Dan Johnson

Johnson's reward for his dramatic homer to put the Rays into the 2011 playoffs was a ticket out of town and a minor league deal with the White Sox, and he spent most of 2012 at Triple-A Charlotte, where he put up 28 homers and an 880 OPS. Johnson has always had a decent batting eye, consistently putting up just about as many walks as strikeouts throughout the majors and minors, but hasn't been able to stick with any consistent major league playing time since 2007. He may get a shot to play first base for the Yankees while Mark Teixeira is out, and could provide low-end production for very deep leagues if Teixeira misses more time than currently anticipated. But at age 33, there's no breakout coming.

Johnson enters spring training with the opportunity for regular playing time at either first base or DH. After coming back stateside from a stint in Japan in 2009, he signed a minor league deal with the Rays. He mashed 30 home runs with a ridiculous .430 OBP for Triple-A Durham before getting called up to the Rays. While his .198 batting average with the Rays looks suspect, the good batting eye he showed in Durham resulted in a .343 OBP. Johnson looked better at the plate down the stretch, recording five home runs over his last 58 at-bats. With regular playing time, Johnson would make for a nice sleeper in the power categories in deeper formats.

Although Johnson was only up briefly in September, one of those two home runs, of course, merely saved the Rays' season, a game-tying ninth-inning shot off Boston's Jonathan Papelbon on Sept. 9 that eventually won the Rays the division title and gave them home-field edge over the Red Sox in the ALCS. However, he won't get to re-live that glory with Tampa Bay as he signed a contract with the Yokohama BayStars of Japan's Central League for 2009.

Johnson was sidelined with a hip injury early in the season, with the initial diagnosis saying he could miss three months. It didn't seem to bother him as he returned and hit .323/.417/.566 in 99 at-bats in May, but his season took a nosedive after that as he hit just .204/.324/.370 after the All-Star break. There's one less spot in the lineup for his bat now that Daric Barton is around, and the A's could well be in a DH pinch with the likes of Eric Chavez and Travis Buck seemingly always banged up. It's hard to write off Johnson given his 72:77 BB:K mark in 416 at-bats, but he's slugged right around .400 in his past 700 major league at-bats so there's not a ton to get excited about either.

The A's desperate need for offense resulted in Johnson being sent to the minors following a poor string of at-bats in July, but he was a mess in April and May as well. He destroyed Triple-A pitching (.426 OBP, .523 SLG) to earn a promotion in September, but he wasn't tons better (.238/.327/.452 in 42 at-bats). The A's remain committed to giving Johnson at-bats, a feat that is easier now that Jay Payton has left via free agency which frees up Nick Swisher to move to the outfield. There's nice upside here, particularly in leagues that can utilize Johnson's walks.

Once Erubiel Durazo went down, Johnson stepped in well and further illustrated the ripple effects of Scott Hatteberg taking up space in the majors. He struggled in September (.198/.274/.323) but it was likely fatigue more than the league exploiting a weakness. He'll have a full-time role in 2006.

Johnson slapped the PCL around for a .937 OPS to earn MVP honors in 2004 is Exhibit A why giving Scott Hatteberg a long-term contract was a bad idea. He deserves everyday at-bats in Oakland for 2005, but there's no room with Hatteberg and Erubiel Durazo on the roster. If an opportunity opens up, grab him.

He's too old at 24 years old to get considerable pub as a prospect, but he posted a .869 OPS at Double-A Midland, drawing 68 walks, before pummeling the AFL to the tune of .382/.496/.609 (25 walks, 19 Ks in 110 at-bats).