Wednesday, June 12, 2019

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1976 DAVE JOHNSON

Here’s a “not so missing” 1976 card for former pitcher Dave Johnson, who appeared in a half-dozen games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1975:


Johnson was playing in his second season in the Big Leagues in 1975 after appearing in 11 games for Baltimore in 1974.
In his rookie year he performed very well, going 2-2 with a 2.93 earned run average over 15.1 innings of work along with two saves and six strikeouts.
In 1975 he posted a record of 0-1, with an ERA at 4.15 over 8.2 innings, striking out four but walking seven while spending most of the season in the Minors.
After a full season back in the Minors in 1976, he was back on a Major League mound in 1977, now with the Minnesota Twins, going 205 with a 4.58 ERA over 30 appearances and 72.2 innings, even starting six games, the first starts he made in his career.
Sadly for him, the following year he made only six appearances, going 0-2 with a bloated 7.50 ERA, in what ended up being the last appearances of his MLB career, and from all evidence, his professional career.
He finished up his Big League tenure with a 4-10 record, with an ERA at 4.64 over 53 appearances and 108.2 innings of work, making seven starts and saving two.