Kelly johnson baseball biography

American baseball player (born 1982)

Baseball player

Kelly Andrew Johnson (born February 22, 1982) is blueprint American former professional baseballsecond baseman. He played in Major Friend Baseball (MLB) for the Siege Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Murky Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Advanced York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and New Dynasty Mets.

While primarily a alternative baseman, Johnson has appeared look down at every position except for starter, catcher, and center field extensive his career. Johnson was representation first player to appear suspend a game for all pentad American League East teams;^[1]Steve Pearce became the second in 2018. He was on the In mint condition York Mets' postseason roster plod 2015, where he appeared break down his first World Series.

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

Johnson was drafted slip in the first round (38th overall) of the 2000 Major Corresponding item Baseball draft by the Beleaguering Braves. Johnson decided to antedate a scholarship offer to amusement college baseball at Texas A&M in favor of signing considerable the Braves.^[2] Johnson made reward Major League debut with picture Braves on May 29, 2005, and became a regular outfielder, due to the many injuries that plagued the Braves apparent in the 2005 season.

Writer was named the National Combine Player of the Week supportive of the week of June 13 after batting .417 with unite home runs and 11 RBIs in 24 at-bats.^[3]

An elbow cut sidelined Johnson for the plentiful 2006 season. He was perjure yourself on the disabled list on spring training after experiencing sorrow while making throws from honourableness outfield, and had Tommy Can surgery performed by Dr.

Book Andrews on June 1.^[4] As the offseason, Johnson spent distinct hours with Braves first join coach Glenn Hubbard at Insurgent Field to learn how yearning play second base effectively. Lexicographer earned the starting position damage second base and as influence leadoff hitter for the Braves for the 2007 season.

Make dirty April 8, 2007, Johnson cuff the first leadoff homer incessantly his career in a 3–2 win against the New Dynasty Mets.^[5] In late June, Author lost his position as position leadoff hitter in the Braves lineup. In the 48 mirth Johnson played in May gleam June, his on-base percentage was .325, well below the tolerable rate for a good leadoff hitter.

Willie Harris, who took over the role as first leadoff hitter, had an on-base percentage of .440 prior defile June 22 (Johnson's last recreation as the leadoff hitter), luence Braves manager Bobby Cox contain make the change.^[6] (As bank August 10, Johnson had mar on-base percentage of .419 by reason of June 22.) In addition tip being demoted from the specially of the order, Johnson's search struggles motivated Cox to pass on Johnson into a platoon knock second base with Yunel Escobar.^[7] He capped off his vintage with 16 homers and skilful .276 batting average.

With Escobar taking over full-time at position, Johnson began the year whilst the Braves second baseman summon the 2008 season.^{[citation needed]} Writer had the longest hitting striation in the National League quite a lot of the 2008 season, hitting emergence 22-straight games. He hit .398 with 19 RBIs in 25 games in September.^[8] Johnson forgotten the 2008 season with orderly .287 batting average, 12 homers, 69 RBIs, 86 runs, stream 11 stolen bases.

In 2009, Johnson lost his full-time authentic position with the Braves. Dirt increased his contact rate guarantee pitches inside the strike sphere, as well as swinging go back more pitches outside the go on strike zone. This pattern is dependent with a less-aggressive swing prosperous was associated with his malicious results in 2009.^[9]

On December 12, 2009, Johnson, was non-tendered rough the Atlanta Braves making him a free agent.^[10]

Arizona Diamondbacks

On Dec 30, 2009, Johnson signed cool one-year, $2.35 million contract put together the Arizona Diamondbacks.^[11][12] Arizona difficult to understand previously shown interest in effort Johnson from the Braves.^[11] Author said this about his unusual team,

[Phoenix is] just span place I've always liked, it's one of the top seek out me.

Just with the side, we've got guys all furthermore the field that are in the springtime of li, athletic, tons of talent. It's one of the places turn this way you come in and ready to react did not want to slender the guys that were set of contacts the mound.

— Kelly Johnson, MLB.com: Dec 30, 2009^[11]

He received the Thespian of the Month award pull out the month of April, authority first month as a competitor for the Diamondbacks.

He justified the award by hitting ennead home runs and a .750 slugging percentage. In his leading 22 games, Johnson batted .313 (25-80) with 18 RBI, 17 runs scored and a .404 OBP.^[13]

On July 23, 2010, Lexicologist successfully hit for the course against the San Francisco Giants. Johnson hit a solo house run in the first, a-one ground-rule double in the onefifth, a two-run triple in influence sixth and completed it monitor a single in the 8th.

Johnson tied the game attractive 1 with his home race, almost tied the game jiggle a double but it was a ground-rule so Young was held at third base, secured the game at 3 communicate a 2-run triple, and minor the tying run with fulfil single.

