The Orioles have agreed to sign Nick Johnson to a minor league deal, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets. Turner Gary Sports represents the first baseman/DH.
Johnson last played in the Major Leagues with the 2010 Yankees, and though he has had trouble staying on the field, he owns a .401 career on-base percentage. A wrist injury limited Johnson to 24 MLB games in 2010 and he spent the 2011 season in the Indians' minor league system. Johnson posted a .201/.326/.328 line in 225 plate appearances in the upper minors last year.
lol
Good for Nick, he was one of my favorite players in his first stint with the Yankees. Hopefully he can make the Major League Club, stay healthy, and get his career back on track. Best of Luck to you Nick!
Johnson is still around? I thought he was a washed up stiff
hahaha I like these little puns
Hey O’s fans, I have no clue how he will do on the field (or DH’ing, I guess), but I can tell you that your neighbors to the south loved having him with our team. Great guy! A few days after the Nats traded him to the Fish, the Marlins came to Nats Park for a series. I know of quite a few people who went out and got tickets just to be able to show him their love when he first came to the plate (of course the comment from many was “Nick, we love you. Now strike out.”)
True about Nick. I remember how pissed I was at the Yankees for letting him walk.
The pride of McClatchy High School
What about Vance Worley and Larry Bowa?
Low risk, high reward…if he can stay healthy.
I agree nothing to lose. He’s always on base when he’s healthy. If he’s not, it doesn’t affect the big club.
He’s done!!!!
Based on what? Your crystal ball?
Low risk-low reward.
Low risk-no reward.
Another delightful comment from the Pirates fan who tries to hate on the Orioles.
In the immortal words of one Walter Sobchak, Am I wrong? Am I wrong??!!
No, you are just “over the line!”
😉
Marlins should’ve added him to get Coghlan back on track as far as his on-base skills are concerned. I thought Coghlan really broke out and learned to be patient when he had Johnson hitting behind him.
of course there gonna need good luck there the orioles
I hope he doesn’t injur himself trying to sign the contract.
Ahhhhh!!!! Paper cut! Paper cut!
Wish him the best. Hope to see him at Camden Yards regularly.
– Nats fan
Nick Johnson can’t hit. He batted .201 in AAA last season and .167 for the Yankees two years ago. From 2007-2011 he hit a total of 23 HR’s. Please retire!
I smell AL East champions.
No, sorry. That was me.
Were the Yankees walking by?
Johnson has always had potential but he has never done anything with it. One could argue he has never had a chance to do so due to being an injury machine but who knows perhaps he will turn it around in Baltimore.
The bulk of his disabled list time over the past three seasons is related to one issue. He injured a tendon in his hand 3 seasons ago which continued to bother him when batting, then 2 seasons ago he had the tendon removed which should eliminate the pain and not effect his play, (says the doctor), and last season he did not get the stitches out until March and was in recovery most of the season. Try swinging a bat once with just a strained tendon. If his hand is fully healed there is no reason why he can’t continue to be a good fielding 1st baseman with a high OBP. Not a bad gamble at all!
I’m surprised so many people are commenting on such a minor acquisition. My bet is we will never hear his name again until he signs another minor league deal next year.
Start on the DL in AAA, that is
A shot? I don’t know…don’t they have pills for a broken Johnson nowadays?
Os dude if he’s healthy you guys have a great guy for your clubhouse and a high OBP guy to start at 1B. It also cant hurt to get Reynolds off the field and at DH.
Exactly and a nice power bat to have if he does come back.
The Duke picked a jam up guy this time for one of his typical retread type signs and nobody should be hammering him for it.
lol dude nice wordplay
Thanks, I’m hoping he can make a comeback. I have no expectations, but I feel like it is a good low-risk move.
“If he’s healthy…”?
When did that last happen? Plus, he’s in his mid-30’s. Some fans don’t seem to grasp the useful life of a baseball player.
All kidding aside, I agree- a very low risk move that might help the club, assuming he can stay healthy.
As a O’s fan for 27 years. I hate the Yankees.
As a baseball fan for 20 years, I would like to inform you that Johnson is going to sit in AAA all year, and O’s fans won’t need to worry about him. Just because he played in the majors two years ago with your team doesn’t mean he will in Baltimore. They aren’t THAT bad… or are they…?
As a Jays fan, hope you have enjoyed AJ Burnett
The only moves that can help the Orioles right now are long-term, big picture moves.
And since Nick Johnson is absolutely not a long-term, big picture move, what’s the point?
Sometimes the shortest answer is the best response to a perceived insult. ^^^
…as a Yankees fan, we’re taught the values of respecting other clubs (except the Red Sox)…
…you’re an A’s fan, so I expect the same 25 games under .500 performance this year…
Ya know…somehow I’m juuust not feelin’ that respect thing you’re bragging about there (not an A’s fan either!).
Way to congratulate yourself, though. :p
.
Johnson has a .398 SLG% over the past five seasons.
How is he a “nice power bat”?
Considering the fact that Chris Davis is our starting first baseman and Wilson Betemit is most likely going to be our starting DH, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see Johnson get some playing time in Baltimore, regardless of how bad he is in AAA.
The last 5 years (he has played) cover 4 seasons inwhich he was hurt and only healthy in 1.. Previous to that, NJ was a decent power + OPS bat and mine (and probably The Dukes also) is hoping at best he can get some semblance of that on just a minor league deal.
Why he signed him to a *minor* league deal.
Edit:
My apologies..
Looking closer.. Nick broke his leg as recall with the Nats and missed all of ’07? Wasn’t that why he was out?? He was very productive from ’03-06, ex. for ’04 when he was (of course) hurt. “08 he missed significan time again, ’09 he was good and missed time in ’10..
That is not a.398 SLG tho glancing at it and am not gonna add it up however over the last 5 seasons.
You should have stopped after the bit about Johnson being hurt in four of the last five seasons.
If you have not figured out The Duke by now, then never will. this is the type of guy he will target and bring into camp, only NJ has more upside than most.
Why anyone would take offense on him with a minor league deal?? nit picking and little else to do is all I can think of.