Nick Johnson rejoins Nationals as spring training instructor

VIERA, Fla. - It's been seven years since Nick Johnson last donned a Nationals uniform, but there was something comforting about the site of the former first baseman standing at the batting cage this morning, a curly W on his cap, watching current members of the team take swings off live pitchers.

What, exactly, is Johnson doing here?

"Whatever they need me to do," he said succinctly, to this day still a man of few words.

Officially, Johnson is in camp for 10 days as a special instructor. He's got his old No. 24 jersey. He looks around for familiar faces, though there aren't so many anymore.

"I think Zim is the only one left, right?" he said. (Indeed, Ryan Zimmerman is the only player still in the organization from 2009.)

The idea to bring Johnson to Viera came from new manager Dusty Baker. The two didn't previously know each other well, but they both live in the Sacramento area and happened to cross paths at a local restaurant over the winter.

After exchanging pleasantries, Baker had an epiphany.

"It just came to me," the skipper said. "Because the real good organizations I've been in, they have some history, which we don't have much of here."

Baker thought of his days playing for the Dodgers, when iconic figures like Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe were regulars around Vero Beach every spring. The Nationals can't come close to competing with that, but there are a few former players floating around who have a connection to the organization.

"If they can say one thing to help a kid figure it out - I mean, just one pitch, one theory on how to hit a curveball or whatever - I've seen it turn people's careers around," Baker said. "I know Nick was popular here. He was a very good player. He could also tell people the ups and downs, what it's like to get injured and your career gets short. And to talk to Zim about playing first base, or to the kids about hitting and stuff. I just thought it just fit."

Johnson, who played for the Nationals from 2005-09, still ranks among the club's all-time leaders in several offensive categories, including a .416 on-base percentage that dwarfs anybody else who has worn the uniform over the last 11 years.

Traded to the Marlins for pitching prospect Aaron Thompson at the July 2009 deadline, Johnson finished out that season in Miami, then played for the Yankees in 2010 and the Orioles in 2012. He's been out of baseball since, spending his time at home in Sacramento with his family.

Johnson was intrigued, though, at the idea of coming to Viera for this brief stint, so he took Baker up on the offer. Might he have a long-term future in this coaching thing, though?

"We'll see how this goes," he said with a smirk.

As always, he's a man of few words.