Anybody know anything about Chris Johnson?
by lnewcomer on Jul 29, 2008 3:22 PM CDT
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PrintIn his column debunking Miggy rumors, Ken Rosenthal has this to say,
The Astros have had "absolutely no (trade) dialogue about Miguel," one major-league source says, refuting an ESPN.com report that said the team was discussing a Tejada trade with the Red Sox.
The team's only discussions about Tejada, the source says, involve his long-term position. Tejada, 34, eventually will need to move to third base, but the Astros have a strong third-base prospect at Class AA, Chris Johnson.
Since this the first time I've read anyone call any Astros position prospect in the minors "strong," I'm curious. Who is Chris Johnson and does Ken Rosenthal smoke crack? Here's his stat line. Numbers look pretty decent, but I don't know what they're projected to translate into at the major league level. By my calculation he's 23 years old, which I think is a little old for a prospect at AA, but then again, all of our prospects are old it seems.
Anyone seen him, or heard of him before?
Also, what long-term plans for Tejada. Please don't tell me Ed Wade plans to re-sign him, assuming he doesn't request a trade in the off season.
(Updated link to stats)
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The minor league system
is something I really should pay more attention to… but unfortuantely I don’t…
A quick google search tells me that he’s a running back for the Titans…
Go 'Stros!
A deeper look
And you’d see the guy clocked the fastest electronically timed 40 at the combine – a 4.24 – Trival info I picked up when I was doing some predraft research…
God I hate the Titans.
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I was wondering too
If anybody can dig something up I’d like to hear about it. Anything about the system other than it might be the worst in baseball is good to hear.
And to heck with an offseason trade for Miggy – do it NOW!
My friends suggested I see someone about my baseball problem. So I made an appointment but just ended up helping the doctor with his fantasy team.
My impression is that. Chris Johnson is an interesting prospect...
but nothing like a high level prospect or “sure fire” major league player. He could project into a utility infielder or a starter, if the Astros are lucky, at the ML level. He is having a very nice year at Corpus, but his OPS is much higher than previously in his minor league career; so it’s hard to say if he has made a big jump in ability or if it is an aberration. He strikes me as more of a high batting average/OBP type 3d baseman, rather than a slugger. Stats:
http://firstinning.com/players/Christopher-Johnson-a/ As I’ve said before, Corpus Christi has some interesting players.
SLG and OBP
both jumped dramatically this year at AA. Looking at your link, his line drive % did as well, which probably was a big contributing factor. Don’t know what that league is like, or if Whataburger park is esp. friendly.
His walk rate doesn’t look very exciting.
"Please don't tell me Ed Wade plans to re-sign him."
I think Wade does plan to pick up Tejada’s option year. What other conclusion can you come to, given that Wade told Tejada he won’t be traded because the Astros like him so much.
Just saw a quote from Wade this morning...
He said Tejada “still has enough in the tank” to be a “cornerstone player for this franchise” in the future.
pick up his option
and sign to an extension, are two different things.
i for one hope they wait until the middle of next season to talk extension.
by littlevisigoth on Aug 1, 2008 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Tejada has an option?
my understanding was that he had 2 years left on his big contract, and as a player traded in the middle of a multi-year deal he had the right to demand a trade in the off-season or be made a FA next spring. It’s not likely he’d do that b/c nobody else is going to pay him what’s he’ll get paid next year.
So there’s an option year beyond next year? That’s disturbing, b/c I’d bet it’s at least as much as he’s making now or more. damn.
According to Cot's
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/houston-astros.html
next year will be the last in a six-year deal, not an option year. i was simply responding to Clack’s post and was also wrong, that it’s not an option on his contract, just the final year.
as for demanding free agency, i’m not exactly sure about the rules. i think he can demand a trade (i have a pdf copy of the CBA, and it looks like part C of Article XX applies), and if the Astros can’t find a trade partner by March 15th, he becomes a free agent. i’m not sure what the precedent is for that, and if he demanded a trade and the Astros WERE able to deal him (which I’m sure they’d do everything in their power to do, even if it’s for next to nothing, cause according to the CBA, they wouldn’t get draft pick compensation for losing him), he’d still have the same contract, so i’m not sure what the incentive would be unless he was just really unhappy here. i don’t think it’s much of an issue. the clause is there, but i’m guessing the probability that he exercises it is next to nil. we’ve got him for one more year unless we try to dump him in his final year.
by littlevisigoth on Aug 1, 2008 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions
my mistake on the option year. As for the right to demand a trade...
that provision was removed in the most recent changes to the CBA, but it was grandfathered for contracts like Tejada’s. That provision is used rarely by players. The only instance I recall is the starting pitcher, Vazquez, who had been traded to the D-Backs by the Yankees (in the Randy Johnson trade, I think). He said that Arizona was too far away from his home in the Dominican Republic and he demanded a trade in the next off-season to a team which would be nearer. Arizona attempted to accomodate his “eastward” preference, and eventually traded him before the required CBA-established deadline to the White Sox. The D-Backs got acceptable return from the White Sox in that trade (including their future starting CFer). I think it is very unlikely that Tejada would demand a trade.
That's what he thought apparently.
At the time, as Arizona sorted out trade possibilities (running locations by Vazquez to see if it is “closer” to DR), sports bloggers were making jokes about Vazquez’s apparent lack of geography knowledge, since his preferences seemed inconsistent with the real mileage. In fairness to him, airport hubs may have been a factor, since he just wanted to get home quicker.
according to the CBA
he can only refuse a trade to six teams once he’s excercised his demand to be traded.
and yeah, it’s only applicable to contracts signed before some date in 2006.
by littlevisigoth on Aug 4, 2008 9:01 AM CDT up reply actions
Interesting aspect...
This forces Saccomona off of 3d base, and reduces his playing time (as he will now share time at DH and 1b). Saccomona is having a very good offensive year, and was the only Round Rock position player in the AAA All-Star Game (he got the winning RBI in that game, too). Saccomona wasn’t exactly happy about Johnson pusing him aside. But it probably indicates that the Astros really want Johnson to pan out…and may also indicate that the Astros don’t see Saccomona (who is 27 or so) with a ML future.
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