Randy Johnson released the ball closer to home plate than at least 99.9% of pitchers.

Randy Johnson is the greatest pitcher taller than 6 feet 7 inches of all time.  That's it.  It doesn't seem like such a big deal, comparing Randy Johnson against other very tall pitchers.  Actually, 6'10" Randy Johnson is the only pitcher taller than 6'7" (79 inches) since 1901 with at least 2,500 innings.  Here are those at least 6'6":

Rk	Player	Ht	IP	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
1	Randy Johnson	82	4135.1	1988	2009	24-45	618	603	100	37	7	303	166	.646	2	3346	1703	1513	1497	4875	3.29	3.19	135	411	17067	37	190	33	109	MON-SEA-HOU-ARI-NYY-SFG
2	CC Sabathia	79	2821.1	2001	2014	20-33	423	423	37	12	0	208	119	.636	0	2643	1248	1137	844	2437	3.63	3.56	120	265	11739	39	89	15	59	CLE-MIL-NYY
3	Rick Sutcliffe	79	2697.2	1976	1994	20-38	457	392	72	18	30	171	139	.552	6	2662	1324	1223	1081	1679	4.08	3.93	97	236	11548	75	46	38	100	LAD-CLE-CHC-BAL-STL
4	John Candelaria	79	2525.2	1975	1993	21-39	600	356	54	13	82	177	122	.592	29	2399	1038	935	592	1673	3.33	3.41	114	245	10366	63	37	26	28	PIT-CAL-NYM-NYY-MON-TOR-MIN-LAD
5	Roy Halladay	78	2749.1	1998	2013	21-36	416	390	67	20	6	203	105	.659	1	2646	1135	1034	592	2117	3.38	3.39	131	236	11287	28	81	9	56	TOR-PHI
6	Derek Lowe	78	2671.1	1997	2013	24-40	681	377	10	4	168	176	157	.529	86	2759	1333	1195	794	1722	4.03	3.83	109	217	11358	67	78	13	55	SEA-BOS-LAD-ATL-NYY-CLE-TEX
7	Andy Benes	78	2505.1	1989	2002	21-34	403	387	21	9	6	155	139	.527	1	2377	1206	1106	909	2000	3.97	4.08	104	289	10645	52	55	16	63	SDP-SEA-STL-ARI
8	Chuck Finley	78	3197.1	1986	2002	23-39	524	467	63	15	24	200	173	.536	0	3069	1517	1366	1332	2610	3.85	3.91	115	304	13638	36	76	22	130	CAL-ANA-CLE-STL

Since 1901 only 12 pitchers, including Randy Johnson, have been at least 81 inches (6'9") and only one (Jon Rauch) was taller.  Another 26 were 6'8", including four who pitched in 2014: Dellin Betances, Doug Fister, Chris Martin and Logan Ondrusek.

Rk	Player	Ht	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
1	Jon Rauch	83	2002	2013	23-34	556	11	0	0	214	43	40	.518	62	595.0	559	278	258	179	475	3.90	4.00	109	70	2499	25	11	2	23	CHW-MON-WSN-ARI-MIN-TOR-NYM-MIA
2	Chris Young	82	2004	2014	25-35	189	188	1	0	0	65	52	.556	0	1055.2	888	471	442	402	863	3.77	4.38	107	135	4426	21	31	7	30	TEX-SDP-NYM-SEA
3	Andrew Brackman	82	2011	2011	25-25	3	0	0	0	1	0	0		0	2.1	1	0	0	3	0	0.00	6.88		0	13	0	0	0	0	NYY
4	Randy Johnson	82	1988	2009	24-45	618	603	100	37	7	303	166	.646	2	4135.1	3346	1703	1513	1497	4875	3.29	3.19	135	411	17067	37	190	33	109	MON-SEA-HOU-ARI-NYY-SFG
5	Andy Sisco	82	2005	2007	22-24	151	0	0	0	35	3	9	.250	1	147.2	153	87	85	93	141	5.18	4.56	88	16	681	10	4	0	9	KCR-CHW
6	Eric Hillman	82	1992	1994	26-28	49	36	3	1	3	4	14	.222	0	232.0	285	144	125	45	96	4.85	4.50	81	30	1010	7	8	2	2	NYM
7	Johnny Hellweg	81	2013	2013	24-24	8	7	0	0	1	1	4	.200	0	30.2	40	30	23	26	9	6.75	7.06	58	3	162	0	8	0	4	MIL
8	Jeff Niemann	81	2008	2012	25-29	97	92	4	3	3	40	26	.606	0	544.1	523	264	247	177	409	4.08	4.23	99	65	2306	8	24	0	19	TBR
9	Mark Hendrickson	81	2002	2011	28-37	328	166	5	2	28	58	74	.439	1	1169.0	1361	723	653	345	666	5.03	4.51	89	145	5132	32	26	5	31	TOR-TBD-LAD-FLA-BAL
10	Kam Mickolio	81	2008	2011	24-27	29	0	0	0	14	0	3	.000	0	31.2	34	17	17	17	33	4.83	3.03	94	1	146	1	0	0	2	BAL-ARI
11	Terry Bross	81	1991	1993	25-27	10	0	0	0	5	0	0		0	12.0	10	4	4	4	6	3.00	5.04	131	2	49	0	0	0	0	NYM-SFG
12	Johnny Gee	81	1939	1946	23-30	44	21	4	0	13	7	12	.368	1	175.1	209	110	86	64	65	4.41	3.47	82	8	795		2	0	6	PIT-NYG

