#215 Alex Johnson

A predecessor to the Albert Belle’s and Gary Sheffield’s of the baseball world....Blessed with immense bat speed and good foot speed.....large imposing figure suggested significant power....but came with considerable cost....adjectives are obtuse, sullen, surly, and lackadaisical....if Johnson is firing on all cylinders, Alex is an acceptable burden if not he is the first jettisoned to a desperate team to the try their luck.....Pattern was stayed two years if he did well....Started in the Phillie organization in early 60’s, a locale not known for racial understanding see Dick Allen.....hit well for them on a part time basis but controversy ensued stemming from poor defense and liaise fare work ethic....despite potential was swapped as the key player to the Cards....output was considerably poorer than Philly with same liabilities popping up....Next it the Reds turn in the Johnson lottery.....Reds found a capital gain with a gradual realization of his promise....Hit .311 over two years.....Traded again for 1970 to the Angels....Put it all together to win the AL batting crown (.329) by the closest of margins as the Angels finished second to the Twins.....Returned for 1971 and fell into an abyss of conflict from day one.....the Angels, after a considerable clash of baseball management and player’s union put Johnson on DL at the end of June....exiled to Cleveland three days after the regular season.....results were disappointing but with a seemingly aloof quiet which was maybe the best the organization can hope for.....passed on to Texas 1973....advent of DH extended his career by circumventing defensive problems...hit .287 then .291 in 1974 but with few home runs.... Johnson mostly in the field in the later year..... interestingly the greatly improved Rangers  who where in a pennant race played sold Johnson late in season to NYY....stayed in NY 1975 but used little.....given one last chance with Detroit 1976 as DH but was a nonfactor on that squad and was let go at the end of season in favor of youth.....in retrospect Johnson was enigma and not well understood, when away from baseball and those associated, reports of his personality were positive...Retired Johnson settled in his hometown of Detroit working on a family business of  truck repair and leasing until passing away from cancer in 2015.....note on back of card: had 18 doubles in 1969 not 78 which would have shattered the MLB record of 67.