Reed Johnson

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Reed Johnson

Toronto Blue Jays — No. 3
Outfield
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
April 17, 2003 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Selected MLB statistics
(through October 16, 2006)
Batting average     .288
Home runs     40
RBI's     220

Reed Cameron Johnson (born December 8, 1976 in Riverside, California) is an outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League East division of Major League Baseball. He weighs 180 lb (82 kg) and is 5'10" tall. He currently resides with his wife, and his dog "Shooter", in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Reed Johnson grew up in Temecula, a suburb of Riverside, and attended Temecula Valley High School, where he participated in baseball 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.

After paying his dues in the minor leagues, Johnson was called up from the Triple-A Syracuse SkyChiefs (now the Syracuse Chiefs) on April 13, 2003, and his Major League debut for the Blue Jays came on April 17, 2003. He would later win the American League Rookie of the Month award for September.[1]

Johnson is right-handed and plays all outfield positions. His career batting average is .288. He is currently one of the most popular Blue Jays players with fans.

Johnson's assets to the Blue Jays include his hard work ethic. He is known to hustle on every play. Reed also has a great defensive arm which is well scouted around the league. Many scouts have observed that he has great bunting ability, in particular his talent in bunting for base hits.

As of the start the 2006 season, Reed was platooned with Frank Catalanotto in left field, as they had been for the previous two seasons. In a Toronto Star article, Reed Johnson is 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".

After posting stellar numbers throughout the 2006 season, with a high batting average, and an outstanding on-base-percentage, Reed was named the starting left-fielder in July, leaving Catalanotto as the odd man out. Catalanotto also posted great numbers, but Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi stated that Reed "did everything we asked of him this year," and felt that he needed to be rewarded for his hard work.

One of Johnson's more dubious honors is his propensity for being hit by pitches. Consistently among the Blue Jays leaders in being hit, in 2006 Johnson moved passed Ed Sprague to take second on the Blue Jays all-time hit by pitch list, trailing only Carlos Delgado.[2] He is also one of several players to be hit three times in one game (the major league record); Johnson was hit three times in a game against the Texas Rangers on April 15, 2005. He equalled this feat again on April 7, 2006 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.[3][4]

On December 7, 2005, Johnson was re-signed to a one-year contract worth $1,425,000 as a reward for his hard work and service with the Blue Jays. According to MLB collective bargaining agreement rules, Johnson will be eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2009 season.

On February 2, 2007 the Blue Jays and Johnson agreed to a one-year $3.075 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration.[5]

  • Reed Johnson headlined the promotion for the Blue Jays "Dog Day" on July 16, 2006 with his dog, Shooter. Interestingly enough, Frank Catalanotto (nicknamed "The Cat") was the hero with a walk-off RBI.
  • Growing up, Johnson participated in Gymnastics. Many scouts have credited his good range due to his gymnastics background.

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