Tampa Bay Rays: Elliot Johnson 2B #43

40 Rays 40 Days










Elliot Johnson
2B #43
HT:6'0 WT:185

The Dish: Elliot Johnson was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2002. He's made a steady progression through the Rays' minor leagues since 2002. By 2005 he was at Advanced Class A Visalia and was promoted to AA Montgomery during the season. He was one of eight minor leaguers to hit 10 home runs and steal 40 bases that year. He was named the Cal Leagues faster runner by Baseball America. Johnson spent all of 2006 at AA Montgomery as the starting 2B for the Southern League Champion Biscuits. Johnson showed an increase in power, hitting 13 home runs in 108 games but only stealing 15 bases and hitting .272/.324/.440. He was promoted to AAA Durham in 2007 and spent the entire season as the Bulls 2B. Johnson, however did not produce at all. He hit just .207 for the Bulls and did not impress.

2007 Numbers:(AAA Durham) 207/.285/.341 with 11 home runs in 129 games

Jules Fantast Impact: Once again...none

Role for '08: Johnson was expected to go through spring training quietly and report to AAA for another season. He's awful numbers last year did not warrant much more. However, Johnson literally exploded onto the national scene for his home plate collision with Yankees C prospect Francisco Cervelli. Jonhson was an over night celebrity, drawing the back page of the three major metro newspapers in New York as well as becoming the central figure in a war of words between Yankees and Rays coaches and fans. Once the dust settles down Johnson will go back to AAA and be the 2B again. He could receive a callup if one of the Rays IF is injured.

Baseball Cube

Where's the beef? Yankees and Rays opinions differ on play

During the ninth inning of yesterday's 4-1 victory against the Yankees, Rays minor league 2B Elliott Johnson was involved in a home plate collision with Yankees top catching prospect Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli suffered a broken wrist and will be out up to two months. Yankees Manager Joe Girardi took offensive to the play calling it "uncalled" for as well as this swipe at Rays Skipper Joe Maddon:

"I don't understand it,'' Girardi said. "I've always known that you don't do it. I know kids are playing aggressive and they're playing hard - that's how you want them to play - but maybe if it happens too much you should mention something.''

Joe Maddon, however sees it another way

"I never read that rule before," Maddon responded Saturday night. "We try to play the game the same way on March 8 as we do on June 8. We don't differentiate between a spring training game and a regular-season game. We play it hard and we play it right every day.

Maddon called it "a good, aggressive play" and said: "I loved the hard ball right there. We're playing it hard, we're playing it right."

Of course there are going to be different opinions on both sides. Girardi sees it as a cheap shot, while Maddon sees a guy going all out to make the team. Elliott Johnson isn't guaranteed of a regular season. These games are his only chances to prove to Joe Maddon and the rest of the Rays staff that he belongs on the club before they ship him back to Durham, NC. I never like to see someone seriously injured in Spring, but if Cervelli is going to block the plate in the ninth inning, the Yankees shouldn't expect Johnson to stand up and just take a tag. It is a split-second decision and Johnson had to do what was best for his team to win the game. Johnson told the St. Petersburg Times:

"I'm trying to show these guys what I can do. I'm just trying to score the run. That's my job. And looking back at it I'd have to say I'd probably do the same thing.''

Cervelli, was not upset, saying it was all :

"part of the game," "Maybe (Johnson) wants to make the team."

The Rays face the Yankees on Wednesday as well as almost 20 times in the regular season. This could get interesting.