Saturday, July 17, 1999
Former ’Bow hurler
Johnson hopes to
salvage season at AA
Plus: Minor League Report
By Al Chase
Star-BulletinMark Johnson is looking forward to the second half of the Eastern League season.
Almost anything will be better for the former Hawaii Rainbow right-hander, who hopes he used up all his bad luck in the first half.
A foul ball that fractured the right side of his face in four places left him inactive much of the first half.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder began the season with the Norwich (Conn.) Navigators, the New York Yankees' Double A team.
But, two weeks into the season, after two rough outings, the Yankees sent Johnson to extended spring training in Florida to work with pitching coach Billy Connors.
"I was just trying to smooth things out. I struggled with my command (of pitches)," Johnson said. "It could have been mental, so they tried to take the pressure off.
"I worked with Billy Connors one-on-one each day, working on the simple things. It was just a case of going out there and doing it."
Johnson returned to Norwich May 7, pitched well in one outing, then, disaster struck. Scheduled to start the second game of doubleheader against the New Britain (Conn.) Rockcats on May 15, Johnson didn't leave the dressing room for the dugout until just before the end of the opener."I was waiting to start stretching for the next game. I hadn't been in the dugout for five minutes and whack," he said.
Scott Emmons, a 6-4, 205-pound Minnesota farmhand, pulled a ball into the middle of the Navigators dugout and Johnson was on the receiving end.
"I saw it coming, but it was a line drive and I couldn't get out of the way," Johnson said.
Johnson underwent an hour and a half of surgery. Two titanium plates were inserted in his face, his right cheek bone was wired together and "there are a few screws in there."
Fortunately, Johnson's jaw was not fractured. He was able to eat normally although with pain. He wasn't allowed to run for three weeks and did little except hang around.
He went on the disabled list May 22. When cleared to play, it was back to Florida to work on getting his pitch count up to about 85.
He pitched rehab assignments with the Yankees' rookie team in the Gulf Coast League and Tampa in the Florida State League.
Finally, it was back to Norwich and good things happened Thursday night when Johnson earned his first Double A victory of the season against New Britain, 11-2.
"It was my first start. Overall, I was really pleased," he said. "I went six innings, allowed six hits, walked one and struck out six."
"I just hope to put some things together, have a good second half and play winter ball in Arizona."
Johnson joined the Yankees on Feb. 1 when the Florida Marlins sent him, left-handed pitcher Ed Yarnall and right-handed pitcher Todd Noel to New York for third baseman Mike Lowell.
Ex-'Bow Johnson ends up with Marlins
Starbulletin.com, Dec. 17, 1997
Players with Hawaii connections who, through Thursday's games, qualify for inclusion in the weekly statistics compiled by Howe Sportsdata International: MINOR LEAGUE REPORT
Batter Team League Cl AB R H HR RBI AVG Key Voshell Richmond Frontier Ind 74 17 26 1 13 .351 Chris Truby Jackson Texas AA 281 44 77 14 46 .274 Keith Luuloa Edmonton Pacific Coast AAA 243 32 65 4 26 .267 Darren Blakely Lake Elsinore California A 354 63 94 8 39 .266 Chad Santos Royals Gulf Coast R 51 5 13 0 6 .255 Jason Ross Myrtle Beach Carolina A 305 48 77 7 34 .252 Kelly Phair Sacramento Western Ind 130 25 32 0 14 .246 J.Thornton-Murray Cubs Arizona R 47 4 10 0 0 .213 Shane Victorino Great Falls Pioneer R 43 9 8 0 2 .186 Pitcher Team League Cl IP H BB SO W-L ERA Corey Miller Athletics Arizona R 7.0 4 2 11 1-0 1.29 Andrew McNally Allentown Northern Ind 21.1 17 9 19 2-0 2.53 Jeff Martin Hickory So. Atlantic A 17.1 14 6 19 0-2 2.60 Matt Apana Schumburg Northern Ind 22.0 19 14 15 2-0 3.27 Kaipo Spenser Kinston Carolina A 45.1 41 15 30 2-0 3.57 Dusty Bergman Boise Northwest A 22.1 26 8 14 2-1 4.03 Fletcher Lee Salem-Keizer Northwest A 10.2 10 9 12 1-1 4.22 Mike Campbell Lehigh Valley Atlantic Ind 35.0 30 11 38 1-3 4.63 Paul Ah Yat Nashville Pacific Coast AAA 16.2 18 9 12 1-0 4.86 Mike McCutcheon South Bend Midwest A 33.1 40 15 35 3-1 4.86 Jay Spurgeon Frederick Carolina A 92.1 107 38 59 4-5 4.87 Tyler Yates Visalia California A 50.2 60 21 46 2-3 4.97 Kyle Kawabata Reading Eastern AA 3.1 8 2 0 0-0 5.40 Mark Johnson Norwich Eastern AA 23.0 30 17 19 1-1 6.26 Hawkeye Wayne Everett Northwest A 6.0 12 7 6 0-0 16.50
Infielder Key Voshell, who played two seasons for the Rainbows before transfering to Louisville, signed with the Richmond Roosters of the independent Frontier League,0. June 25. Voshell was a GTE Academic All-America his senior year while hitting .335 for the 37-19 CardinalsOrin Kawahara (Baldwin) was released by the Zion Pioneerzz of the independent Western League, July 8. He was 3-4 with a 6.90 ERA in 46 1/3 innings.
