s the wise, old man now.

And if Scherzer is smart, he’ll climb to the top of that mountain as often as he can.