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Moriarty9 · 06-08-2008, 08:54 AM

Johnson dealt to Royals for local prospect
Somerville's Mason assigned to Pawtucket
Saturday, May 28, 2011

BOSTON - Josh Johnson has found a new home with the Kansas City Royals as the Red Sox dealt the disgruntled pitcher for a 22-year-old prospect from Somerville.
Johnson, 27, had become bitter with Boston's front office as the organization and the pitcher came to a stalemate on sending Johnson to AAA Pawtucket for rehabilitation after a couple of injuries late in spring training. Johnson refused to pitch for the PawSox and was left on the disabled list while the team tried to persuade the hurler to accept the rehab assignment.
Johnson owns a 75-34 record and 3.99 ERA in 178 games with the Red Sox, 143 starts, over seven seasons. He went 11-9 with a 5.93 ERA in 31 games last year. His best season came in 2006 - his first full season in the rotation - when Johnson went 18-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts.
"I'm happy to be wearing Royals blue and to start a new chapter in my career," Johnson said by telephone today. "The Red Sox obviously didn't appreciate my talents so its best for me to move on. Fortunately, I've wound up in a place where we're a playoff contender, just a game or so behind the Indians."
With the success of the pitching staff, especially the starting rotation, the team decided it could afford to let Johnson go and found a suitor in Kansas City, who sent local pitching prospect Dave Mason to the Red Sox in return.
Mason had gone 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA in nine starts with the Royals. Prior to this season, Mason had worked through the Kansas City minor league system. In AAA last season, he went 13-4 with a 2.42 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 182 1/3 innings over 27 games, 26 of which were starts.
Mason pitched four innings against Boston in spring training but has not faced the club in regular season play. He will be assigned to AAA Pawtucket for the time being.
"It's exciting to end up with the organization you grew up watching," Mason said after the trade was announced. "I grew up watching these guys dominate the AL East every year and always wanted to be a piece of that. It's kind of surreal in a lot of ways. I can't imagine what it'll be like when I end up in Boston, wearing that Red Sox uniform at Fenway Park with family and friends in the stands."
Red Sox GM Shaun Moriarty said the trade was made because it made sense for the organization.
"Josh Johnson is a fine pitcher and we wish him the best of luck in Kansas City," he said. "However, it works out nicely for us. We get a local kid with tremendous upside and potential and we wipe $5 million off the books that can be used to try and retain some of the guys whose contracts are coming to and end this year."
Among the potential free agents are pitchers Scott Kazmir, Roy Oswalt, Manuel Corpas, Jonathan Papelbon and Hong-Chih Kuo, first baseman Conor Jackson, catcher Paul Lo Duca and outfielder Willy Taveras.

06-08-2008, 08:54 AM	#112 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Reserve Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 502	Somerville native joins Sox organization Johnson dealt to Royals for local prospect Somerville's Mason assigned to Pawtucket Saturday, May 28, 2011 BOSTON - Josh Johnson has found a new home with the Kansas City Royals as the Red Sox dealt the disgruntled pitcher for a 22-year-old prospect from Somerville. Johnson, 27, had become bitter with Boston's front office as the organization and the pitcher came to a stalemate on sending Johnson to AAA Pawtucket for rehabilitation after a couple of injuries late in spring training. Johnson refused to pitch for the PawSox and was left on the disabled list while the team tried to persuade the hurler to accept the rehab assignment. Johnson owns a 75-34 record and 3.99 ERA in 178 games with the Red Sox, 143 starts, over seven seasons. He went 11-9 with a 5.93 ERA in 31 games last year. His best season came in 2006 - his first full season in the rotation - when Johnson went 18-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts. "I'm happy to be wearing Royals blue and to start a new chapter in my career," Johnson said by telephone today. "The Red Sox obviously didn't appreciate my talents so its best for me to move on. Fortunately, I've wound up in a place where we're a playoff contender, just a game or so behind the Indians." With the success of the pitching staff, especially the starting rotation, the team decided it could afford to let Johnson go and found a suitor in Kansas City, who sent local pitching prospect Dave Mason to the Red Sox in return. Mason had gone 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA in nine starts with the Royals. Prior to this season, Mason had worked through the Kansas City minor league system. In AAA last season, he went 13-4 with a 2.42 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 182 1/3 innings over 27 games, 26 of which were starts. Mason pitched four innings against Boston in spring training but has not faced the club in regular season play. He will be assigned to AAA Pawtucket for the time being. "It's exciting to end up with the organization you grew up watching," Mason said after the trade was announced. "I grew up watching these guys dominate the AL East every year and always wanted to be a piece of that. It's kind of surreal in a lot of ways. I can't imagine what it'll be like when I end up in Boston, wearing that Red Sox uniform at Fenway Park with family and friends in the stands." Red Sox GM Shaun Moriarty said the trade was made because it made sense for the organization. "Josh Johnson is a fine pitcher and we wish him the best of luck in Kansas City," he said. "However, it works out nicely for us. We get a local kid with tremendous upside and potential and we wipe $5 million off the books that can be used to try and retain some of the guys whose contracts are coming to and end this year." Among the potential free agents are pitchers Scott Kazmir, Roy Oswalt, Manuel Corpas, Jonathan Papelbon and Hong-Chih Kuo, first baseman Conor Jackson, catcher Paul Lo Duca and outfielder Willy Taveras.