Local boy Steve Johnson happy to be a part of the Baltimore Orioles- MLB News
Local Baltimore boy Steve Johnson tasted some Major League success with the resurgent Baltimore Orioles in 2012 and he feels great about it. He spent most of his season with the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles Triple-A affiliate and made a debut for the birds
in the lateral part of the season.
The 25-year-old, who is also the son of former Orioles pitcher Dave Johnson, is looking to carry the confidence he got in 2012 with his short stint in the Majors into the spring training. He posted a 4-0 winning record with a miserly 2.11 ERA in 12 games,
including four games as a starter.
“I know what I did last year gave me some confidence, so I'll just go in with that same confidence and hopefully have a good spring," the pitcher said.
Johnson is the only native of Baltimore in the team and one of the handful of players from Maryland. He is getting recognised when he goes out and fans have been wishing him and the team well for the next season.
"Going to the Ravens games, I get recognized here and there, and they're just excited for next year. That's what everyone says," Steve said.
Johnson is looking forward to fight it out for a spot on opening rotation in spring training as there are a number of guys who will be taking a shot at it. The competition is likely going to be very stiff and that is something that Johnson is looking forward
to. He likes the competitiveness in the spring training and has been through the process previously.
"I know I'm just going to have to go through spring training and fight for a spot anyway. There were a lot of guys last year, so I know what it's going to be like. They’re going to bring a lot of guys and we're all going to be fighting for a spot. Makes
it more fun, makes it competitive,” Steve said.
Steve was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 in 13th round of the Amateur Draft. He has been playing in the Orioles farm system since 2009. His work for the Tides in the Minors was not as good as his work in the Majors and posted
a 4-8 win-loss record in 2012 with a 2.86 ERA in 19 games.
Johnson has shown some great signs in his short stint in the Major league with the Baltimore Orioles. There have been talks of him being possibly traded but nothing is certain at this point in time. By the looks of it, Johnson will be a fierce competitor
for some time to come and it will not be long before he will be a permanent fixture in a pitching rotation at the highest level.
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