Nick Johnson
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Robert Johnson (born September 19, 1978, in Sacramento, California
) is an American
Major League Baseball
first baseman
.
He previously played for the New York Yankees
(2001–2003; 2010), Montreal Expos
/Washington Nationals
(2004–2009), and the Florida Marlins
(2009). Johnson is known for his patience and discipline at the plate, which have led to a high career on base percentage
of .401 through the 2010 season. Lifetime, with the bases loaded
he has a .385 batting average
, a .468 on base percentage
, and 39 runs batted in
in 39 at bat
s through the 2009 season. Johnson was the last remaining player on the Nationals roster to relocate with the team from Montreal, before being traded to the Marlins by the 2009 non-waiver trade deadline.
third base coach Larry Bowa
. Johnson and his wife, Liz, had their first child, Brianna, on January 31, 2006.
He graduated from C. K. McClatchy High School
, which Bowa also attended.
He shares a house with former major leaguer Joe Orsulak
.
.
In , he batted .317/.466/.538 with 17 home runs in 303 at bats for the Tampa Yankees
. In , he was an All-Star for the Norwich Navigators
, and batted .345/.525/.548 with 37 HBP
and 123 walks
in 420 official at bats.
He participated in the 1999 and 2001 Futures Games during All-Star Weekend, playing for the United States team.
Johnson has a .446 lifetime minor league OBP.
Johnson hit .284/.422/.472 with the Yankees in 2003. From May 15 to July 25, Johnson was on the disabled list
due to a stress fracture
in his right hand. During this time, he ranked ninth among first baseman in Runs Above Replacement, position-adjusted (RARP)—a Sabermetric
statistic. Only 4 of the hitters ahead of him—Carlos Delgado
, Todd Helton
, Jason Giambi
, and Jim Thome
—had a better EqA, and the other four played more than Johnson. Expanding beyond his position, he would have tied with Edgar Martínez
for the 17th-best EqA in baseball.
After the 2003 season, the Yanks traded him, along with Juan Rivera
and Randy Choate
, to the Montreal Expos for Javier Vazquez
.
In 2004, his first and last season with the Montreal Expos, because of their relocation to Washington at the end of the season, injuries struck again. He could not play until May 28 because of a back injury, and struggled after initial success. By the time his season was ended by a ball hit to first that took a bad hop and broke his cheekbone, he was down to a .251/.359/.398 line. The back injury was another troubling sign regarding his fragility; in addition, the year was a disappointment as far as his hitting was concerned.
In , with the new Washington Nationals
, Johnson compiled a performance more reminiscent of his 2003 season than of his injury-riddled 2004 campaign. He hit .289/.408 (sixth-best in the league)/.479, and had a .478 OBP with runners in scoring position
. Johnson batted cleanup for most of the season, despite the fact that he had a much higher OBP than the third-place hitter on the team—Jose Guillen.
Just before the 2006 season began, Johnson signed a three-year, $16.5 million extension, with a trade clause after the second year. In , Johnson hit .290/.428/.520, in his best year thus far. The .428 OBP was the 4th-highest in the league. He was second in the NL in walk percentage 18.0%), third in walks (110), seventh in doubles
(46) and intentional walks (15), and tenth in times hit by pitch (13). He had a .454 OBP with runners in scoring position. Johnson had his worst season to date in the field, however, with 15 errors. On September 23, 2006, playing against the New York Mets
at Shea Stadium
, Johnson and right fielder Austin Kearns
collided while attempting to catch a fly ball. Johnson sustained a broken femur
and underwent surgery that night to repair the injury. He missed the entire season, though he still earned $5.5 million.
Returning from his broken leg, Johnson played in the National's spring training
games in . Though he was off to a rocky start, he regained his form and competed with Dmitri Young
, his replacement while injured and the 2007 recipient of the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
, for the role of starting first baseman.
Johnson opened the season as the starting first baseman over Young. On March 30, 2008, Johnson knocked in the first RBI in the new baseball stadium for the Nationals. However, soon after, he sustained a tear in a ligament
on the ulnar side of his wrist, and missed the rest of the 2008 season.
There were rumors he may be traded before the season; however, he opened the season as the starting first baseman.
With Johnson's trade the Nationals franchise no longer had any player on the roster who made the Montreal/Washington crossover in 2005, although that changed again shortly after when Livan Hernandez
was reacquired.
On July 31, 2009, he was traded from the Washington Nationals to the Florida Marlins for minor league pitcher Aaron Thompson
.
In 2009 he walked 17.8% of the time, the highest percentage in the major leagues. His .426 on base percentage was second-best in the league to Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols
.
The Yankees announced on October 27 that the club has declined to exercise their option for Johnson for 2011.
. He spent most of the season in AAA with the Columbus Clippers
.
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
first baseman
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...
.
He previously played for 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...
(2001–2003; 2010), 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...
/Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
(2004–2009), and the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
(2009). Johnson is known for his patience and discipline at the plate, which have led to a high career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .401 through the 2010 season. Lifetime, with the bases loaded
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
he has a .385 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 :...
, a .468 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and 39 runs batted in
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...
in 39 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 through the 2009 season. Johnson was the last remaining player on the Nationals roster to relocate with the team from Montreal, before being traded to the Marlins by the 2009 non-waiver trade deadline.
Personal
He is the nephew of 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...
third base coach Larry Bowa
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
. Johnson and his wife, Liz, had their first child, Brianna, on January 31, 2006.
He graduated from C. K. McClatchy High School
C. K. McClatchy High School
C.K. McClatchy High School is a Sacramento City Unified School District High School. It is located in the Land Park area of Sacramento, California, USA . McClatchy High School is also the second-oldest high school in Sacramento, having been established in 1937. It is currently the oldest high...