Adding inches to a fastball: just release it closer to the plate.  Saturday, November 15, 2014

distance from the rubber to the front of home plate is ... 59 feet, 1 inch...

48 feet, 7 inches is the distance from the front of the pitching circle to the front of home plate...

The absurdity of it is that some pitchers, generally taller ones, can release the ball significantly closer to home plate.  This adds the proverbial inches to the fastball.  I wonder if part of the effectiveness of the drop and drive technique popularized in the 1960s is that it propels pitchers closer to the plate...

Randy Johnson is releasing the ball about from about 59 feet, 1 inch.minus Johnson's height of 6 feet 10 inches: about 52 feet from the front of home plate...

Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford was a foot shorter than Johnson.  Ford's release point would be about 53 feet.

It doesn't seem fair to compare pitchers with such different release points.  Pitchers should release the ball from a minimum distance and that distance should be the center of the diamond: about 63 feet, 7 inches, not 60 feet, 6 inches to the back of home plate.  It's also much more fair to the batters for all pitches to be released from a minimum distance.
_________________________________________________

58 Hall of Fame pitchers since 1901 with at least 1,000 innings sorted by height (72 inches = 6 feet):

Rk	Player	Ht	IP	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
1	Fergie Jenkins	77	4500.2	1965	1983	22-40	664	594	267	49	37	284	226	.557	7	4142	1853	1669	997	3192	3.34	3.28	115	484	18400	116	84	18	62	PHI-BOS-TEX-CHC
2	Don Drysdale	77	3432.0	1956	1969	19-32	518	465	167	49	34	209	166	.557	6	3084	1292	1124	855	2486	2.95	3.02	121	280	14097	123	154	10	82	BRO-LAD
3	Eppa Rixey	77	4494.2	1912	1933	21-42	692	554	290	37	99	266	251	.515	14	4633	1986	1572	1082	1350	3.15	3.29	115	93	18754		76	10	97	PHI-CIN
4	Steve Carlton	76	5217.2	1965	1988	20-43	741	709	254	55	13	329	244	.574	2	4672	2130	1864	1833	4136	3.22	3.15	115	414	21683	150	53	90	183	STL-PHI-SFG-CHW-MIN-CLE
5	Rollie Fingers	76	1701.1	1968	1985	21-38	944	37	4	2	709	114	118	.491	341	1474	615	549	492	1299	2.90	2.96	120	123	6942	109	39	7	40	OAK-SDP-MIL
6	Gaylord Perry	76	5350.0	1962	1983	23-44	777	690	303	53	33	314	265	.542	11	4938	2128	1846	1379	3534	3.11	3.06	117	399	21953	164	108	6	160	SFG-CLE-TEX-SDP-NYY-ATL-SEA-KCR
7	Rich Gossage	75	1809.1	1972	1994	20-42	1002	37	16	0	681	124	107	.537	310	1497	670	605	732	1502	3.01	3.18	126	119	7507	90	47	5	63	CHW-PIT-NYY-SDP-CHC-SFG-TEX-OAK-SEA
8	Bert Blyleven	75	4970.0	1970	1992	19-41	692	685	242	60	3	287	250	.534	0	4632	2029	1830	1322	3701	3.31	3.19	118	430	20491	71	155	19	114	MIN-TEX-PIT-CLE-CAL
