Short season means Johnson’s long-term hopes are still alive

  • brian questel
  • June 15, 2011
  • 241
                        
062011 MAtthewJohnson Promo: Johnson pro dreams stay alive as Blue Jays assign him to Class A Vancouver Short season means Johnson’s long-term hopes are still alive By Brian Questel Matthew Johnson’s day-job is over and he’s moving to mostly nights. And long bus rides. And low pay. That, however, is a good thing for the former College of Wooster baseball player and Orrville native, who survived the Toronto Blue Jays’ extended spring training and was assigned June 13 to the Blue Jays’ Class-A short-season Vancouver affiliate. Johnson was signed as a free agent by the Jays in 2010 immediately after graduation from Wooster and assigned to the Auburn (N.Y.) Doubledays, which was the Jays’ Class-A short-season club. He was invited back by Toronto this spring and stayed through extended spring training, playing in the Gulf Coast League. When the extended spring season ended, the Jays and the rest of Major League Baseball made the decision of whom to keep and where to move players – or who to let go. For Johnson, Monday the 13th was his lucky day. “The rosters were out today for where we’re headed for the rest of the season,” said Johnson. “I’m headed to Vancouver. The Doubledays are no longer affiliated with the Blue Jays. That ended, so they picked up the Vancouver team, which used to be with the Athletics. “It’s pretty much the same team. Instead of Auburn, it’s Vancouver.” That will be a plus, Johnson said. “Guys are talking about what a great city it is,” he said. “It will be a big adjustment from Auburn because it’s like a big-league city … and more along the lines of a Triple-A franchise. Every game is 7,000-plus attendance … so everyone is excited to go.” Johnson reported to the Jays’ camp in Dunedin, Fla., in February for early spring training. He returned home for a month when the big-league club arrived, and then returned at the beginning of April for extended spring training. “That wasn’t a bad thing,” he said. “That was another month I got to spend with my family because now, if all goes well, I won’t be home until the end of September.” Johnson was able to put a positive spin on a negative to being in Vancouver. The Canadians are the team located farthest north in the Northwest League, which is going to lead to extensive travel. “The road trips can be brutal; we have one 13-hour road trip,” said Johnson. “But, that’s part of the game. It should be interesting and fun in that sense. All bus trips are not necessarily bad. Travel in that area should be beautiful, especially in that area.” It will be a change from extended spring, when the Jays ran their players though a standard routine. “Since April 5, we’ve been playing every day and had Sundays off,” he said. “Every day was the same routine. We’d get to the complex at 7 a.m., have breakfast and get in extra work. At 9 o’clock we’d stretch, have batting practice, work on team fundamental defense or pitcher fielding practice and bunt coverages. Then we’d have lunch and come back and play a simulated intersquad game or one against the Pirates, Yankees or Phillies (extended spring teams).” That allowed Johnson and others to get a look at MLB players like the Phillies’ Chase Utley, who remained being in extended spring training to rehab an injury. “You get to see those guys and the way they go about their business,” said Johnson. “That gives you an extra boost. A lot of those guys are really nice. A lot of those guys won’t snub you – they will give you an honest answer and try to help out.” Learning the game was what extended spring is about, Johnson added. “They do keep stats, but they don’t post them,” he said. “Those are more for coaches to have reference points. They are more interested in if you are being productive: Are we moving runners with less than two outs or driving in runs, are we stealing bases and making things happen. They are trying to ingrain in us that batting averages are a position player’s worst enemy and get away from that (thinking). They would rather have quality at-bats and being productive at the plate, not necessarily just getting hits.” This spring has been easier as well, said Johnson. “Last year with Auburn I was tense because I was trying to make a good impression,” he said. “This spring has been a lot easier and I’ve been a lot more relaxed. It’s like playing prior to your senior year. … As a freshman you don’t know what to expect and you’re trying to do everything you can to impress. As you get older, you develop who you are as a player and let the game come to you more. You grow as a player more, mentally and physically.” Johnson credits his father with not only with giving him his start and his support, but with many of the fundamentals that are being used in the Blue Jays’ system. “It’s kind of funny. When I was growing up, I learned everything from dad, fielding-wise and hitting-wise. His type of play is very similar, to funneling the baseball and the different mechanics of my swing. I find I can talk to dad about things more than anyone else,” Johnson said. “Some of the things we do in college are different that what they want us to do in pro ball,” he added. “But growing up in a smaller town and a smaller college and playing for coach Pettorini and coach (Barry) Craddock, you learn the work ethic and morals you get from it. If I do have success, that’s what I will attribute that to. … The things I picked up from coach P and advice from dad, if I continue on playing, I’ll attribute (my success) to that.” Life in Vancouver will be different in another sense. “Down here, we got $26 week,” said Johnson. “But, all our meals were paid for and our living situation was paid for. Basically, they made sure we were accounted for. They were not going to take chances on players getting into trouble. It’s not a bad setup. I’ve been in Florida since April. It’s been a fun time. We’re 15 minutes away from the beach and learning from extremely good coaches and playing competitive baseball.” In Vancouver, players for the Canadians will be housed with host families to help defray costs. “We’re on the payroll with the standard minor league contract – which I don’t know,” laughed Johnson. “This is going to cut into the cash reserves. We’re not making a lot of money, but right now it’s not about the money. It’s about the opportunity to be playing.” That opportunity began in earnest June 17 when the Canadians opened their 72-game season, which capped a whirlwind week. Johnson left for Vancouver Tuesday morning after practice via a connecting flight in Phoenix. Players then had two days with their host family and a team BBQ before the first formal practice as a Canadian Thursday before then the season opener Friday. Through it all, Johnson had one overriding feeling. “I feel lucky,” he said. “There are a lot of guys who would be happy to be in the same situation and getting an opportunity.”


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