The Dan Johnson Video Vault & Recaps

by FreeZorilla on Feb 2, 2012 10:00 AM EST

Tributes to Dan Johnson are all over the web. This thread is a walk back in time for Johnson's four greatest nights in the American League East with videos and links to the DRB post-game threads. Sometimes reliving the video and the real time emotion of the community can be more effective than the written word. Enjoy.

The NESN commentary on the Papelbon home run is fantastic.

Rays Turn Tables With D.J., Win 5-4.

Then there was the dramatic two home run game against Phil Hughes from 2010, which came after the infamous Jeter phantom hit-by-pitch.

The first one:

The Second One:

Dan Johnson Hits Two HRs, Rays Beat Yanks 4-3

It's also easy to forget the extra inning walk-off against Scott Atchison and the Red Sox:

http://www.draysbay.com/2010/8/29/1656822/dan-johnson-hits-walkoff-home-run

And the final moment, Game 162:

Playoff Baseball, Its Happening

The Night in Pictures

Evan Longoria is Friggin' Insane, or Rays Beat Yankees 8-7 and Advance to the Playoffs

5 recs | 32 comments

Comments

No. I do not have tears in my eyes

It’s the oak pollen.

Seriously.

GTFO of my cubicle.

nomoredevil - February 2, 2012 reply

I think it was yesterday I was watching these videos on my phone.

Yes I had some tears.

DeadeyeRR - February 2, 2012 reply

thank you for this awesome post, FreeZo

AndrewTorrez - February 2, 2012 reply

Love this comment from when DanJo was called up, that was revisited in the Papelbon recap

Dear god NO DAN JOHNSON
It doesn’t make sense to waste Dale Thayers roster spot on a guy who will be DFA’d.

by thebaddancingraysfan on Sep 9, 2008 3:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

FreeZorilla - February 2, 2012 reply

An epic 'stache can blind even the most objective analyst

AndrewTorrez - February 2, 2012 reply

Was my sig for a while.

Vin - February 2, 2012 reply

Gives me goosebumps every time is see the end of game 162

I will never forget that night.

Peter Piontek - February 2, 2012 reply

LOL @ Bob Ryan

"But Dan Johnson must have misplaced the memo. Dan Johnson pinch hit for pinch hitter Justin Ruggiano when Terry Francona switched from Hideki Okajima to Papelbon, and he cranked a 3-2 Papster heater over the Mastercard sign, over the Red Sox bullpen, and into the bleachers. It was a stadium silencer here and it would have been the cause of immense celebration in the Tampa-St. Pete area if only anyone actually cared about baseball down there. Dan Johnson hasn’t even been to the Trop as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays yet, but we can safely say those people don’t deserve him."

FreeZorilla - February 2, 2012 reply

"those people"

firemangreg - February 2, 2012 reply

Bob Ryan is an alcoholic that can barely put four words together in a sentence at this point.

Sandy Kazmir - February 2, 2012 reply

Seriously, any user who has been around the site for any length of time should revisit those threads

Really making me long for baseball

FreeZorilla - February 2, 2012 reply

Just watching these videos is making me pine for baseball.

Also, there’s no great video of it, but DanJo’s homer against the White Sox early in the season was awesome: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13599483&c_id=mlb

DanJo’s first hit of the year, Rays’ first win of the year. What perfect bookends to the season.

Steve Slowinski - February 2, 2012 reply

Hrm...actually, it was his third hit of the year. I remembered that wrong.

Steve Slowinski - February 2, 2012 reply

1st homerun of the season, but close enough anyways.

TBRaysfan009 - February 2, 2012 reply

What a great community to watch baseball with!

SRQman - February 2, 2012 reply

Goosebumps

DanJo will go down as the most clutch hitter in Rays history. Wish there was a way to contract him just for clutch situtions. Bottom of the 9th in a tie game at the Trop? Surprise power outage delays game while Friedman books a flight for DJ.

Pmoconnor89 - February 2, 2012 reply