Brian Johnson's NL Central comments

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mikechamp
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Brian Johnson's NL Central comments

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These comments came from a chat with former MLB catcher turned scout Brian Johnson that occurred on February 23. He played for the Giants, Tigers, Padres, Reds, Royals, and Dodgers. He then became a scout for the Giants, but is now a diversity-equity-inclusion consultant.

There were only 3 NL Central questions, so I threw in a bunch of bonus Q&As because I felt he had some... interesting... takes on a few topics.

The link to the entire chat can be found here: https://live.jotcast.com/chat/live-chat ... 15124.html

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How was that '99 season with the overachieving Reds?

Brian Johnson
Fun season. Great team. Marge Schott was a trip. Went to a party at her house for the team before the season. Big house. Wall to wall cigarette smoke. Dank. Nasty. Shout out to Greg Vaughn for getting rid of the silly no facial hair policy. Loved Lark and Hal Morris and Sean Casey and Pokey Reese (best defensive 2B I ever saw). Good times.
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Favorite stadium food you have had and where?

Brian Johnson
Definitely a brat guy. I would say Pittsburgh. Nice, spicy mustard there too. Great stadium.
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Remember you on the Reds. The '99 season brought back a lot of memories. Some great guys on that team. Thanks for bringing that up. Bet you would love to hit in their ballpark now!

Brian Johnson
Yes, love the new ball park. Sorry I did not play really well for you that year. It was a thrill to play where my heroes of the Big Red Machine once played. Loved playing for Griffey Sr. and Don Gullett. Loved meeting Johnny Bench. Joe Morgan, Oakland Boy like myself, was awesome to talk to always. Good times.
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Are you a Rob Manfred fan?

Brian Johnson
Hmm. I do know Commissioner Manfred and I do like him as a person. Intense. Dry sense of humor. I believe he is doing his best to adjust to a new world for MLB. I like many of the changes, for instance, taking away collisions at home plate and 2B. To be able to take out a defenseless player has always been a flaw in our game and Manfred fixed it. You could not do that at any other base, so it was inconsistent too. All commissioners will err from time to time and that is a good thing. You gotta make some some mistakes to get it right.
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Since you have been in the league, the game has changed. If you were in the league today, how different would your game be? Would you have even made it? Pitchers throw 100 mph WAY more than 20 years ago. Would you be able to hit a homer off Sandy Alcantara, Corbin Burnes etc.?

Brian Johnson
I hope so. Yes, the game has changed, but don't be confused. Throwing the ball hard does not mean the game is more difficult. All hitters can hit 100 mph. All it takes is good timing. Think about a bunt. One does not need to swing 100 mph to hit a 100 mph fastball. The pitching is very good, but the command is not as good as previous eras. Also, there is very little strategy involved now. People who are calling pitches are reading off of a stat sheet. The catcher has the best vantage point and should be taught how to call a game more. Good question. MLB is still a great game and the players are amazing.
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Hi Brian. I remember when you were with the Tigers, you called out AL umpires for not being as adept as the NL ones. I agreed with you 100%. Do you think anything positive came from that? It was a bold move.

Brian Johnson
Wow, great flash back. Yes, I remember that day, and my argument. Thanks for remembering that. Umpiring is a tough gig. Since that time, Sandy Alderson took over the oversight on umpires, and I think it made the quality of umpiring better. There was a checks and balance piece involved then/now, and I think that is important. Today, I really feel for umpires as it pertains to the catchers actions behind the plate. You should not be able to move the glove as much as they do. Small movements? Yes. But the focus on "tricking the umpire", which is what "framing" is all about, I am not a big fan of. Catchers' primary focus should be to provide a great target for pitchers to throw to. It is hard to pitch to a certain spot. I like that analytics has shed more light on the value of the defensive work that catchers do, but they go over board with the lust for framing.
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Brian, you played during the steroid Era. Be honest - did you ever try steroids and did you feel tempted at all to try them? It would certainly be understandable if you did.

