We don't know that it would be a "short term defensive deficiency", and it's no given that he's going to out hit anybody. He's a wildcard at best. He's got some athletic ability and was a highly ranked prospect, but he has shown little ability thus far to get on base at a good clip or hit with any authority. I'm not sure who I'd rather roster between him and Chang TBH, and if I have to choose between Johnson and A. Rosario for CF then I'm taking Johnson everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. Johnson is a much more dynamic player.
Based on what do you state that Johnson is a more dynamic player?
Or that he would make a better CF?
Or that you might prefer Chang as the util?
Because Rosario is younger? He is.
Because Rosario has spent four years in MLB while they could build up stats in the minors? He has.
Rosario wasn't just a highly ranked recruit with 'some' athletic ability. He was ranked higher than any prospect weve had since Sandy Alomar...higher than Grady, higher than Lindor.
If Chang and Johnson had been forced to play in MLB from age 21 on, what do you think they would look like now? Or if Rosario would be emerging today as a candidate, which one do you think everyone would be drooling over now?
Right now the org is betting on Bradley and to do so they are trying to fit two round pegs...Naylor and maybe Johnson...into two square holes...to make it work. Moving a fast and athletic SS with a plus arm to center field is not a round peg into a square hole type of thing.
And look at it this way....if they truly thought that Johnson was the answer in CF, why would they move Rosario there...and why isn't Johnson getting a long look there now?
And if Johnson was such a super prospect at nearly 26 yrs old, why hasn't he been playing at the MLB level for a team that has had one of the worst outfield in all baseball for several seasons.
We have watched Naquin, Kip, and Deshields butcher center field over the last several years. Rosario is likely to be a huge improvement over them in a very short time.
There has to be someone, but I can't think of one MLB SS who failed defensively when he moved to CF. But I can think of plenty who did quite well.