lefty

Cliff Lee has already won the AL Cy Young. Now Dayn Perry thinks the Indians' lefty is about to take home AL MVP, too.

Randy Johnson filed for free agency on Thursday after failing to reach a contract agreement to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 45-year-old lefty is five wins shy of 300 and "hopes to find a team where he can continue to pitch at a high level and contribute to another world championship," agents Barry Meister and Alan Nero said in a statement.

Randy Johnson threw batting practice for the first time this spring on Thursday and called it no big deal. "I don't think there's anything really to discuss until I actually start getting into a game," Johnson said after throwing about 50 pitches.

"I mean, I'm not going to push it or anything throwing batting practice." It was the first time the 44-year-old lefty has thrown to batters since he underwent back surgery in August, his second such operation in less than a year.