9	Jim Palmer	75	3948.0	1965	1984	19-38	558	521	211	53	15	268	152	.638	4	3349	1395	1253	1311	2212	2.86	3.50	125	303	16114	37	38	11	85	BAL
10	Jim Bunning	75	3760.1	1955	1971	23-39	591	519	151	40	39	224	184	.549	16	3433	1527	1366	1000	2855	3.27	3.22	115	372	15618	98	160	8	47	DET-PHI-PIT-LAD
11	Lefty Grove	75	3940.2	1925	1941	25-41	616	457	298	35	123	300	141	.680	54	3849	1594	1339	1187	2266	3.06	3.36	148	162	16622		42	1	51	PHA-BOS
12	Rube Marquard	75	3306.2	1908	1925	21-38	536	408	197	30	82	201	177	.532	20	3233	1443	1130	858	1593	3.08	2.90	103	107	13641		39	5	81	NYG-BRO-CIN-BSN
13	Addie Joss	75	2327.0	1902	1910	22-30	286	260	234	45	22	160	97	.623	5	1888	730	488	364	920	1.89	2.25	142	19	8891		58	1	28	CLE
14	Dennis Eckersley	74	3285.2	1975	1998	20-43	1071	361	100	20	577	197	171	.535	390	3076	1382	1278	738	2401	3.50	3.40	116	347	13534	91	75	16	28	CLE-BOS-CHC-OAK-STL
15	Nolan Ryan	74	5386.0	1966	1993	19-46	807	773	222	61	13	324	292	.526	3	3923	2178	1911	2795	5714	3.19	2.97	112	321	22575	78	158	33	277	NYM-CAL-HOU-TEX
16	Bruce Sutter	74	1042.0	1976	1988	23-35	661	0	0	0	512	68	71	.489	300	879	370	328	309	861	2.83	2.94	136	77	4252	83	13	8	37	CHC-STL-ATL
17	Sandy Koufax	74	2324.1	1955	1966	19-30	397	314	137	40	44	165	87	.655	9	1754	806	713	817	2396	2.76	2.69	131	204	9497	48	18	7	87	BRO-LAD
18	Hal Newhouser	74	2993.0	1939	1955	18-34	488	374	212	33	79	207	150	.580	26	2674	1197	1016	1249	1796	3.06	3.19	130	136	12648	1	19	7	65	DET-CLE
19	Dizzy Dean	74	1967.1	1930	1947	20-37	317	230	154	26	77	150	83	.644	31	1919	774	661	453	1163	3.02	3.22	131	95	8171		27	5	12	STL-CHC-SLB
20	Lefty Gomez	74	2503.0	1930	1943	21-34	368	320	173	28	31	189	102	.649	10	2290	1091	930	1095	1468	3.34	3.88	125	138	10729		19	0	39	NYY-WSH
21	Dazzy Vance	74	2966.2	1915	1935	24-44	442	349	217	29	52	197	140	.585	12	2809	1246	1068	840	2045	3.24	3.18	125	132	12366		77	2	37	PIT-NYY-BRO-STL-CIN
22	Red Faber	74	4086.2	1914	1933	25-44	669	483	273	29	134	254	213	.544	27	4106	1813	1430	1213	1471	3.15	3.43	119	111	17104		103	2	52	CHW
23	Babe Ruth	74	1221.1	1914	1933	19-38	163	147	107	17	12	94	46	.671	4	974	400	309	441	488	2.28	2.81	122	10	4896		29	4	25	BOS-NYY
24	Chief Bender	74	3017.0	1903	1925	19-41	459	334	255	40	112	212	127	.625	34	2645	1108	823	712	1711	2.46	2.29	112	40	11895		102	10	79	PHA-BAL-PHI-CHW
25	Cy Young	74	3312.1	1901	1911	34-44	401	369	331	44	28	225	146	.606	9	2900	1119	779	413	1563	2.12	2.15	137	44	12717		73	1	54	BOS-CLE-BSN
Rk	Player	Ht	IP	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
26	Vic Willis	74	3106.1	1901	1910	25-34	399	366	302	42	33	187	167	.528	9	2822	1194	864	841	1318	2.50	2.69	113	44	12483		85	4	65	BSN-PIT-STL
27	Don Sutton	73	5282.1	1966	1988	21-43	774	756	178	58	12	324	256	.559	5	4692	2104	1914	1343	3574	3.26	3.24	108	472	21631	102	82	21	112	LAD-HOU-MIL-OAK-CAL
