Looking to get his back on track after a career-worst season, former closer Jim Johnson signed with the Braves in part to work with pitching coach Roger McDowell. Early results have been encouraging.
Johnson pitched a perfect inning with three groundouts Sunday against the Astros in his Grapefruit League debut, the second of nine Braves pitchers who combined for a 10-inning no-hitter in a 2-2 tie.
The veteran right-hander pitched the third inning against an Astros split-squad lineup and retired No. 9 hitter Alex Presley, leadoff man Jose Altuve and Jed Lowrie.
“First inning, trying to locate the fastball,” Johnson said, “and obviously if guys are going to hit the ball in the dirt that’s kind of what I’m supposed to be doing. Yeah, everything went well.”
The 6-foot-6 sinkerballer didn’t pitch until the Braves’ sixth game of the spring, and Johnson said that was by choice because he wanted to continue honing some things with McDowell in side sessions.
“Today was the first outing because I wanted to have a little extra time in the bullpen with Roger,” he said. “We were talking about some things, just having dialog about things I think about or things he thinks about. The keys of a solid delivery, balance and direction. So far, so good.”
Johnson, 31, led the majors with 101 saves for Baltimore during the 2012-2013 seasons, before a precipitous performance decline last season when his ERA more than doubled to 7.09 in 54 appearances with Oakland and Detroit.
He signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Braves in early December, a year after signing a one-year, $10 million deal with Oakland. He converted two saves in 38 appearances for Oakland, lost his closer job early in the season, and was released Aug. 1 and picked up five days later by the Tigers.
“I’m not going to (dwell) on last year, I’m more focused on this year,” he said. “I think a lot of it is just the situation, coming in here with this group of guys. I feel comfortable. Not to say I wasn’t comfortable at times last year, but like I said, everything’s so far, so good. I’m just trying to stay the course.”
