Dan Johnson
Encyclopedia
Daniel Ryan Johnson is a first baseman
and designated hitter
with the Tampa Bay Rays
. He has played in all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball
and Nippon Professional Baseball, but has never held a Major League starting job for an entire season. He is best known for hitting a dramatic two-out, two-strike home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of the last game of the 2011 season, tying a game that the Rays would eventually win, sending them to the playoffs.
, in Blaine
, Minnesota
in 1997. He then attended Butler University
for his freshman year, when he was named All-Conference in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. He transferred to a junior college, and finally ended up at the University of Nebraska, where he helped the Cornhuskers make a College World Series appearance, and earned All-American honors.
.275 with 15 home run
s and 58 RBI
s. He struggled early in , batting .237 before being demoted to the A's Triple-A
Pacific Coast League
affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats
, in July. He returned to the A's roster on August 31, and finished the season with a .234 batting average, 9 home runs, and 37 RBIs. It was later discovered that he suffered from double vision
due to getting suntan lotion in his eyes, and he was able to clear up the problem for the season.
Johnson was expected to be the A's starting first baseman in 2007, but suffered a torn labrum
in his hip late in spring training
and missed the first three weeks of the season. He returned April 25 and proceeded to get a hit
in 16 of his first 18 games. He was named American League co-Player of the Week
with teammate Jack Cust
for the week of May 7–13. After the hot start, Johnson fell into a slump that lasted the rest of the season and plummeted his batting average to .236. His worst month was July, in which he batted just .156 (10-for-64 in 19 games) with two home runs and eight runs batted in. On April 9, , Johnson was designated for assignment
.
three days later. On September 9, Johnson was called up by the Rays from Durham. He entered the game as a pinch hitter
in the ninth inning, and hit a home run off Jonathan Papelbon
, tying the game.
He batted .192 with a .276 on base percentage for the 2008 season.
. He batted .215 in the 2009 season.
. Johnson was called up from Durham to the Rays in August 2010. On August 28, he hit a walk-off home run
in the 10th inning against the Boston Red Sox
.
He batted just below the Mendoza line
for the 2010 season, with a .198 batting average. He had 23 RBIs, 22 hits
in 111 at bat
s, 3 double
s, and 7 home runs.
On April 8, 2011, with the Rays trailing 7-6 against the Chicago White Sox
and two men on, Johnson hit the first pitch from Matt Thornton
off the top of the Miller Lite Bullpen Sports Bar fence for a three-run home run, which would later prove to be the game-winner as Tampa Bay beat Chicago 9-7.
On May 20, 2011, Johnson was designated for assignment, and then recalled on September 14, 2011.
On September 28, 2011, with the Rays tied with the Boston Red Sox
in the American League
wild card
race in the final game of the season, Johnson hit a pinch-hit home run with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game against the New York Yankees
. It was the first hit for Johnson since April 27th.
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
with the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. He has played in all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and Nippon Professional Baseball, but has never held a Major League starting job for an entire season. He is best known for hitting a dramatic two-out, two-strike home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of the last game of the 2011 season, tying a game that the Rays would eventually win, sending them to the playoffs.
High school and college
He graduated from Blaine High SchoolBlaine High School (Minnesota)
Blaine High School is a high school in Blaine, Minnesota: part of the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11. The school was opened in 1972, as part of the Blaine Project. The current principal is John Phelps. The school colors are blue and white, and the mascot is the Bengal Tiger.-Academics:Blaine...
, in Blaine
Blaine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in 1997. He then attended Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
for his freshman year, when he was named All-Conference in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. He transferred to a junior college, and finally ended up at the University of Nebraska, where he helped the Cornhuskers make a College World Series appearance, and earned All-American honors.
Oakland A's (2005–08)
Johnson played his rookie season with the A's in , battingBatting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.275 with 15 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 58 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
s. He struggled early in , batting .237 before being demoted to the A's Triple-A
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats is a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and is the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics....
, in July. He returned to the A's roster on August 31, and finished the season with a .234 batting average, 9 home runs, and 37 RBIs. It was later discovered that he suffered from double vision
Diplopia
Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in relation to each other...
due to getting suntan lotion in his eyes, and he was able to clear up the problem for the season.
Johnson was expected to be the A's starting first baseman in 2007, but suffered a torn labrum
Acetabular labrum
The acetabular labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the acetabulum ....
in his hip late in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
and missed the first three weeks of the season. He returned April 25 and proceeded to get a hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 16 of his first 18 games. He was named American League co-Player of the Week
Player of the Week
The Player of the Week award is a Major League Baseball award named by each of the American and National Leagues each week of the regular season...
with teammate Jack Cust
Jack Cust
John Joseph "Jack" Cust III is an American professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder who is a free agent. Cust attended Immaculata High School in Somerville, New Jersey...
for the week of May 7–13. After the hot start, Johnson fell into a slump that lasted the rest of the season and plummeted his batting average to .236. His worst month was July, in which he batted just .156 (10-for-64 in 19 games) with two home runs and eight runs batted in. On April 9, , Johnson was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
.
Tampa Bay Rays (2008)
On April 18, 2008, he was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays. However, five days later he was again designated for assignment. He was subsequently outrighted to Triple-A DurhamDurham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
three days later. On September 9, Johnson was called up by the Rays from Durham. He entered the game as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in the ninth inning, and hit a home run off Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Robert Papelbon is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. Before joining the Phillies, Papelbon played with the Boston Red Sox from 2005-2011....
, tying the game.
He batted .192 with a .276 on base percentage for the 2008 season.
Yokohama Baystars (2009)
Johnson signed a one-year contract for $1.2 million with the Yokohama Bay Stars of the Japanese Central LeagueCentral League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
. He batted .215 in the 2009 season.
Back to Tampa (2010–present)
On January 11, 2010, Johnson signed a 1-year $500,000 major league deal with the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. Johnson was called up from Durham to the Rays in August 2010. On August 28, he hit a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
in the 10th inning against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
He batted just below the Mendoza line
Mendoza Line
The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting...
for the 2010 season, with a .198 batting average. He had 23 RBIs, 22 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 111 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s, 3 double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s, and 7 home runs.
On April 8, 2011, with the Rays trailing 7-6 against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
and two men on, Johnson hit the first pitch from Matt Thornton
Matt Thornton
Matthew J. Thornton , is a left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. Before the season, Thornton was with the Seattle Mariners.-College and minor league baseball:...
off the top of the Miller Lite Bullpen Sports Bar fence for a three-run home run, which would later prove to be the game-winner as Tampa Bay beat Chicago 9-7.
On May 20, 2011, Johnson was designated for assignment, and then recalled on September 14, 2011.
On September 28, 2011, with the Rays tied with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
wild card
Wild card
Wild card may refer to:* Wild card , a playing card that substitutes for any other card in card games* Wild card , a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play...
race in the final game of the season, Johnson hit a pinch-hit home run with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. It was the first hit for Johnson since April 27th.