, which Bowa also attended.
He shares a house with former major leaguer Joe Orsulak
Joe Orsulak
Joseph Michael Richardson Orsulak III is a former Major League Baseball player from 1983 to 1997 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Florida Marlins, and Montreal Expos. Orsulak, who threw and batted lefthanded, played mostly in the outfield, although he played some games...
.
Minor league career
Johnson was drafted by the Yankees in the third round (89th overall) of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
.
In , he batted .317/.466/.538 with 17 home runs in 303 at bats for the Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
. In , he was an All-Star for the Norwich Navigators
Connecticut Defenders
The Connecticut Defenders were a minor league baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 season, when the Defenders relocated to Richmond,...
, and batted .345/.525/.548 with 37 HBP
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:...
and 123 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in 420 official at bats.
He participated in the 1999 and 2001 Futures Games during All-Star Weekend, playing for the United States team.
Johnson has a .446 lifetime minor league OBP.
New York Yankees
In 2002 Johnson was 7th in the AL in hit by pitch (12), in just 378 at bats with the Yankees.Johnson hit .284/.422/.472 with the Yankees in 2003. From May 15 to July 25, Johnson was on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
due to a stress fracture
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" and also heavy continuous weight on the ankle or leg...
in his right hand. During this time, he ranked ninth among first baseman in Runs Above Replacement, position-adjusted (RARP)—a Sabermetric
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
statistic. Only 4 of the hitters ahead of him—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....
, Todd Helton
Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner....
, Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi
Jason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
, and Jim Thome
Jim Thome
James Howard "Jim" Thome is a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the eighth player to hit 600 home runs in the major leagues. He is widely considered a future Hall of Famer.-Cleveland Indians :...
—had a better EqA, and the other four played more than Johnson. Expanding beyond his position, he would have tied with Edgar Martínez
Edgar Martinez
Edgar Martínez , nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and designated hitter. He spent his entire 18-year Major League career with the Seattle Mariners. He is the cousin of Carmelo Martínez.-Seattle Mariners:On December 19, 1982, the Seattle Mariners signed...
for the 17th-best EqA in baseball.
After the 2003 season, the Yanks traded him, along with Juan Rivera
Juan Rivera (baseball player)
Juan Luis Rivera is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has previously played for the New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Toronto Blue Jays.-New York Yankees:...
and Randy Choate
Randy Choate
Randol Doyle Choate is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-High school years:Choate attended Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas, and was a letterman in baseball....
, to the Montreal Expos for Javier Vazquez
Javier Vázquez
Javier Carlos Vázquez is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins , Atlanta Braves , Chicago White Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , New York Yankees and Montreal Expos . Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico...
.
Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals
In , with the new Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, Johnson compiled a performance more reminiscent of his 2003 season than of his injury-riddled 2004 campaign. He hit .289/.408 (sixth-best in the league)/.479, and had a .478 OBP with runners in scoring position
Scoring position
In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on second or third...
. Johnson batted cleanup for most of the season, despite the fact that he had a much higher OBP than the third-place hitter on the team—Jose Guillen.
Just before the 2006 season began, Johnson signed a three-year, $16.5 million extension, with a trade clause after the second year. In , Johnson hit .290/.428/.520, in his best year thus far. The .428 OBP was the 4th-highest in the league. He was second in the NL in walk percentage 18.0%), third in walks (110), seventh in doubles
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....
(46) and intentional walks (15), and tenth in times hit by pitch (13). He had a .454 OBP with runners in scoring position. Johnson had his worst season to date in the field, however, with 15 errors. On September 23, 2006, playing against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Johnson and right fielder Austin Kearns
Austin Kearns
Austin Ryan Kearns is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.-Cincinnati Reds:...
collided while attempting to catch a fly ball. Johnson sustained a broken femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and underwent surgery that night to repair the injury. He missed the entire season, though he still earned $5.5 million.
Returning from his broken leg, Johnson played in the National's 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...
games in . Though he was off to a rocky start, he regained his form and competed with Dmitri Young
Dmitri Young
Dmitri Dell Young is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Young is 6'2" and 275 pounds...
, his replacement while injured and the 2007 recipient of the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Comeback Player of the Year Award can refer to:*CPBL most progressive award – Chinese Professional Baseball League *Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award – Major League Baseball...
, for the role of starting first baseman.
Johnson opened the season as the starting first baseman over Young. On March 30, 2008, Johnson knocked in the first RBI in the new baseball stadium for the Nationals. However, soon after, he sustained a tear in a ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
on the ulnar side of his wrist, and missed the rest of the 2008 season.
There were rumors he may be traded before the season; however, he opened the season as the starting first baseman.
With Johnson's trade the Nationals franchise no longer had any player on the roster who made the Montreal/Washington crossover in 2005, although that changed again shortly after when Livan Hernandez
Liván Hernández
Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. He is the half-brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.-Playing career:...
was reacquired.
Florida Marlins
Aaron Thompson
Aaron M. Thompson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
.
In 2009 he walked 17.8% of the time, the highest percentage in the major leagues. His .426 on base percentage was second-best in the league to Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
.
Return to New York
On December 23, 2009, Johnson signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract to return to the Yankees. On May 8, Johnson was placed on the DL with a wrist injury. He required season-ending surgery after a setback in his rehabilitation in August.The Yankees announced on October 27 that the club has declined to exercise their option for Johnson for 2011.
Cleveland Indians
On March 7, 2011, Johnson signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He spent most of the season in AAA with the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
.