Mike Johnson (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Michael Keith Johnson (born October 3, 1975) is a former professional baseball
pitcher
. He has pitched all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball
, and has also played in Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization
, and the CPBL
.
Johnson was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays
in the 1993 amateur draft
. He made his Major League Baseball
debut on April 6, 1997 with the Baltimore Orioles
.and went on to play for the Orioles (1997) and Montreal Expos
(1997–2001). He was a member of Team Canada at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, where they finished in fourth place in the baseball tournament. Johnson played in the Texas Rangers
, Los Angeles Dodgers
, and San Francisco Giants
organizations from 2001–2003, before signing with the Expos again in 2004
In 2006, Johnson played for Somerset
of the independent Atlantic League
. In 2007, he played for the Edmonton Cracker-Cats
of the Northern League. In 2008, he played for the CPBL
's La New Bears
and won the winningest pitcher and the MVP at the regular season.
On March 7, 2009 he pitched for Canada in the World Baseball Classic against the USA. For 2009, he signed to play for the SK Wyverns in South Korea after an interval of four years, but he was dismissed in April having appeared in just two games. He signed with the Edmonton Capitals
of the Golden Baseball League
, for whom he finished the season. He split the 2010 season between the Capitals and Yuma Scorpions
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He has pitched all or part of five 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 has also played in Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
, and the CPBL
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
.
Johnson was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the 1993 amateur draft
1993 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.-Compensation picks:-Other notable players:*Scott Rolen was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1993 amateur draft....
. He made his 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...
debut on April 6, 1997 with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.and went on to play for the Orioles (1997) and Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1997–2001). He was a member of Team Canada at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, where they finished in fourth place in the baseball tournament. Johnson played in the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
organizations from 2001–2003, before signing with the Expos again in 2004
In 2006, Johnson played for Somerset
Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are an American professional baseball team based in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. In 2007, he played for the Edmonton Cracker-Cats
Edmonton Cracker-Cats
The Edmonton Capitals are a professional baseball team based in Edmonton, Alberta. Known originally as the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, they began play in the Northern League in 2005 before switching to the Golden Baseball League in 2008. The team was sold to Daryl Katz in 2009, after which the team was...
of the Northern League. In 2008, he played for the CPBL
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
's La New Bears
La New Bears
The Lamigo Monkeys , formerly First Financial Holdings Agan and then the La New Bears , are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan...
and won the winningest pitcher and the MVP at the regular season.
On March 7, 2009 he pitched for Canada in the World Baseball Classic against the USA. For 2009, he signed to play for the SK Wyverns in South Korea after an interval of four years, but he was dismissed in April having appeared in just two games. He signed with the Edmonton Capitals
Edmonton Capitals
The Edmonton Capitals are a professional baseball team based in Edmonton, Alberta. Known originally as the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, they began play in the Northern League in 2005 before switching to the Golden Baseball League in 2008. The team was sold to Daryl Katz in 2009, after which the team was...
of the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
, for whom he finished the season. He split the 2010 season between the Capitals and Yuma Scorpions
Yuma Scorpions
The Yuma Scorpions are a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, in the United States. The Scorpions are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League. From the 2005 season to the present, the Scorpions have played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium at the...
.