Randy Johnson

Why is it that 300 wins for a pitcher is a seemly impossible feat to achieve? Could it be that the style of pitching has changed? Is that pitchers just are not pitching as long as they used to?

I don't know.

Pitchers starting in little league are taught it is easier to fool the hitter than it is to blow it by them. Not only that, pitchers are taught it is okay if they only go 5-for-6.

Come to think of it, pitching style has indeed changed.

On Wednesday, May 27, 2009 Randy Johnson will attempt to attain his 299th victory, bringing him within one game of 300. He would be the 24th pitcher of all time to reach such a milestone. 

The question on many minds this coming Wednesday is not "will Johnson reach 300" it is, "Will Johson be the last to reach 300?"

With Gary Sheffield's 500th career home run last night at the new Citi Field, Sheff entered a group that includes only 24 other men - quite a feat considering the hundreds and hundreds that have played major league baseball.

It got us to thinking about what other baseball milestone could be achieved this season. By the way, props to Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye for not only hitting their 300th career home runs but doing it back-to-back. Now that is pretty awesome.

There's just something special about career milestones in professional sports; 10,000 rushing yards in football, 300 career touchdown passes, 25,000 points in basketball, and so on.

But the most prolific and famous milestone may belong to the sport of baseball, and more specifically pitching. It is the 300 game winner.

Only 23 pitchers have ever accomplished the feat in the 120 year history of the league. The list may be filled with the biggest names of any milestone list; Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Warren Spahn, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, and many more.