WASHINGTON--When Nick Johnson collided with Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur Sunday, straining a muscle in his chest, it looked much like the kind of freak injury that had plagued Johnson during his entire career.
He bruised his heel awkwardly landing on home plate last season and missed more than a month. He hurt his lower back diving for a ball in 2004 and missed nearly two months. In 2003, he missed 61 games after breaking a bone in his right hand.
In four not-so-full big league seasons entering this year, he'd never made it from start to finish without a stint on the disabled list.
But this year has been different.
Johnson has played in 124 of the Nationals' 131 games, and yesterday, he returned to the lineup, still a little sore from the collision but intent on finishing what has been his finest season strong--and healthy.
"You don't want to miss time," Johnson said. "You want to get out there and play."
In doing so, he's finally put together a complete season, one significant for the numbers he's put up as much as for the injuries he's avoided.
Entering yesterday's game, Johnson had a career-high 19 homers and 37 doubles, and he was nearing a career-high in RBIs. He had 74 last season and has 64 now.
Johnson, 28, is hitting .286, and with a strong finish, he could eclipse his high-water mark of .289. His .511 slugging percentage would be a career-high, as would his .423 on-base percentage.
"Some players, they get a reputation as being injury prone," manager Frank Robinson said. "It sticks with you no matter what. It's good to see him having the year he's putting together and the time he's spent on the field, to kind of put these things in the past."
Robinson said he envisions Johnson hitting above .300 with more power--both homers and extra-base hits--and hitting coach Mitchell Page said it's not a stretch to think Johnson could hit 30 home runs in a season.
"This is the first year he's kind of putting together a year--not parts of it, not fractions of a year," Robinson said. "He's starting to put the year together. I just think he's capable of doing more and will."
Draft updateThe Nationals have less than a week to sign second-round pick Sean Black, but though the sides remain far apart, Washington will continue to try to make a run at the high school right-hander from New Jersey.
Amateur scouting director Dana Brown is planning to contact Black by the weekend--most likely in a visit to Black's home--in another effort to persuade the pitcher to choose professional baseball over college.
The Nationals hold Black's rights until he attends class Tuesday at Seton Hall.
Black was the 59th pick in June's First-Year Player Draft, but was viewed as a potential first-round pick. He is seeking a higher signing bonus than the $600,000 his draft slot would call for, but money is not believed to be the only factor in negotiations.
A source involved in the negotiations said there are those in Black's family that favor the college route. Washington signed seven of its first eight picks, but Black is the top unsigned high school player from the draft.
Patterson won't returnJohn Patterson has been pleasantly surprised at how well his surgically repaired right forearm has responded to a throwing regimen, but he all but ruled out a return this season.
"I don't think [pitching in a game this season] is that valuable," said Patterson, who threw for the seventh time yesterday, testing his arm on flat ground from 105 feet. "The important thing is for me to be healthy by the end of the year."
Patterson had surgery July 20 to decompress the median nerve in his right forearm, and doctors also released the lacertus fibrosis, a piece of connective tissue near the elbow.
To reach TODD JACOBSON:
Email: tjacobson@freelancestar.com