Dan Johnson Thoughts

by tyrannoman on May 14, 2008 10:14 PM PDT

Well, sadly, I've been thinking about Dan Johnson a lot these past few weeks. I know there was a sort of ground swell here at mccovey chronicles to pick up Mr. Johnson when he was DFA'd (twice). After many, many hours of quite, contemplative thought on the subject, I have to say the Giants' made the correct decision in not picking him up. I know that many think that Bowker should be in AAA, but the more I see him play, the more I like him. Even in the depths of his slump, he hit quite a few balls hard, and they all found gloves. He seems to be adjusting to the superior off speed offerings at the highest level, and he finally hit a HR against a team not named after a small red bird. My point, in this boring, long winded, over 75 word post, is that Bowker hitting against right handers is great, Johnson can suck it in Durham. I hope he does hit the bull, however.

0 recs | Comment 22 comments

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

much agreed

"But if he's swinging at real flies, well, in that case there are two definite solutions: 1) Fresno 2) Ritalin." - howtheyscored

by CPGiant756 on May 15, 2008 1:15 AM PDT 0 recs

Saturday afternoon

I just saw him play Saturday afternoon in Durham…I think he walked twice, lined a single up the middle and I don’t remember his other AB…

He looked pretty good at 1B with his glove, though. He bailed out Brignac a couple of times by scooping some balls out of the dirt…

I am glad I get to go watch him in Durham and not San Francisco…

by Sgt. Dingleberry on May 15, 2008 6:22 AM PDT 0 recs

Agreed

TMan, I agree with you on this. I’d rather see Bowker and even Ortmeier get their ABs this year than take a shot on Johnson. I didn’t feel that way when Johnson was originally available, but since its clear that this team isn’t going to drive in RISP anyway the more they play stiffs like Castillo every day, I’d rather they platoon Bowker and Ortmeier at 1B and let Richie have 3B, so that the vets can stabilize the left side of the infield and use Castillo off the bench. I think we should get a chance to see how Bowker and Ortmeier look after 150-200 ABs. Burriss may be a keeper at 2B for this year, and then at SS next year.

By the way, you have my apology for ragging on you last week. It was uncalled for, and I was in a bad mood from being delayed four hours between flights in Chicago, thanks to my former friends at United. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, so I’m sorry.

by Buck Henry on May 15, 2008 7:50 AM PDT 0 recs

United

United blows. They cancelled my flight for “customer convenience” in December. It was 2 hours into a 2 hour layover from Heathrow on the way to Sea-Tac. I missed a day of work (which in the military entails more than it should) and my girlfriend and I had to wear the same clothes for 3 days. And it turns out I lost my phone too. Then United hung up on me twice when I was calling their customer service line. And I hear they pee on their hands.

I wanted Johnson. I think he can be a solid 1B somewhere, but since Bowker seems to be able to tread water, I think its much better to get him his 400 ABs and assess him from there. I want to see more Ortmeier though. Bowker at first keeps RF open for Schierholtz to play every day when we trade Winn, hopefully tomorrow…

Bengie Molina: stretching doubles into singles since 1998.

by jasomack on May 15, 2008 8:33 AM PDT up 0 recs

+1

United Airlines customer service is so bad. A couple summers ago they canceled a connecting flight I was taking from DC to Philly near the end of the day, didn’t pay to put any of us up at a hotel, wouldn’t book us on another airline, and told us the next flight they could put us on was 24 hours later. So some fellow passengers and I rented a car and drove to Philadelphia instead. I’ve never flown United since then, and never will.

Eagerly awaiting Crazy Crab Bobblehead Night on 7/18.

by Kitspool on May 15, 2008 8:58 AM PDT up 0 recs

Coming back from Maui

Last summer United lost some of my luggage.

It was a fishing spear, actually.

But they lost it AT the airport in SF.

When they found it a few days later, they offered to ship it to me.

For the small fee of $50.

Their reasoning was because they shipped it to the right airport, so I must have left it behind, not that they had lost it. Bull Shit. Not my fault it never made it to the baggage claim…

I told them to eat a dick, and picked it up myself as I was moving to SF in the process anyway.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on May 15, 2008 9:06 AM PDT up 0 recs

United..

Once had my flights so screwed up. I was flying from SF to Denver to Chicago then to Central Wisconsin. The SF flight was delayed flying to Denver for an hour and a half. We sat on the tarmac waiting to take off for Chicago for an hour. Then got to Chicago and the flights were so delayed that I had missed my connector to Central Wisconsin, the options were fly to Milwaukee or get a bus to Madison. Luckily the people I were staying with drove 3 hours to Milwaukee to pick me up.

