Johnson came through as good-luck charm

Dan Johnson may not have given the Rays what they hoped for in terms of steady production at the plate, but you can't argue the organization said goodbye to one of the most unique players in team history.

The former first baseman, who compiled a .168 batting average in 81 games over his three seasons with the Rays, signed a minor league contract this past week with the White Sox.

He leaves as the franchise's best clutch home run hitter, their lucky penny, their good luck charm.

Johnson's first at-bat as a Ray and his final at-bat produced the two most dramatic home runs in team history – a score-tying, pinch-hit, ninth-inning homer off Boston's Jonathan Papelbon in September, 2008 and a score-tying, two-out, two-strike, pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning on the final night of the 2011 regular season that helped propel the Rays to the Wild Card.

Johnson had just 37 hits with the Rays, but 11 of those hits were home runs and seven of those 11 homers either tied the score or gave the Rays the lead.

He had eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 22 combined games against the Red Sox and Yankees.

Speaking of Johnson's popularity among Rays fans, Johnson's agent Bobby Barad said, "I think the day Dan Johnson retires I expect him to be in the Tampa Bay Rays (TV) booth."

Johnson declined an assignment to Triple-A Durham in November, but spent the winter monitoring what the Rays were doing to fill their needs at first base and designated hitter.

"One of the reasons Dan didn't sign was he was watching what (the Rays) were doing," Barad said. "He loved Tampa (Bay) and if there was an opportunity there, he certainly would have been very excited. Once they signed a couple of guys, clearly, the opportunity wouldn't be there."

An affordable rotation

At $20.5 million, former Rays pitchers Edwin Jackson ($11 million from the Nationals) and Matt Garza ($9.5 million from the Cubs) will earn more this season than the entire Rays rotation.

The Rays will pay James Shields ($8 million), David Price ($4.35 million), Jeff Niemann ($2.75 million), Wade Davis ($1.5 million) and Matt Moore ($1 million) a total of $17.6 million in 2012. Jeremy Hellickson, because he is still under team control, will receive a raise from the $418,400 he made during his rookie of the year season in 2011 but not enough for the rotation to catch Jackson and Garza.

Eiland, Evers to IL Hall of Fame

Former Rays pitcher Dave Eiland and former bench coach Bill Evers are among the 2012 class of inductees into the International League Hall of Fame.

Eiland, pitching mostly for Columbus (Yankees) and Durham (Rays), recorded the most wins (82), strikeouts and complete games in the IL during the 1990s.

Evers, who managed the Bulls before joining the Rays in 2006 for a two-year stint as Joe Maddon's bench coach, is the winningest manager in Bulls history. He led the Bulls to six playoff appearances from 1998 to 2004 and won a pair of Governor's Cups.

Noteworthy

Jim Pfander is the new general manager of the Charlotte Stone Crabs. His 12 years of professional baseball experience includes a role as executive vice president/CCO of the Akron Aeros (Indians Double-A affiliate). … Fan Fest, scheduled for Feb. 18, will include youth clinics by the Rays coaches, Reading with the Rays, running the bases and a high-five station for kids, a charity yards sale and autograph opportunities. Also, fans of all ages can have Reid Brignac, Sam Fuld, David Price and Sean Rodriguez place calls to family and friends. For more information, go to raysbaseball.com.