Reed Johnson
Encyclopedia
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball
outfielder
. He was born in Riverside
, California
and soccer. He was an All-League and an All-County selection.
Johnson attended college at Cal State Fullerton and was named an Academic All-American. He also set records by being the first Cal State Fullerton player to score 100 runs
and collect 100 hits
in a season.
in the 17th round of the 1999 MLB Draft. In the minors, he was a Southern League
All-Star in 2001 with the Tennessee Smokies
, while hitting .314 with 13 home runs and 74 RBI. Johnson made his Major League debut on April 17, 2003 against the New York Yankees
as a pinch runner
. He recorded his first major league hit on April 20, 2003 against Boston Red Sox
pitcher Casey Fossum
and his first home run on May 17, 2003 against Jeremy Affeldt
of the Kansas City Royals
. He finished his rookie season, with a .294 batting average
, 10 home run
s, and 52 runs batted in. Johnson also won the American League
Rookie of the Month Award for the month of September.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 2003), the others being Billy Hamilton (1893), Victor Power
(1957), Darin Erstad
(2000), and Ian Kinsler
(2009).
Johnson extended his tenure with the Blue Jays on December 7, 2005, after signing a one-year extension worth $1,425,000.
At the start the season, Johnson was platooned with Frank Catalanotto
in left field, as they had been for the previous two seasons. In a Toronto Star
article, Johnson was quoted as saying, "I train so that I can play every day. I don't train to be a fourth outfielder, or there would be a lot less training. I wouldn't be waking up as early. I wouldn't be trying to be in the shape that I'm in. I know my body can take the pounding of an everyday season".
In 2006, Johnson led all leadoff hitters in the American League with a .390 on-base percentage and also had a .319 batting average.
One of Johnson's more dubious honors is his propensity for being hit by pitch
es. Consistently among the Blue Jays leaders in being hit, in 2006 Johnson moved past Ed Sprague to take second on the Blue Jays all-time hit by pitch list, trailing only Carlos Delgado
. He is also one of several players to be hit a major-league record three times in one game; Johnson was hit three times in a game against the Texas Rangers
on April 15, 2005. He equaled this feat again on April 7, 2006, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
In 2008, the presence of veteran Matt Stairs
probably had Johnson relegated to a platoon situation. Also, the signing of all-star shortstop David Eckstein
removed Johnson from his familiar role as leadoff hitter
. The Blue Jays also signed outfielder Shannon Stewart to a minor league contract. Stewart, who played in 855 games for Toronto from to 2003, was a dependable and consistent force at the top of the Blue Jays lineup for many years, although by this point he was considered a liability in the field at times because of an injury suffered playing football which greatly reduced his throwing strength. His presence at spring training
made Johnson's role all the more uncertain. Johnson was released by the Jays on March 23, and replaced by Stewart.
(as well as Felix Pie
to start the season). Johnson "batted in" a game winning run after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded on June 12, against the Atlanta Braves
. During a crucial game in the 2008 season
against the Milwaukee Brewers
, Johnson executed a perfect hard slide into second base that prevented a double play, and allowed the Cubs to take a one-run lead. When Johnson returned to Rogers Centre
to play the Toronto Blue Jays on June 13, 2008, he received a long standing ovation from Blue Jays fans.
During a game early in the 2009 season
, also against the Brewers, Johnson showed versatility on the field by catching a Prince Fielder
drive that had cleared the wall, preventing the Brewers from tying the game on a grand slam. He was placed on the 15-day DL on July 30 that same year with a left foot fracture.
to replace Juan Pierre
as the team's fourth outfielder. He appeared in 102 games with a .262 batting average during the season.
Johnson appears in the opening introduction sequence of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
as a Dodger player. As the announcer introduces the Tonight Show, game footage of Johnson hitting a ball and running to first base is seen in the opening sequence; the exact game is not known. The shot of Johnson does not last more than two and a half seconds.
In 2011, he batted .309 in 246 at bats. Through 2011, he had the second-best career fielding percentage (.991) among all active major league left fielders, behind Ryan Braun
.
. He resides in Chicago, Illinois
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He was born in Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
College career
Johnson grew up in Temecula, in southern Riverside (California) County, and attended Temecula Valley High School, where he participated in baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and soccer. He was an All-League and an All-County selection.
Johnson attended college at Cal State Fullerton and was named an Academic All-American. He also set records by being the first Cal State Fullerton player to score 100 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and collect 100 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 a season.
