February 18, 2007
It's Tough to Hit Two Baseballs
Dan Johnson suffered from double vision during the 2006 season:
The A's potential everyday first baseman unknowingly played last season with double vision in his right eye, a problem that wasn't diagnosed until about two weeks ago.
That revelation may at least partially explain why Johnson got off to a horrendous start at the plate last season, eventually getting demoted to Triple-A Sacramento after starting the season as Oakland's first baseman.
Johnson thought he merely had blurred vision throughout 2006, and was taking eye drops to remedy the problem.
"It's hard to treat someone who doesn't know what bothers him," Johnson said. "I went to a few doctors last year, four or five, but it's like going to the doctor and telling him my arm hurts, and it's my leg or something."
It goes without saying how important eyesight is to a hitter trying to make contact with 90-plus mph fastballs. Eye doctors recently recommended Johnson see a specialist, and he has been undergoing "eye therapy" over the past two weeks and is now on a different medication to help correct the problem.
"They say that I'm progressing like I'm supposed to," he said. "What they're doing is taking a 10-month program and putting it into about two weeks."
Johnson regaining his batting eye would be a huge boost to the Athletics offense.
Posted by David Pinto at
05:21 PM
|
Illnesses
|
TrackBack (0)