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Amazin69 · 11-02-2024, 01:42 AM

(Hey! Only 4 months, this time. For me, that's almost decent.)

The Yankees' 3rd round pick in 1978, Johnston was signed out of South Alabama (where he ended up after a scout for Eddie Stanky came to check out a teammate in his Michigan hometown), having battled Bob Horner for the NCAA HR title, albeit by dint of a tiny park.

The game calls him Jerold, but he was known professionally as "Mark" (and once he moved into coaching, "Skip"). He had a so-so rookie campaign, but then put up a .869 at AA West Haven in 1979, which is rather good if you're primarily a 2B. He started well at AA Nashville in 1980 (after the franchise shift) but then…something happened, and he spent the bulk of the season playing for the independent Alexandria Dukes of Carolina league, out of the Yankees system and a level down from his established skills.

Whatever happened must have shaken Skip, because after struggling at Alexandria, he gave organized baseball the skip for all of 1981, only resurfacing as an El Paso Diablo in the Brewers organization in 1982. He struggled there, as well (and if you can't hit at El Paso, you can't hit anywhere) and while he did creditable work at lower leagues (Beloit, Stockton) for the Brewers in 1983, 1984 saw him back in Yankees gear, batting an acceptable .793 OPS for Ft. Lauderdale in the FSL before getting a "Did you know you're 27?" speech and a ticket onward. He also played some ball in the Dominican and Australia, but I don't know when.

Johnston moved into coaching, becoming the hitting instructor for Iowa Cubs in the mid-1990s. So we probably can blame him for the immortal Tuffy Rhodes hitting those 3 HR off of Doc Gooden on Dwight's last Opening Day for the Mets. Thanks a lot, Skip!

He passed away in 2021. Included are various pictures, one of them from later life.

Name: Jerold Mark Johnston 1978 West Haven.jpg
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Name: Jerold Mark Johnston 1978 West Haven.jpg
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Name: Jerold Mark Johnston 1982 El Paso.jpg
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Name: Jerold Mark Johnston 1983 Beloit.jpg
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In my game, he's been swapped to the White Sox as partial payment for Lerrin LaGrow and while he didn't do much in the minors, he was summoned for a September cameo. And hey, the Pale Hose won the two games he played in (including a 14-4 drubbing of the Invinci-Angels), so maybe there is some magic there, anyhow.

Thanks for all you've done.

11-02-2024, 01:42 AM	#587
Amazin69 Banned Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palmetto Pride! Posts: 4,218 Infractions: 0/4 (4)	Jerold Mark Johnston 1978 (Hey! Only 4 months, this time. For me, that's almost decent.) The Yankees' 3rd round pick in 1978, Johnston was signed out of South Alabama (where he ended up after a scout for Eddie Stanky came to check out a teammate in his Michigan hometown), having battled Bob Horner for the NCAA HR title, albeit by dint of a tiny park. The game calls him Jerold, but he was known professionally as "Mark" (and once he moved into coaching, "Skip"). He had a so-so rookie campaign, but then put up a .869 at AA West Haven in 1979, which is rather good if you're primarily a 2B. He started well at AA Nashville in 1980 (after the franchise shift) but then…something happened, and he spent the bulk of the season playing for the independent Alexandria Dukes of Carolina league, out of the Yankees system and a level down from his established skills. Whatever happened must have shaken Skip, because after struggling at Alexandria, he gave organized baseball the skip for all of 1981, only resurfacing as an El Paso Diablo in the Brewers organization in 1982. He struggled there, as well (and if you can't hit at El Paso, you can't hit anywhere) and while he did creditable work at lower leagues (Beloit, Stockton) for the Brewers in 1983, 1984 saw him back in Yankees gear, batting an acceptable .793 OPS for Ft. Lauderdale in the FSL before getting a "Did you know you're 27?" speech and a ticket onward. He also played some ball in the Dominican and Australia, but I don't know when. Johnston moved into coaching, becoming the hitting instructor for Iowa Cubs in the mid-1990s. So we probably can blame him for the immortal Tuffy Rhodes hitting those 3 HR off of Doc Gooden on Dwight's last Opening Day for the Mets. Thanks a lot, Skip! He passed away in 2021. Included are various pictures, one of them from later life. In my game, he's been swapped to the White Sox as partial payment for Lerrin LaGrow and while he didn't do much in the minors, he was summoned for a September cameo. And hey, the Pale Hose won the two games he played in (including a 14-4 drubbing of the Invinci-Angels), so maybe there is some magic there, anyhow. Thanks for all you've done. Last edited by Amazin69; 11-02-2024 at 01:44 AM.