Dan Johnson: Rookie of the Year?

by limecat on Aug 5, 2005 10:57 AM PDT

A lot of people have observed how the A's big turn around came when Bobby Crosby rejoined the team. While Crosby definitely helped invigorate our lineup, I think there's another piece that's often overlooked: the phenomenal bat of Dan Johnson.

Called up when Durazo went down, Johnson has batted .319 in 55 games, with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs. At this rate he'll have 12 homers and 42 RBIs by the end of the season, in only 83 games. Had he been playing since the start of the season, Dan Johnson would've had over 20 home runs and 80 RBIs.

These numbers are almost identical to what Nick Swisher has, except DJ bats 60 points higher.

I think that we as A's fans need to start making noise for DJ to win Rookie of the Year. If we yell loud enough, we can make the East Coast writers take notice of our players. We did it with Tejada in 2002.

So spread the word, DJ deserves Rookie of the Year

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not sure how to divide up my pie ...just yet....

it's so damn hard when Street continues to do what is doing...against EVERYONE...

And i love me some Swisher...

But DJ really does have a special place in my heart for some reason. I think it is soft-spoken, driven attitude ...that has offered some of the best quotes of year. (in a "winning is the only thing" type of attitude).

Gotta love it...

Kiko Streetscherer...is where it ends!!!

by jrwolf on Aug 5, 2005 11:20 AM PDT reply actions

we're fighting ourselves

DJ-- yup- he's been the best hitter on the team. But he's played less than half the season. Can;t vote for him yet;

Swish-- slow start and injury. Look at his numbers the past month or so-- they're almost DJ-like-- plus he's been here longer and made moer of an impact;

Kentucky Joe-- a solid #4 starter. after a brutal late April and most of May, he's rebounded terrifically. ERA under 2.5 for past 10-11 starts.

Street-- consistently strong closer. only reason he's not among save leaders is that doc-Ock started year there and A's have been winning too often by large margins.

I honestly could not yet pick a favorite from this crew. I'm afraid that they will split up the vote and deny any the victory.

But all on their own could have been a ROY in some previous year.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Aug 5, 2005 11:20 AM PDT reply actions

Not only are we stealing our own votes but this is

a really hard year to win AL ROY. I think that we'll get rookies 3-5, with Blanton not getting any votes because of the competition. It will look like this:

Chacin (too many hitters, far and away the best SP in the eyes of the voters i.e. he will have the most Ws)
Cano (He's from NY)
Street (Again too many hitters, only RP)
DJ (High BA, but not enough games to rack up the HRs and RBIs)
Swish (He will lead in HRs and RBIs but BA will kill him)
Adams, Teahen, Blanton etc. might steal 1 or 2 votes

In the NL it's gonna be one of the Braves with Barmes and Q having an outside shot.

"The difference between Jose Canseco and Kobe Bryant is that Kobe doesn't believe in giving his teammates any shots." -Jay Leno

by vignette17 on Aug 5, 2005 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

NL ROY

No way Quintanilla wins, and Barmes is a Coors-inflated joke that's hurt.

Weeks will win NL ROY.

Check out "Brew Grit" at http://brewgrit.blogspot.com

by brewersandathletics on Aug 5, 2005 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree

if anything, D John and Swish are going to split the vote; Street will probably also be in the mix.

And Blanton, well, he's just been outstanding. I cant believe the composure this kid has when he gets in trouble. He and Haren have just been so tough in the middle innings, they deserve every ounce of credit, as do our rookie sluggers.

by popcornjames on Aug 5, 2005 11:32 AM PDT reply actions

DJ would get my vote

Although as Oaktoon points out, it is a competitive field, even without looking to what other teams have. Still, anyway you look at it, DJ has been superb.

I sipped the Kool-Aid, and it tastes gooooooooood!!!

by kaweahkaweah on Aug 5, 2005 11:34 AM PDT reply actions

none of the a's are

going to be ROY, its going to go to gustavo chacin of the bluejays, going 11-5 with a 3.5era in the al east is pretty damn good

but if it is one of the a's id go with swish hes on pace to hit 20hr and 80+rbis not a bad rookie campaign

by BigRed on Aug 5, 2005 11:38 AM PDT reply actions

Wait, is the vote today?

We can't possibly know who it's going to be right now. There are two huge months of baseball left to play. Those two months will decide who among these several worthy candidates will win. Any player seen as instrumental in helping his team make the playoffs will get a huge surge.

Swisher, Johnson, Street, Cano, Chacin, and Taguchi (sp?) are all in the mix.

My guess is that it will be Swisher, Street, or Cano. But it's wide open. Much better than last year.

by RLangford on Aug 5, 2005 12:03 PM PDT reply actions

No its not today

But we should start making some noise now, so DJ doesn't get overlooked come October. :)

by limecat on Aug 5, 2005 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm with you

I wasn't replying to you so much as to the people who followed your post by declaring winners and non-winners. Sure, make some noise for Johnson. But really, his numbers and the A's place in the final standings will do all of the talking. If Johnson somehow hits over .320 with power and on-base, he'll have a real shot, limited number of games or not. Still, I'd say Swisher's certainly been the more important player on the A's so far. We'll have to see how the season plays out.

by RLangford on Aug 5, 2005 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions

ROY rankings, to date:

Chacin (i understand a men's fragrance will be named after him)
Cano (only because he hits in an ass kickin' batting line-up and he plays in NY/East Coast)
Street (the hype pre-season hasn't been wrong, closing for a contending team, lights out)
Swisher (power numbers are good and chick's love the long ball)
DJ (got screwed coming out of ST, not enough ABs, might have been the best of the bunch if he had played the whole yr in Oak)

We're not dunderheads here...

by bigelephant on Aug 5, 2005 12:28 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah, DJ got screwed!!!

Fire Beane!!! He is a horrible judge of talent!!! ;)

Adversity will be there everyday, but you quit the day you don't get up. - D Braden

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Aug 5, 2005 2:51 PM PDT up reply actions

I have no idea who...

...decided DJ should start in "The Sac", but either way he was screwed from the beginning. If Ruby wasn't injuried DJ would be batting, oh, lets say; 320/400/560, with about 20 dingers right now-----with the RiverCats.

We're not dunderheads here...

by bigelephant on Aug 5, 2005 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Your projections...

are even a little low. Thats not based on being the full-time player he is right now. He should have nearly 50 games more this season. He's looking at 15 and 50 in about just over 100 games this year....maybe better, who knows.

It will be an interesting race for ROY this year....got a good crop of young players, most of which happen to wear green and gold.

by MemphisA on Aug 5, 2005 2:19 PM PDT reply actions

I hadn't noticed this

until just now, but if you look at DJ's #s so far this season, they are almost identical to Durazo's last year (the .319 average caught my attention). Which ain't bad!

Nico

by Nico on Aug 5, 2005 3:53 PM PDT reply actions

yeah..

I started thinking about that last week. And Hatty is very similar to last year, though he tailed off at the end so he needs to keep it up to match last year's numbers.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Aug 5, 2005 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions