BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Where Has He Been for Four Days? : American League: Mariners get to give Johnson his usual rest for Game 3 against Indians.

Did he single-handedly pitch the Seattle Mariners to the American League West title and a division series victory over the New York Yankees? No, but it certainly seems that way.

A series of tenacious performances on short rest enabled Randy Johnson to enhance his reputation as baseball’s most intimidating and dominating pitcher, but the 32-year-old left-hander thinks it should have done more.

“I’d like to start being known as a complete pitcher,” he said. “The last couple of games, I really haven’t had a fastball up to my standards and I’ve had to pitch to get through it. I take a lot of pride now in being able to get batters out by thinking as a pitcher rather than a guy who just tries to overpower people.

“I mean, the nicest compliment I’ve had recently came from [Atlanta pitching ace] Greg Maddux when he said I’ve turned into more of a pitcher. This was the first year my earned-run average was under 3.00 [it was a league-low 2.48 to go with an 18-2 record], and of all the stats, I’m fondest of that, over even the strikeout titles [of which he has won four in succession].”

The Mariners and Cleveland Indians, tied at a game apiece, resume the American League championship series at Jacobs Field tonight. Johnson duels Charles Nagy on a full four days’ rest, a luxury he hasn’t had recently.

“The rest should do me good,” he said with a smile. “My arm feels like it had gotten a little longer.”

A little longer? It might have been hanging by a thread.

On the final Friday of the regular season, Johnson beat the Texas Rangers, 6-2, pitching 8 1/3 innings. He came back on three days’ rest and dominated the Angels in the division playoff, going nine innings and striking out 12 in a 9-1 victory. Then he came back on three days’ rest again and beat the Yankees, 7-2, in Game 3 of the division series, working seven innings and striking out 10. Two days later, in Seattle’s dramatic 6-5 victory over New York in Game 5, he pitched three innings of relief.

That added up to four appearances in 11 days, a total of 27 1/3 innings in which he struck out 35 batters and gave up only 17 hits and six runs.

With all of that, Johnson volunteered to pitch Game 2 of the series against the Indians on Wednesday night, which would have been on two days’ rest.

Manager Lou Piniella resisted, saying, “Randy has gone above and beyond for us, and there is concern [about possible injury], which is why we gave him the four days.”

Said Johnson: “There are expectations on me, whether it’s from media, teammates or fans, and I’d like to feel I’ve risen to the occasion. No one wants to win more than I do or be out there in those situations. It’s a responsibility I take on being the pitcher I am and the pitcher I want to be . . . as the leader of a staff.

“At this point, we’ve also put ourselves in a position where you leave the aches and pains in the clubhouse and let adrenaline take over.”

More than that, Johnson believes he has something special going for him in tough situations, a legacy from his late father, Bud, who died of a heart attack on Christmas Day of 1992 while Johnson was flying from Washington to California to spend the holidays with his parents.

Johnson had a 49-48 record at the time and had led the league in walks for three consecutive years. He was devastated by his father’s death and told his mother he wanted to quit. Carol Johnson talked him out of it, and his life and career took a turn for the better.

He subsequently married and became the father of a daughter, made subtle mechanical changes after talking to Nolan Ryan and the then-Texas Ranger pitching coach, Tom House, and became a practicing Christian who pledges 10% of his annual earnings to charity.

“I’ve made myself into everything I wanted to be, with the help of my dad,” Johnson said. “After he died, I was convinced I could get through anything, that there was no situation I couldn’t get out of, that I had the heart and ability to dig as deep as I needed. I’ve never had as much fun as I’m having now.”

With every victory, Johnson raises his arms and face toward the sky, saluting his father. The Mariners are 28-3 in Johnson’s starts, but Nagy has also been impressive. He is 17-6 overall and 7-1 in his last nine starts.

“Randy Johnson is Randy Johnson,” Nagy said. “I know I need to be on top of my game, but I like the underdog, no-name role.”

Said Cleveland Manager Mike Hargrove, “Randy Johnson would be the first to tell you he’s not guaranteed a win by just showing up.”

For the first time in almost two weeks, however, the complete pitcher is showing up rested.