28	Phil Niekro	73	5404.0	1964	1987	25-48	864	716	245	45	83	318	274	.537	29	5044	2337	2012	1809	3342	3.35	3.62	115	482	22677	86	123	42	226	MLN-ATL-NYY-CLE-TOR
29	Tom Seaver	73	4783.0	1967	1986	22-41	656	647	231	61	6	311	205	.603	1	3971	1674	1521	1390	3640	2.86	3.04	127	380	19369	116	76	8	126	NYM-CIN-CHW-BOS
30	Bob Gibson	73	3884.1	1959	1975	23-39	528	482	255	56	21	251	174	.591	6	3279	1420	1258	1336	3117	2.91	2.89	127	257	16068	118	102	13	108	STL
31	Red Ruffing	73	4344.0	1924	1947	19-42	624	538	335	45	69	273	225	.548	18	4284	2115	1833	1541	1987	3.80	3.93	109	254	18546		58	7	46	BOS-NYY-CHW
32	Pete Alexander	73	5190.0	1911	1930	24-43	696	600	436	90	81	373	208	.642	32	4868	1852	1476	951	2198	2.56	2.88	135	165	20893		70	1	38	PHI-CHC-STL
33	Walter Johnson	73	5914.1	1907	1927	19-39	802	666	531	110	127	417	279	.599	34	4913	1902	1424	1363	3509	2.17	2.42	147	97	23405		205	4	154	WSH
34	Ed Walsh	73	2964.1	1904	1917	23-36	430	315	250	57	105	195	126	.607	35	2346	873	598	617	1736	1.82	2.02	145	23	11413		52	9	76	CHW-BSN
35	Christy Mathewson	73	4755.0	1901	1916	20-35	630	551	434	79	69	373	185	.668	30	4182	1588	1116	828	2492	2.11	2.25	137	88	18756		55	8	114	NYG-CIN
36	Rube Waddell	73	2659.2	1901	1910	24-33	366	308	235	47	45	178	127	.584	4	2198	923	624	728	2137	2.11	1.93	133	30	10499		93	3	70	PIT-CHC-PHA-SLB
37	Tom Glavine	72	4413.1	1987	2008	21-42	682	682	56	25	0	305	203	.600	0	4298	1900	1734	1500	2607	3.54	3.95	118	356	18604	145	66	7	65	ATL-NYM
38	Greg Maddux	72	5008.1	1986	2008	20-42	744	740	109	35	3	355	227	.610	0	4726	1981	1756	999	3371	3.16	3.26	132	353	20421	177	137	28	70	CHC-ATL-LAD-SDP
39	Catfish Hunter	72	3449.1	1965	1979	19-33	500	476	181	42	6	224	166	.574	1	2958	1380	1248	954	2012	3.26	3.66	104	374	14032	57	49	7	49	KCA-OAK-NYY
40	Juan Marichal	72	3507.0	1960	1975	22-37	471	457	244	52	11	243	142	.631	2	3153	1329	1126	709	2303	2.89	3.04	123	320	14236	82	40	20	51	SFG-BOS-LAD
41	Hoyt Wilhelm	72	2254.1	1952	1972	29-49	1070	52	20	5	651	143	122	.540	227	1757	773	632	778	1610	2.52	3.06	147	150	9164	61	62	4	90	NYG-STL-CLE-BAL-CHW-ATL-CAL-CHC-LAD
42	Robin Roberts	72	4688.2	1948	1966	21-39	676	609	305	45	49	286	245	.539	25	4582	1962	1774	902	2357	3.41	3.50	113	505	19174	69	54	3	33	PHI-BAL-HOU-CHC
43	Warren Spahn	72	5243.2	1942	1965	21-44	750	665	382	63	67	363	245	.597	29	4830	2016	1798	1434	2583	3.09	3.44	119	434	21547	60	42	5	81	BSN-MLN-SFG-NYM
44	Early Wynn	72	4564.0	1939	1963	19-43	691	611	289	49	66	300	244	.551	15	4291	2037	1796	1775	2334	3.54	3.64	107	338	19408	36	64	2	51	WSH-CLE-CHW
45	Bob Lemon	72	2850.0	1946	1958	25-37	460	350	188	31	73	207	128	.618	22	2559	1185	1024	1251	1277	3.23	3.79	119	180	12099	13	57	2	63	CLE
46	Bob Feller	72	3827.0	1936	1956	17-37	570	484	279	44	52	266	162	.621	21	3271	1557	1384	1764	2581	3.25	3.48	122	224	16180	6	60	13	69	CLE