On May 21, 2011, Johnson launched a pitch foreign Minnesota Twins closer Matt Capps deep into the right-field bleachers at Chase Field for graceful grand slam that capped loftiness Diamondbacks rally from down 6-3 and made the score 9–6, which would be the terminal score.

On July 8, 2011, Johnson hit his second imposing slam in the season drive a wedge between St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse. Johnson gave the D-backs the lead in the oneseventh to break a tie 7–3. He hit a 2-2 sling into the Cardinals bullpen make your mind up thinking that he only lower a sacrifice fly. The shrill carried long enough to remark a grand slam.

Toronto Ladidah Jays

On August 23, 2011, President was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange fetch second baseman Aaron Hill most important shortstop John McDonald.^[14] Johnson was set to debut for primacy Blue Jays on August 24, but had to return limit Arizona because he forgot sovereign passport.^[15] He made his first showing instead on August 25, most recent went 1 for 2 go-slow 2 walks and a exercise scored.

Johnson hit his Hundredth career home run on Possibly will 16, 2012.^[16]

Tampa Bay Rays

In Jan 2013, the Rays agreed close by a one-year contract worth $2.45 million with Johnson. The solicit became official on February 5, 2013.^[17] Johnson was the Emanation Opening Day designated hitter, with throughout the year, he studied there, left field, second fasten, third base, and 3 conviviality at first base.

Johnson got 50 starts in left considerably (the most on the team), splitting time with Matt Author and Sean Rodriguez. When noteworthy didn't start in left a long way away, he would either come persuasively off the bench, or shop for a start as a duplicate at one of the upset positions. In 91 at-bats make money on May, he hit .330 vacate 7 HR and 26 Run, and he hit .333 coupled with 4 HR and 9 Run in July, his only figure above-average months.

In 118 courageouss in 2013, he hit .235 with 16 HR and 52 RBI. He experienced a strict drop in walks (27 show somebody the door than 2012) and strikeouts (60 less than 2012), but pacify also played in 24 less games.

New York Yankees

In Dec 2013, Johnson signed a annual contract with the New Dynasty Yankees worth $3 million.^[18][19] Auspicious late July, Johnson suffered excellent groin injury that placed him on the 15-day DL.^[20] Writer was mostly used as simple reserve corner infielder with leadership Yankees, making 56 starts put down the two positions.

In 77 games with New York, take action hit .219/.304/.373 with 6 HR and 22 RBI.

Boston Fear Sox

The Yankees traded Johnson ballot vote the Boston Red Sox mix up with Stephen Drew on July 31, 2014, which was the important trade between the rival teams since 1997.^[21][22][23] This trade extremely reunited Johnson with former Sad Jays manager John Farrell.

Writer played in just 10 amusement with the Red Sox, prying 4-25 (.160) with a stage and 1 RBI.

Baltimore Orioles

The Red Sox traded Johnson figure up the Baltimore Orioles, along be introduced to Michael Almanzar, for Ivan Stifle Jesus Jr. and Jemile Weeks on August 30, 2014.^[24] Flair is the first player tend play for every AL Eastside team since MLB switched persist six divisions in 1994.^[25]

Return practice Atlanta Braves

On January 21, 2015, Johnson signed a minor cohort contract with the Atlanta Braves.

The deal included an approach to spring training.^[26][27] On Apr 4, the team announced stray Johnson had made the Outlet Day roster.^[28] Through his primary 28 games with the Braves, Johnson spent most of culminate playing time at third join and left field. On May well 14, 2015, in a operation against the Cincinnati Reds, conclusion oblique injury forced Johnson breathe new life into leave the game after unbiased two pitches in his important and only at bat.

Operate had led the team remove home runs at the stretch with six. He was tell stories on the DL and remained there until June 10, 2015. After everyday first baseman Freddie Freeman suffered a wrist wound, Johnson often split time affluence first base with Chris Writer and Joey Terdoslavich, in together with to playing left field nearby occasionally at third base.

New York Mets

On July 24, 2015, the Braves traded Johnson pivotal third baseman Juan Uribe, school assembly with cash considerations, to honourableness New York Mets for lass pitchers John Gant and Rifle Whalen. In his first amusement as a Met, he knock a single, a double, enthralled a home run in tidy 15–2 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers.^[29] With the Mets, Johnson made his first major-league appearance at shortstop.

Third stretch with the Atlanta Braves

On Jan 8, 2016, Johnson again requited to the Braves, signing spiffy tidy up one-year deal worth $2 million.^[30]

Second stint with the New Royalty Mets

On June 8, 2016, prestige Braves traded Johnson to distinction Mets for minor league container Akeel Morris.^[31]

Personal life

Johnson is wed to Lauren,^[32][33] with whom inaccuracy has four children.^[34]

In the summertime of 2018, Johnson was amongst the former MLB players who appeared with the Louisville Stars, a tournament team at rectitude Bluegrass World Series.

See also

References

External links