Reed Johnson signed by Atlanta Braves for one-year - MLB Update
Pinch hitter, Reed Johnson has been signed by Atlanta Braves for one-year.
Rewarding his extraordinary campaign in the last season, he has been made a part of the crew for another year.
Braves have arguably the best offence in the National League East Division. During the 2012 season, their success was in many ways attributable to the consistent shows coming off from hitters at the plate.
Players like Chipper Jones, Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward remarkably spearheaded their expedition.
Although their pitchers played a decisive role late in the season, at the beginning it was the offence that stood out and brought wins for Atlanta.
Given the retirement of third baseman Chipper Jones, it is less likely the Braves enjoy the luxury of having a quality offence next year. In light of this, the on-going offseason must be used by the Braves for removing discrepancies in their offence.
Signing of a contract with Johnson gives a signal that the Braves are conscious of possible weak-links that may sabotage their expedition in the upcoming season.
Johnson, with his amazing ability to strike home-runs and produce RBIs, can neutralise the impact of the absence of Jones in their offence.
Reed Johnson has been in the Major League for awhile now and is a consistent performer as his value for any team is very high. By many accounts, the Braves have taken the right decision by hiring him.
The notion that the Braves possess a formidable offence has been reinforced after Johnson joins hands with them. He fits in their culture excellently.
Some of the powerful hitters of Atlanta are on the decline at the moment. For example, their catcher Brian McCann was not as impressive at the plate as he was supposed to be in the last season.
Far from posting a commendable batting average, he experienced a forgettable slump at the plate.
If he repeats his last season performance during 2013, it will be a major setback for Atlanta. For that possibility, having someone like Johnson in the team can go a long way in reducing the damage in terms of offensive performance.
Johnson will try to produce his best in the upcoming season so that the Braves consider him to play for the team for another year.
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