47	Carl Hubbell	72	3590.1	1928	1943	25-40	535	433	260	36	82	253	154	.622	33	3461	1380	1188	725	1677	2.98	3.55	130	227	14805		53	1	53	NYG
48	Waite Hoyt	72	3762.1	1918	1938	18-38	674	425	226	26	172	237	182	.566	53	4037	1780	1500	1003	1206	3.59	3.76	112	154	16010		49	5	39	NYG-BOS-NYY-DET-PHA-BRO-PIT
49	Jesse Haines	72	3208.2	1918	1937	24-43	555	387	209	23	96	210	158	.571	11	3460	1556	1298	871	981	3.64	3.95	109	165	13644		57	6	55	CIN-STL
50	Herb Pennock	72	3571.2	1912	1934	18-40	617	419	249	35	135	241	162	.598	37	3900	1699	1428	916	1227	3.60	3.50	106	128	15096		36	6	65	PHA-BOS-NYY
Rk	Player	Ht	IP	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	ERA+	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
51	Ted Lyons	71	4161.0	1923	1946	22-45	594	484	356	27	91	260	230	.531	25	4489	2056	1696	1121	1073	3.67	4.01	118	222	17797		31	6	55	CHW
52	Stan Coveleski	71	3082.0	1912	1928	22-38	450	385	223	38	52	215	142	.602	21	3055	1227	990	802	981	2.89	3.19	127	66	12729		30	1	35	PHA-CLE-WSH-NYY
53	Eddie Plank	71	4495.2	1901	1917	25-41	623	529	410	69	77	326	194	.627	23	3958	1566	1174	1072	2246	2.35	2.45	122	42	17803		190	6	88	PHA-SLM-SLB
54	Joe McGinnity	71	2732.0	1901	1908	30-37	373	303	244	27	59	190	118	.617	22	2568	1093	795	606	901	2.62	2.87	115	44	11133		113	2	22	BLA-NYG
55	Whitey Ford	70	3170.1	1950	1967	21-38	498	438	156	45	35	236	106	.690	10	2766	1107	967	1086	1956	2.75	3.26	133	228	13036	44	28	5	75	NYY
56	Burleigh Grimes	70	4180.0	1916	1934	22-40	616	497	314	35	95	270	212	.560	18	4412	2050	1638	1295	1512	3.53	3.65	108	148	17974		101	12	92	PIT-BRO-NYG-STL-BSN-CHC-NYY
57	Mordecai Brown	70	3172.1	1903	1916	26-39	481	332	271	55	138	239	130	.648	49	2708	1044	725	673	1375	2.06	2.42	139	43	12422		61	4	61	STL-CHC-CIN-SLM-BTT-CHI
58	Jack Chesbro	69	2532.0	1901	1909	27-35	341	289	225	32	46	177	110	.617	4	2262	984	708	552	1181	2.52	2.49	114	32	10048		90	2	50	PIT-NYY-BOS

    Randy Johnson September 25, 2009
by bryce_edwards
via Wikimedia Commons

Only Jenkins, Drysdale and Rixey stood as tall as 77 inches (6'5").  Only Chesbro was shorter than Whitey Ford.  Randy Johnson is a mammoth 82 inches (6'10")!  He had to have released his pitches considerably closer to home plate than any member of the Hall of Fame.  That gave Randy Johnson an unfair advantage.  Why is it that the anal steroid zealots are bothered only by batters getting an advantage, and that with off field activity?

Randy Johnson deserves credit for harnessing and controlling his very tall, gangly body but not for simply being tall.  Randy Johnson did not break the rules by releasing his pitches closer to home plate but he did get an unfair advantage.  Shame on baseball officials for allowing this and shame on baseball fans for not realizing it.