When Johnny Giavotella came to the Los Angeles Angels Spring Training camp he was a long shot to make the team. The Angels had Grant Green returning and they also had Josh Rutledge who former GM Jerry DiPoto really liked. Giavotella batted .321 last Spring with 1 HR and 8 RBI’s and both Green and Rutledge struggled allowing Giavotella to steal the second base spot, one he would not relinquish other than the one month he was injured.
Giavotella hit .272 with four home runs and 49 RBI’s for the season. Johnny G, as he is affectionately known, became a spark plug ala David Eckstein.