Booo!!!!!!!! Stupid Giants

I can't picture Johnson staying on the ML roster with the Giants all season. Espcially since they are stacked with pitching.

The vast majority of Rule 5 draftees are returned to their original teams, and most of them are returned before spring training is done.

I wish Steve the best of luck in San Francisco, and when the Giants discover that he's not ready for prime time (which is what the Orioles knew and why they left him unprotected), we'll be glad to take him back.

How ironic, I remember in the 80s when the Giants refused to trade with the O's specifically stating, the Orioles didn't have anybody good on their team. Now their snatching our minor leaguers.
As far as Johnson goes, the Giants have the 2nd best ERA in the NL last year. I like Johnson, but I can't see him being ready for that monster lineup. Either the Giants are going to squat on Johnson and send him to AAA in 2011 or, we'll see him again soon.

That's great, we've lost a good pitching prospect to keep fringe ML players like Wiggington and Andino who will do absolutely nothing towards helping the O's be a winning team in the future. Why would you even risk losing a solid pitching prospect? The O's have a chance of getting him back but why even risk it? MacPhail claims we won't trade any of our pitching prospects for other players because they're worth too much but then we give one up for absolutely nothing. Smart move.

Yeah, it was a smart move and a worthy gamble. Chances are S. Johnson will be back here but if he does surprise and turn into a ML ready pitcher this year, good for him. The guy the Orioles took is also likely to be put throw waivers but if he in turn turns into a ML ready pitcher, good for the Orioles.

You had to keep Wigginton and Andino. With all the talk of needing a 3B this season, looking at Wiggy's stats and history, there really isn't anyone out there all that much better. As for Andino, his lack of offense not withstanding, his defense is top notch and is a good back-up anywhere in the infield.

Makes the Sherrill trade even more weak.

Headline- "Orioles lose Johnson"

I love headlines like this.

Josh - The O's have been a safe house for Giant retreads the past few years. And they also claimed a Giant pitcher to trade for Millwood (Snyder) and have picked up other Giants castoffs like Burres, Ainsworth, Alfredo Simon, Brower, Russ Ortiz, etc recently.

As good as Andy has been for us - I saw this one coming and KNEW it was going to happen. We got a minivan full of BUMS who should have been left off rather than a minor league star that all had good feelings about his future with us and not that distant a future either. The blogs knew it was a mistake and many many pointed it out!! So what we knew was gonna happen DID and now we have lost a pretty good one. Andy shot himself in the foot on this one and lost some of the fan goodwill he garnered yesterday. Yes he may come back but he also may turn into a GIANT star! BAD MOVE Andy and in your heart you KNOW it!!

I agree that this an aweful move by the FO. Im not saying Johnson would have amounted to anything but he was a pretty solid prospect and a possible back end starter in 2 years. We could have left Andino off and protected Johnson. If Andino gets taken you have Turner in AAA who is essentially very similar to Andino (great defense, mediocre offense who plays all IF positions) Just a bonehead move if you ask me

Seriously? You think this will turn out to be a horrible, horrible move? Do you even know what happens to Rule 5 draftees at all? Or do you just peruse the boxscores and base all opinions on there?

If you have no idea how the Rule 5 draft works (and no, hearing play-by-play guys mention it every few weeks or so doesn't count) then don't comment on whether its a good move or not. I mean, the most successful Major Leaguer to come out of the Rule 5 draft in the past 10 years has been Dan Uggla. DAN UGGLA. Hell, the Yankees got more out of their trade with the Tigers and D-Backs than the Mets did by drafting 6 players out of the Rule 5 draft.

Basically, by this time next year we will have forgotten this event ever took place.

The Orioles lost their Johnson years ago...

If this guy's last name was Jones would anyone care?

the most successful Major Leaguer to come out of the Rule 5 draft in the past 10 years has been Dan Uggla

And there is that one guy by the name of Santana.... or something like that.... some bum for the Mets ;-)

Oh, and some Hawaiian guy trolling center field for the Phillies....

And some guy closing games for the Royals ;-)

I am sorry to nit-pick, because you are mostly right. I just wanted to add those 3 guys to the list.

Two words: Jose Morban. Remember him? A two-hit hitter/fielder the O's took in the Rule 5 draft, and he was on the team the whole year in 03, I believe, hitting about .150. It totally tied Hargrove's hands every night, knowing he was basically a player short. The O's should have sent him back through waivers after a month, but they inexplicably stuck with him all season. Bottom line: Rule 5 guys are more misses than hits, and it's highly possible Johnson will be offered back to the O's. If not, good for him; he realizes his dream to reach the big leagues.

Two words: Jose Morban. Remember him? A two-hit hitter/fielder the O's took in the Rule 5 draft, and he was on the team the whole year in 03, I believe, hitting about .150. It totally tied Hargrove's hands every night, knowing he was basically a player short. The O's should have sent him back through waivers after a month, but they inexplicably stuck with him all season. Bottom line: Rule 5 guys are more misses than hits, and it's highly possible Johnson will be offered back to the O's. If not, good for him; he realizes his dream to reach the big leagues.

At least one team thought he is valuable enough to steal.

I feel bad for Dave Johnson, who had dreams of his son making the big club and maybe even wearing Dad's old number.

I tend to believe Schmuckie, that he has a good chance of being back. Rule V guys tend not to stick.

Jose Morban? He definitely was less successful than Paul Bair.

And I guess he was a little les successful than Jay Gibbons - who, despite your smirks, had a couple good years.

But was he less successful than Bobby Bonilla? Willie Upshaw? Darrell Evans? George Bell - a true Oriole Killer? Mike "Suitcase" Morgan? Josh Hamilton?

But the biggest Rule V screw ups of all have to be the jokers who drafted Roberto Clemente! Remember him? I think he ended up getting a few hits or something.

Don't turn your nose up at Rule V. Despite our experience, there are a lot of smart people in baseball and it is not always a crap shoot when they draft. But it is just like the amateur draft - greatness is not assigned it is earned.

Good luck to Steve and Dave. I hope for B'more's sake it all works out.

I feel bad for Dave Johnson, who had dreams of his son making the big club and maybe even wearing Dad's old number.

I tend to believe Schmuckie, that he has a good chance of being back. Rule V guys tend not to stick.

Jose Morban? He definitely was less successful than Paul Bair.

And I guess he was a little les successful than Jay Gibbons - who, despite your smirks, had a couple good years.

But was he less successful than Bobby Bonilla? Willie Upshaw? Darrell Evans? George Bell - a true Oriole Killer? Mike "Suitcase" Morgan? Josh Hamilton?

But the biggest Rule V screw ups of all have to be the jokers who drafted Roberto Clemente! Remember him? I think he ended up getting a few hits or something.

Don't turn your nose up at Rule V. Despite our experience, there are a lot of smart people in baseball and it is not always a crap shoot when they draft. But it is just like the amateur draft - greatness is not assigned it is earned.

Good luck to Steve and Dave. I hope for B'more's sake it all works out.

I know it is likely that Johnson will not pan out in SF, but puting him out there was a bad idea, given all the bums they kept on the 40-man roster. The thing is, if he pitches well, SF will keep him. If he doesn't pitch well, then SF won't use him much, he will be shipped back to us, but he will have wasted away a whole year due to inactivity (or worse, he loses any confidence at all by being clobbered in MLB games). If the guy has any potential at all, he should have been on the Orioles 40-man and I really believe Johnson has some potential. This is the kind of bad risk the Orioles cannot afford to be making.

AND HE'S BACK!... =)