Brian Johnson
A very big issue for me, so thanks for bringing it up. That right there tells you I did NOT take them, because I have been a staunch advocate for their elimination from our game. Guys that used, they stay away from that conversation typically. Part of my issue is that most will not believe me when I tell them I did not take steroids. That is where we are. Baseball players have lost the trust of the fans when they do super-awesome things on the field. Well-deserved. So many guys have lied through their teeth. Yes, I did think about taking them. We all did. The expectations for catchers are artificially raised when guys are using. That hurts my career. In the end, I felt I could beat anybody on the baseball field - cheating or not. So, being clean was a badge of honor, regardless of how my career ended up. I can look in the mirror and know, it was me.
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As a scout, how much weight do you give to blood lines? (If a prospect’s dad was a professional player, for example.)

Brian Johnson
I would say it is a part of his "formula" for me. It often would help me to understand the personality-type vs. the skill set on the field. Personality is the toughest to read from the stands, but it can give you so much insight as to how a particular player may handle the stressors of the game. Can he adjust? Can he stink for a month and recover? That has zero to do with how far he hits the ball or how fast he runs, but it is crucial to how well you can help your team win. That is the point of playing the game: to win. Not to put up stats. So, it is a helpful part of my analysis, but has to be taken with a grain of salt, as the kid may be nothing like the dad.
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Back in the day I heard many coaches tell us, “If you want the best chance to be a major leaguer, have a good arm, and can throw strikes, become a pitcher. If you have a good arm and can’t throw strikes, become a catcher.” What advice would you give a youngster on skills to focus on developing as a catcher?

Brian Johnson
Interesting premise, though I disagree with it for the most part. Oversimplification can sound cool, but often is inaccurate. To any young player, boy or girl in any sport, I encourage them to try every position. Do them all. You never know what you may be good at until you try them. Thanks.
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Advice for high schoolers wanting to play at the next level?

Brian Johnson
Advice? Have fun while it lasts. Less than 7% of HS players will play college ball. Does not mean they should be discouraged, or not pursue their dreams, but don't be afraid to have more than one dream. Have several. So many fun things to do outside of sports. I have done so many in my day. Appreciate the moment, don't sweat what happens next.
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Hey Brian, thanks for doing this chat. Any cool stories about your time with the Padres or specifically, Tony Gwynn or Trevor Hoffman?

Brian Johnson
Loved them both. Tony taught me how to use the tee in a different way that catapulted my career from AA on. Trevor and I played against each other in college when he was a SS. We played against each other in A ball. Last day of the season, he was getting released. They told him he could stay if he wanted to become a pitcher. As we talked during BP that day, he was not sure. He had never done it. "Can't be that tough", I said. Sure enough, three years later he was throwing gas in the big leagues. Now in the HOF. Pretty good decision by him.
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I am a youth coach and have a nuanced hitting question. At the point of contact, should your top hand have the appearance of an uppercut punch, or a downward punch? I was taught to rotate the wrists (downward punch), but I've seen video of Tony Gwynn teaching the uppercut punch approach. Tony was way smarter at hitting than I'll ever be, but I was wondering if I could get another perspective on this. Thanks, Brian.

Brian Johnson
Great question. I would say both can work for different players. My take is very different. I don't focus on the minutiae. I focus on the results. If you can hit a line drive to the back of the cage off a tee on command? You are in a good spot. I don't care if you do a handstand before you swing. Dusty Baker would always tell me the ball will tell you all that you need to know. Tony believed that too. What you are talking, respectfully, about is over-coaching. We need the hitter to be an athlete at the plate, not a robot. You can't focus on 8 things when you are training, then think the hitter will be able to clear their minds when they are live in the games. Keep your teaching simple. Each hitter is very different. Allow your players to find their style and they will enjoy the game more. Hope that helps.
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