| Dan Johnson | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:YB-Dan-Johnson.jpg) Johnson with the Yokohama BayStars | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: August 10, 1979 Coon Rapids, Minnesota, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: May 27, 2005, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| NPB: April 3, 2009, for the Yokohama BayStars | |
| Last appearance | |
| NPB: October 2, 2009, for the Yokohama BayStars | |
| MLB: July 28, 2015, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .234 |
| Home runs | 57 |
| Runs batted in | 203 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Batting average | .215 |
| Home runs | 24 |
| Runs batted in | 57 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Daniel Ryan Johnson (born August 10, 1979) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six teams, over ten seasons, as well as one season in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), but never held a Major League starting job for an entire season. He is perhaps best known for hitting a dramatic two-out, two-strike home run for the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the ninth inning of the last game of the 2011 season, also known as Wild Card Wednesday. That home run tied the game, which the Rays eventually won, sending them to the playoffs. His clutch hitting for the Rays, along with his red hair and beard, earned him the nickname "The Great Pumpkin".[1]
Also within his extensive Minor League Baseball career that began in 2001, Johnson has won a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in two different Triple-A leagues. He won the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2004 and the International League MVP in 2010.
In 2016, Johnson signed with the Rays organization, entering spring training as a knuckleball pitcher.
- ^ Sobsey, Adam (September 29, 2011). "Tampa Bay Rays beat odds, make the playoffs, and the Durham Bulls' Dan Johnson is the extra 2%". indyweek.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2014.