Big Unit makes season debut in San Francisco

Randy Johnson is set to make his 2008 debut tonight for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who start up a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.

Johnson, the winningest pitcher in Diamondbacks history and the recipient of four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards with Arizona from 1999-2002, has not pitched in a major league game since June 28 of last season. The towering left-hander was shelved for the entire second half due to back problems that required offseason surgery.

The Diamondbacks took it slow with Johnson during spring training, and the 44- year-old pronounced himself ready to go after throwing 85 pitches during a rehab start with Triple-A Tucson on Tuesday. He gave up three runs over six innings in that outing, but struck out seven batters while walking just one.

Johnson went 4-3 with a 3.81 earned run average and 72 strikeouts over 56 2/3 innings in 10 starts for Arizona last season. It was the first year of the future Hall of Famer's second stint with the Diamondbacks, who re-acquired Johnson in a trade with the New York Yankees in January of 2007.

The 10-time All-Star is just 7-8 in 20 lifetime starts versus San Francisco, but has pitched to a 3.55 ERA over that span. He had a pair of no decisions against the Giants during his abbreviated 2007 campaign.

The Diamondbacks have fared quite well in Johnson's absence, as the defending NL West champs currently own the best record in the majors at 9-3 and had won eight straight games prior to Sunday's 13-5 home loss to Colorado.

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