All 3 were originally drafted in the 1st or 2nd round and made their MLB Debuts in 2005. All have battled injuries and illness, plus each has had a uniform change. Power-wise what can we expect in 2011?
Facts:
| Johnson | |||||||
| Year | Age | PA | HR% | SO% | BB% | AB/HR | HR/FB |
| 2009 | 27 | 346 | 0.023 | 0.156 | 0.093 | 37.9 | 0.061 |
| 2010 | 28 | 671 | 0.039 | 0.221 | 0.118 | 22.5 | 0.107 |
| Career 6 Yrs | 2573 | 0.028 | 0.20 | 0.11 | 31.6 | 0.078 | |
| Hardy | |||||||
| 2009 | 26 | 465 | 0.024 | 0.183 | 0.093 | 37.6 | 0.071 |
| 2010 | 27 | 375 | 0.016 | 0.144 | 0.075 | 56.7 | 0.047 |
| Career 6 Yrs | 2673 | 0.03 | 0.143 | 0.081 | 29.8 | 0.086 | |
| Jackson | |||||||
| 2009 | 27 | 110 | 0.009 | 0.146 | 0.1 | 99 | 0.024 |
| 2010 | 28 | 241 | 0.008 | 0.112 | 0.129 | 104 | 0.021 |
| Career 6 Yrs | 2095 | 0.022 | 0.114 | 0.105 | 39 | 0.055 | |
| MLB Avg 6 Yrs | 0.027 | 0.174 | 0.085 | 33.4 | 0.076 |
| HR Park Factor (Handed) | Home Park Change | From | To |
| Johnson (LH) | 2009 | 95 | 114 |
| Jackson (RH) | 2010 | 102 | 77 |
| Hardy (RH) | 2011 | 103 | 126 |
Analysis: Kelly Johnson is the only one to have above league average power since 2008. His 2010 season looks out of place until you consider that he was healthy and got a nice bump Park Factor wise. Park HR factors indicate Johnson went from 5% below league average to 14% above in the switch last season from Atlanta to Arizona. Note a Park Factor of 100 = league average. Hardy’s HR/AB has been all over the place, but Baltimore’s park should be just what Hardy needs, if healthy, going from 3% above league average to 26%. Hardy did show nice power at shortstop back in 2007 and 2008, with 26 and 24 HR. On the other hand, HR have never been a big part of Jackson’s game and it’s a good thing, as Oakland depresses the HR rate to 77% of league average. Only Johnson was above the league slugging average in 2010. Both Hardy and Johnson are starters in 2010, while watch Jackson’s Spring training for signs of renewed strength, though Oakland has both a crowded starting lineup with veterans and a bench crowded with veterans and prospects alike. Making the team may be the best Jackson can do at this point in his career, but watch for signs of the skills he displayed before injuries took their toll. Remember power wasn’t really there to begin with, though he was still quite young before his career was interrupted.
Projections:
| Name | Team | Pos | $ | AVG$ | R$ | RBI$ | HR$ | SB$ | Pos$ | AVG | R | RBI | HR | SB | H | AB |
| J.J. Hardy | BAL | SS | 10 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 1 | -2 | 11 | 0.272 | 66 | 61 | 18 | 2 | 130 | 477 |
| Kelly Johnson | ARI | 2B | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0.275 | 96 | 77 | 20 | 12 | 162 | 588 |
| Conor Jackson | OAK | 1B | -2 | -2 | -4 | -4 | -3 | -1 | 10 | 0.245 | 40 | 37 | 6 | 6 | 75 | 307 |
{6-4-3 Assists to Last Player Picked, StatsCorner, and Baseball-Reference}