MIAMI – Chris Johnson began the season in a third-base platoon with Juan Francisco, playing mostly against left-handers even though Johnson has always hit better against right-handers. And he's batted eighth more than anywhere else in the lineup, a spot some hitters loathe because they don't get as many good pitches to hit.
Those factors make it even more impressive what Johnson has done in his first season with the Braves, batting .332 with 25 extra-base hits (six homers), a .374 on-base percentage and .855 OPS in 72 games before Tuesday.
That included 15-for-37 (.405) with eight RBIs in a nine-game hitting streak, included two of the Braves’ seven hits in Monday’s 14-inning, 7-1 win at Miami.
He’s hit well since spring training, but has become more consistent since becoming a lineup regular after Francisco was traded five weeks ago.
“That’s the thing that helps the most, is the fact that you can play day-to-day,” Johnson said. “When you’re platooning, early in the season I wanted to get out there and get some hits, because you know, looking at the schedule, there could be two righties the next two days and you may not get to hit for a couple of days. Now I can go out there, have my approach and work on it day-in and day-out. You get in a groove and it’s just easier to stay in that groove when you’re playing every day.”
He had a .349 average in his past 44 games with 12 doubles, four homers, a .396 OBP and .514 slugging percentage. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez has continued to hit Johnson eighth — despite pleas from fans who want him higher in the order. Gonzalez likes having him down in the order to give the lineup balance and a threat there.
“The eighth hole, sometimes (teams) just throw a guy down there and don’t worry about it,” Gonzalez said. “But a lot of times the eighth hole comes up big during the course of the game. Occasionally with runners on base they’ll (pitch around him), and you need a guy down there to be able to handle that situation….
“Maybe he’s having that kind of success because he’s in that spot now.”
Before Tuesday, when he made his 25th start in that position, Johnson had a .372 average with four homers, a .426 OBP and .581 slugging percentage in 86 at-bats hitting eighth, his best in each of those categories at any of the four lineup spots where he’s had at least 30 at-bats.
“Really, the only difference hitting eighth is when there are guys in scoring position,” Johnson said. “Then you have to determine whether the pitcher wants to throw you strikes or not. Other than that, early in the ballgame if there’s nobody on, or if there’s a guy on first, they’re going to pitch you the same exact way they would if you were batting 1 through 7.”
Johnson is one of the few Braves who’ve hit well with runners in scoring position, with a .304 average (17-for-56) and .365 OBP.
“When there’s guys in scoring position, you have to recognize quickly if they’re trying to pitch to you or around you (when batting eighth),” he said. “That’s the thing. If they’re not, you have to be more patient. That’s one thing that’s helped me out is, I haven’t been able to be patient in my career, so now I’ve kind of realized that, and I think it’s helped me out a little bit.”
He looks at that positive in batting eighth, rather than wondering how he might fare getting more at-bats higher in the order.
“I don’t mind (hitting eighth),” he said. “I would never ask to be moved up. I would never say that I wanted to be. That would be a slap in the face of the seven guys who are batting ahead of me. Plus, I’m in the lineup every day. That’s all I want.”
Gonzalez said: “That’s the type of guy he is. Team player. He comes from a baseball family; his dad’s a longtime coach (Ron Johnson is a former major league third-base coach and current manager of the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate.) So he knows what it’s all about, teamwork and that kind of stuff.”
