Back from Japan: Dan Johnson signs with Rays
Posted on January 11, 2010
Dan Johnson of the Oakland Athletics takes batting practice before a game against the Minnesota Twins at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on August 14, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
The Tampa Bay Rays announced today that they have signed former Oakland A’s slugger Dan Johnson to a one-year deal worth $500,000. Last year the Rays sold Johnson’s rights to the Yokohama BayStars in Japan, where the 30-year-old hit .215 with 24 homers and 57 RBIs in 325 at-bats in the Central League.
Dan Johnson of the Oakland Athletics bats during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on June 5, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Johnson had a real nice start to his big league career when he came up with the A’s in 2005 when he hit .275 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 109 games, most of which were played at first base. He hit some big home runs during his stay in Oakland, especially in Minneapolis when he played in front of his home town fans against the Twins at the Metrodome. After awhile it seemed like he was just a stop-gap at first as the A’s were getting ready for minor leaguer Daric Barton to take over at first base and be the next big thing in Oakland. Jack Cust came on the scene in 2007 and locked up the DH position, so after Johnson stopped hitting homers there was nowhere left for him to play.
Oakland Athletics first baseman Dan Johnson tags out Philadelphia Phillies base runner Mike Lieberthal at first base during their game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland on June 19, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
The Rays picked Johnson up on waivers at the beginning of the 2008 season and Johnson saw very limited action with the American League Champions, hitting two homers in only 25 at-bats. However, one of those home runs was probably the biggest of Johnson’s career when he blasted a ninth-inning, pinch-hit home run off Jonathan Papelbon on September 9, 2008 at Fenway Park in Boston. Johnson was called up from Triple A Durham that day, and got caught in traffic and arrived late to Fenway. Johnson’s bomb helped propel the Rays to a 1 1/2 game cushion and their first win in Boston that season.
Portrait of Dan Johnson of the Oakland Athletics in the dugout during the game against the Texas Rangers at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on September 15, 2007. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Based on the lore of the Johnson homer at Fenway I am guessing there will always be a warm spot in the hearts of Rays fans towards him, so today should be a happy day in Tampa. Kinda like if the Giants would have brought Mike Ivie back for one last run in San Francisco after he only played 12 games for the Tigers in 1983. Wishful thinking on my part.
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