By Paul Sullivan
MESA, Ariz. - A year ago at this time, Reed Johnson was a relatively anonymous outfielder in Toronto who simply was trying to win a roster spot in the Blue Jays' camp.
Now he's a vital cog in the Cubs clubhouse, a cult favorite in the Wrigley Field bleachers and one of the more recognizable athletes in Chicago due to his patented "goat" beard.
Life is sweet, and it's only getting better. After being made expendable in Toronto because of the signing of Shannon Stewart, Johnson found a new home that fits him to a T.
"When I'm walking around the city a lot more people recognize you, but at the same time they're really respectful and give you your space," he said. "They just come up and tell you how they appreciate how you play the game. That means more to me than anything anyone can say
"People ask: 'What would you want someone to say about you when your career is over?' For me, it's 'He's a guy who played the game the right way, and played hard.' "
After the Blue Jays released him last March, Johnson was so excited about the possibility of playing for the Cubs that he paid for his own flight to Phoenix to be in the lineup for a meaningless Cactus League game.
He wound up hitting .333 against left-handers last year, platooning in center with Jim Edmonds most of the season. Then came the playoffs, and Johnson suddenly was invisible again. Though he finished third in the National League with a .358 average with runners in scoring position, Johnson never got a chance to play in Los Angeles' three-game sweep in the division series.
Going with the matchups, manager Lou Piniella let Edmonds play center against the Dodger right-handers and inserted Kosuke Fukudome in right for the first two games, despite his .188 average after Aug. 1.
But instead of moping in the off-season about not getting a chance to contribute in October, Johnson simply used it as impetus to get better in 2009.
"It makes it easier going into the off-season to train because you feel like you have some motivation," he said. "I'm confident of my abilities, what I can do on the field. I can help the team win. I know my off-season workouts are geared toward playing every day. And especially this year, they're geared to playing a lot more, with me losing the weight I lost."
Johnson, 32, shed 14 pounds in the off-season, training in his hometown of Las Vegas with San Francisco outfielder Aaron Rowand and professional BMX rider T.J. Lavin. Piniella said the only reason he's hesitant to play Johnson full-time is because of his "durability," knowing Johnson's back could go out if he plays too much. While Johnson understands he will be platooning again in center—this time with Fukudome—he wants Piniella to know he has worked hard to become an everyday player.
"It's going to help me stay on the field, and it's going to be a lot easier on all my joints, my back as well," he said.
Besides working out with him, Johnson shares Rowand's penchant for running headfirst into walls. It's an occupational hazard made even more treacherous with bricks behind the ivy at Wrigley. His diving catch against the outfield fence in Washington last April began the love affair with Cubs fans, and he still hears about it 11 months later.
"Every day I head out to the cage, fans are lined up along the edge, and you always hear that one thrown out there," he said. "I knew it was a good catch, but I didn't know it would continue on.
"That's the thing about playing here in Chicago—a play like that signifies playing the game hard, going all out and into a wall. I think the fans and the people in Chicago in general really appreciate that type of effort."
Now he's a vital cog in the Cubs clubhouse, a cult favorite in the Wrigley Field bleachers and one of the more recognizable athletes in Chicago due to his patented "goat" beard.
Life is sweet, and it's only getting better. After being made expendable in Toronto because of the signing of Shannon Stewart, Johnson found a new home that fits him to a T.
"When I'm walking around the city a lot more people recognize you, but at the same time they're really respectful and give you your space," he said. "They just come up and tell you how they appreciate how you play the game. That means more to me than anything anyone can say
"People ask: 'What would you want someone to say about you when your career is over?' For me, it's 'He's a guy who played the game the right way, and played hard.' "
After the Blue Jays released him last March, Johnson was so excited about the possibility of playing for the Cubs that he paid for his own flight to Phoenix to be in the lineup for a meaningless Cactus League game.
He wound up hitting .333 against left-handers last year, platooning in center with Jim Edmonds most of the season. Then came the playoffs, and Johnson suddenly was invisible again. Though he finished third in the National League with a .358 average with runners in scoring position, Johnson never got a chance to play in Los Angeles' three-game sweep in the division series.
Going with the matchups, manager Lou Piniella let Edmonds play center against the Dodger right-handers and inserted Kosuke Fukudome in right for the first two games, despite his .188 average after Aug. 1.
But instead of moping in the off-season about not getting a chance to contribute in October, Johnson simply used it as impetus to get better in 2009.
"It makes it easier going into the off-season to train because you feel like you have some motivation," he said. "I'm confident of my abilities, what I can do on the field. I can help the team win. I know my off-season workouts are geared toward playing every day. And especially this year, they're geared to playing a lot more, with me losing the weight I lost."
Johnson, 32, shed 14 pounds in the off-season, training in his hometown of Las Vegas with San Francisco outfielder Aaron Rowand and professional BMX rider T.J. Lavin. Piniella said the only reason he's hesitant to play Johnson full-time is because of his "durability," knowing Johnson's back could go out if he plays too much. While Johnson understands he will be platooning again in center—this time with Fukudome—he wants Piniella to know he has worked hard to become an everyday player.
"It's going to help me stay on the field, and it's going to be a lot easier on all my joints, my back as well," he said.
Besides working out with him, Johnson shares Rowand's penchant for running headfirst into walls. It's an occupational hazard made even more treacherous with bricks behind the ivy at Wrigley. His diving catch against the outfield fence in Washington last April began the love affair with Cubs fans, and he still hears about it 11 months later.
"Every day I head out to the cage, fans are lined up along the edge, and you always hear that one thrown out there," he said. "I knew it was a good catch, but I didn't know it would continue on.
"That's the thing about playing here in Chicago—a play like that signifies playing the game hard, going all out and into a wall. I think the fans and the people in Chicago in general really appreciate that type of effort."
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