So what's up with Kelly Johnson all of a sudden? How is it he has put together a career-high 22-game hitting streak that's the longest in the National League this season?
Going into Wednesday's game in Philadelphia, Johnson ranked second among all NL second basemen with 39 doubles, was second in batting average at .286, third in extra-base hits with 57, and fifth in RBI with 67s. And his hits haven't simply been stat-fillers; they have come when the Braves have needed them. It's easy to forget, but Johnson was once the Braves' center fielder. He missed the entire 2006 season after undergoing ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery. Unable to throw from the outfield, Johnson undertook the transfer to second base.
To do that, he spent a minimum of three hours a day -- and often more -- taking groundballs from first base coach Glenn Hubbard. And he continued to work on his fielding for hours before batting practice during the 2007 season, to the point where manager Bobby Cox was begging him to stop because the effort was causing Johnson to be too fatigued once the game started.
What we are seeing now is what we usually see with players returning form Tommy John: It takes two seasons to get back fully. And it has taken that time for second base to become more instinctive for Johnson.
Now that he doesn't have to think about every detail on defense, he can relax and focus on offense: see the ball, hit the ball.
"I think he's being a little more aggressive right now," manager Bobby Cox says. "Not waiting so long in the count to swing at something. It's paying off right now."
BRAVES 10, PHILLIES 4: With two outs in the fifth, the Phillies turned PH Chipper Jones around, knowing his sore right shoulder has been keeping him out of the lineup. And he hit a three-run homer off LH reliever Scott Eyre, capping a six-run inning.