Toronto Blue Jays
Johnson was drafted by the Toronto Blue JaysToronto 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 17th round of the 1999 MLB Draft. In the minors, he was a Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
All-Star in 2001 with the Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
, while hitting .314 with 13 home runs and 74 RBI. Johnson made his Major League debut on April 17, 2003 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...
as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
. He recorded his first major league hit on April 20, 2003 against 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"...
pitcher Casey Fossum
Casey Fossum
Casey Paul Fossum is an American baseball pitcher in the New York Mets organization. He played for the Boston Red Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Detroit Tigers , and New York Mets of Major League Baseball, and the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball...
and his first home run on May 17, 2003 against Jeremy Affeldt
Jeremy Affeldt
Jeremy David Affeldt is an American baseball professional pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He throws and bats left-handed. Previously, he has played for the Kansas City Royals, the Colorado Rockies, and the Cincinnati Reds....
of the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. He finished his rookie season, with a .294 batting average
Batting 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 :...
, 10 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 52 runs batted in. Johnson also won 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...
Rookie of the Month Award for the month of September.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 2003), the others being Billy Hamilton (1893), Victor Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
(1957), Darin Erstad
Darin Erstad
Darin Charles Erstad is the Head Coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team and a former Major League Baseball outfielder/first baseman. Prior to , he had played with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2007...
(2000), and Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
(2009).
Johnson extended his tenure with the Blue Jays on December 7, 2005, after signing a one-year extension worth $1,425,000.
At the start the season, Johnson was platooned with Frank Catalanotto
Frank Catalanotto
Frank John Catalanotto is a former Italian American baseball outfielder. Nicknamed "Little Cat", the Long Island native bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
in left field, as they had been for the previous two seasons. In a Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
article, Johnson was quoted as saying, "I train so that I can play every day. I don't train to be a fourth outfielder, or there would be a lot less training. I wouldn't be waking up as early. I wouldn't be trying to be in the shape that I'm in. I know my body can take the pounding of an everyday season".
In 2006, Johnson led all leadoff hitters in the American League with a .390 on-base percentage and also had a .319 batting average.
One of Johnson's more dubious honors is his propensity for being hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
es. Consistently among the Blue Jays leaders in being hit, in 2006 Johnson moved past Ed Sprague to take second on the Blue Jays all-time hit by pitch list, trailing only Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
. He is also one of several players to be hit a major-league record three times in one game; Johnson was hit three times in a game against 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...
on April 15, 2005. He equaled this feat again on April 7, 2006, against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
In 2008, the presence of veteran Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs
Matthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
probably had Johnson relegated to a platoon situation. Also, the signing of all-star shortstop David Eckstein
David Eckstein
David Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
removed Johnson from his familiar role as leadoff hitter
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
. The Blue Jays also signed outfielder Shannon Stewart to a minor league contract. Stewart, who played in 855 games for Toronto from to 2003, was a dependable and consistent force at the top of the Blue Jays lineup for many years, although by this point he was considered a liability in the field at times because of an injury suffered playing football which greatly reduced his throwing strength. His presence at 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...
made Johnson's role all the more uncertain. Johnson was released by the Jays on March 23, and replaced by Stewart.
Chicago Cubs
On March 25, he signed a one year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Johnson platooned in center field with Jim EdmondsJim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds...
(as well as Felix Pie
Felix Pie
Félix Pie is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.-Minor league career:...
to start the season). Johnson "batted in" a game winning run after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded on June 12, against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. During a crucial game in the 2008 season
2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Johnson executed a perfect hard slide into second base that prevented a double play, and allowed the Cubs to take a one-run lead. When Johnson returned to Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
to play the Toronto Blue Jays on June 13, 2008, he received a long standing ovation from Blue Jays fans.
During a game early in the 2009 season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
, also against the Brewers, Johnson showed versatility on the field by catching a Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
drive that had cleared the wall, preventing the Brewers from tying the game on a grand slam. He was placed on the 15-day DL on July 30 that same year with a left foot fracture.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On February 1, 2010, Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles DodgersLos 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...
to replace Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
as the team's fourth outfielder. He appeared in 102 games with a .262 batting average during the season.
Johnson appears in the opening introduction sequence of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
as a Dodger player. As the announcer introduces the Tonight Show, game footage of Johnson hitting a ball and running to first base is seen in the opening sequence; the exact game is not known. The shot of Johnson does not last more than two and a half seconds.
Return to the Chicago Cubs
On January 12, 2011, Johnson signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs with an invitation to Spring Training.In 2011, he batted .309 in 246 at bats. Through 2011, he had the second-best career fielding percentage (.991) among all active major league left fielders, behind Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
.
Personal life
Growing up, Johnson participated in gymnasticsGymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. He resides in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.