Never flew them again, last few times has been Midwest. Last time I flew back from SF to here went through kansas city and milwaukee. Well the weather was bad in Wisconsin and there was a snowstorm that hit Central Wisconsin and a bit Milwaukee. We arrived in Milwaukee about 11, our flight was supposed to leave about 10. So we were stuck there the night. Luckily, although the customer service call in lines said they wouldn’t put us up in a hotel the guy at the checkout was giving out hotel vouchers. I’d fly Midwest again because of that.

The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."

by WalrusMan on May 15, 2008 9:15 PM PDT up 0 recs

What is it with exceptionally shitty service with the airlines? I’ve had my flight from Tampa to Detroit in September changed about four times in the last two weeks, and one change had me going from Tampa to Memphis then Memphis to Detroit, but arriving in Memphis in the afternoon and departing for Detroit in the morning on the same day. Which, as you know, is physically impossible to do. I’m sorry but if I had the ability to bend time and space, I wouldn’t use it for mundane crap like flying domestically. I’d use it for evil, of course.

"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 15, 2008 8:36 AM PDT up 0 recs

Baron

If you do end up warping the space/time continuum and spend some anti-time in Memphis, give me a shout.

Your 2011 SF Giants: the 2008 Augusta Greenjackets!

by Lyle on May 15, 2008 5:35 PM PDT up 0 recs

At this point, anything is possible. I’ll definitely give you some sort of signal if/when I end up there.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 16, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up 0 recs

no big deal

I understand we all get a little worked up from time to time. If you need to vent, feel free. I’m happy to provide a public service :)

I agree with you an Richie, as well. I would like to see Castillo get a lot less playing time, though he is hitting a little better latley (4 double plays in one game aside). Yes on the Bowker Ort platoon, as well. Not sure about Burris. I like him, and he sure “looks” like a ballplayer, but I think his best future is a utility IF. THat being said, his speed is truly a weapon, and I’m now thinking it may be time to option Eugenio to Fresno, which I sure didn’t think I’d write this year. Just bounce Burriss between short and second, and call Nate up to get some AB’s.

by tyrannoman on May 15, 2008 8:44 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm not sure I support sending Velez down yet.

Buress has very little playing time, and hasn’t really shown to be any better.

His bat is rapidly approaching bocock levels.

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on May 15, 2008 9:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

Hey man I spell your kid’s name correctly, the least you can do is spell my kid’s name correctly!

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 15, 2008 9:25 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ssirrub ?

Eugeniooooooo!!!!

by FairweatherFan on May 15, 2008 10:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

ynnam!

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 15, 2008 10:47 AM PDT up 0 recs

I woulnd’t use it for evil, just to build great Giant baseball teams, and make sure the Dodgers go 0-162. That’s fighting the good fight, right?

by tyrannoman on May 15, 2008 8:46 AM PDT 0 recs

Hmm Saint Tyrannoman sounds about right.

" Their still Shitty" - Major Leagues the movie.
I am a Giants fan. Thus I enjoy my pain. Currently enjoying it more then usual.

by daveinexile on May 15, 2008 9:25 AM PDT up 0 recs

I have to agree with your post here.

The one thing I will say in our defence is how many us though Bochy would stick with the Kids through that gawd’s awful 30 P.A.’s ( or about somewhere 30 )with out burrying him deep on the bench? I certainly didn’t. So I reckon I should tip my hat to Bolder Skull as well here.

" Their still Shitty" - Major Leagues the movie.
I am a Giants fan. Thus I enjoy my pain. Currently enjoying it more then usual.

by daveinexile on May 15, 2008 9:29 AM PDT 0 recs

Both Bowker and Lewis have shown so much promise at the plate that I think (to Bochy’s credit) they will be allowed to play through slumps. Hell, Freddy has a terrible week or so against LHP (something like a 1 for 23 stretch), and he’s rebounded nicely the last few days. Slumps are part of the game.

Eagerly awaiting Crazy Crab Bobblehead Night on 7/18.

by Kitspool on May 15, 2008 9:42 AM PDT up 0 recs

true

Just given the Giants track record on slumps ussaly only those over 31 get to work through them. Its too early to call this a trend and say have changed under Boulder Skull yet the handling of these 2 is hopeful.

" Their still Shitty" - Major Leagues the movie.
I am a Giants fan. Thus I enjoy my pain. Currently enjoying it more then usual.

by daveinexile on May 15, 2008 10:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

Why is it bad to have two decent first baseman rather than one? Play Johnson in SF and Bowker in Fresno and see where you’re at in a few months.

by Evan on May 15, 2008 11:18 AM PDT 0 recs

I like it!

I like your idea here. I suspect John needs more seasoning, although he has been demonstrating on almost a daily basis that my thinking may be mistaken. Still, the seasoning can’t hurt IMO. And let’s see what Johnson can do. Or even Jason Botts.

by sharksrog on May 16, 2008 12:20 AM PDT up 0 recs