Orioles: JJ's role formalized
I'm pretty sure Jim Johnson has been paying attention the last few weeks, so it probably didn't come as a big surprise to him that he is going back to the eighth-inning setup role this season, but manager Dave Trembley took him aside this morning just to make sure he understood why the club brought Mike Gonzalez in to be the regular closer.
"I just wanted to let him know, so when he gets asked about it, he doesn't have to be uncomfortable,'' Trembley said.
Johnson moved into the closer role when the Orioles traded George Sherrill to the Dodgers, but he (Johnson) wasn't the same pitcher in the ninth inning that he had been in the eighth. Club officials, in retrospect, felt he just tried too hard to fill Sherrill's shoes and got away from the approach that made him successful as a setup guy.
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Comments
I guess ill take being impostorized as a compliment. If Wayne can have an one than i certainly deserve one and Wayne hopefully AM gets one!
Posted by: Anonymous honor of Wayne | February 20, 2010 2:36 PM
impostorized???
is that even a word your Holiness??
Posted by: chubakered | February 20, 2010 2:47 PM
Impostor.... you're even trying to sound like old wayne. Is it that important to you that you are him? If so, that's cool. Just asking
Posted by: Anonymous in honor of wayne | February 20, 2010 6:43 PM
So who is Wayne exactly and who is the impostor?
you both sound like idiots!!
Posted by: you need help | February 20, 2010 8:43 PM
Is everyone really that pathetic that you all must fight like your 5 year old's, I mean for Christ sakes. My 11 year old daughter is not this immature. Please guys for the sake of the column, lets talk baseball here and leave the in-fighting to real children! On that note, have great day everyone, Go O's!
Posted by: Whocares | February 21, 2010 6:00 AM
Giving Jim Johnson a role is nice but perhaps premature. I do think there are better candidates to be the Orioles' closer. I'm not so sure he should be given the set-up role just a few days into playing catch.
However, Trembley and his staff haven't been the best at defining roles or role changes in the past. In that light, this may be a good thing.
In Johnson's case, he still has a role to lose as no one has said this role is set in stone.
Posted by: waspman | February 21, 2010 9:48 AM