If only Nick Johnson could stay healthy. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound first baseman, known for his plate discipline and sweet swing, is back on the disabled list, this time with a torn tendon in his right wrist. He's expected to miss between four and six weeks of action.
Johnson has been no stranger to injuries throughout his Major League career. An assortment of ailments and injuries has sidelined him for long stretches of his career. After missing 201 games from 2003-2006, Johnson missed the entire 2007 season with a fractured leg.
When healthy, Johnson has shown consistent 25-30 homerun power and the ability to drive in runs. His true strength, though, is working pitch counts. Johnson has a tremendous eye at the plate, posting more walks than strikeouts in three of the past five seasons. He has a career on-base percentage of .396, and he's had an on-base over .400 in four of the past five years.
Wrist injuries are always devastating to hitters. Even if Johnson returns in four weeks, it will probably take him much longer to find his hitting stroke. Then again, maybe it will help, because he hasn't exactly been raking early in the season, hitting just .220 on the young campaign. While Johnson's absence will leave a hole in the lineup, first baseman Dmitri Young should fill it soon enough, as he's expected to return from his own stint on the disabled list in the very near future.
