Johnny Werhas

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Johnny Werhas

|image=Johnny Werhas 1967.jpg

|width=180px

|caption=Werhas, circa 1967

|position=Third baseman

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1938|2|7}}

|birth_place=Highland Park, Michigan

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 14

|debutyear=1964

|debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 30

|finalyear=1967

|finalteam=California Angels

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.173

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=2

|stat3label=Runs scored

|stat3value=15

|teams=

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1964}}–{{mlby|1967}})
California Angels ({{mlby|1967}})

}}

John Charles Werhas (born February 7, 1938) is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who was a pastor for The Rock Community Church in Anaheim Hills, California.{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/magazine/05/29/baseball.steroids/index.html?sct=hp_wr_a1&eref=sihp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602011655/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/magazine/05/29/baseball.steroids/index.html?sct=hp_wr_a1&eref=sihp|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2012|author=Tom Verducci|date=June 4, 2012|title=To Cheat or Not to Cheat|magazine=Sports Illustrated}} He retired from this position on August 23, 2015, and moved to Oregon to spend time with his wife of many years.{{Cite web |url=http://www.trcclive.org/htmlemail/pj20150504.html |title=Pj20150504 |access-date=2015-08-06 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011555/http://www.trcclive.org/htmlemail/pj20150504.html |url-status=dead }}

Werhas was an All-American third baseman for the University of Southern California Trojans baseball team. He also played forward for the Trojans basketball team, earning All-PCC honors and honorable-mention All-American recognition in 1959. He was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in {{baseball year|2007}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.trcclive.org/?cat=60|title=Meet Pastor John|publisher=The Rock Community Church}}

Werhas was drafted by the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in {{baseball year|1960}}, however, chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead. He batted .248 with 26 home runs and 127 runs batted in through three seasons in the minors before having a breakthrough {{baseball year|1963}} season with the Spokane Indians. He edged out Ken McMullen for the Dodgers' starting third base job out of spring training {{baseball year|1964}}.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WLBYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5553,3107868&dq|title=Hey, It's Spring; Dodgers in Drills|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle|date=January 14, 1964}} After batting just .169 with eight RBIs through the first 33 games of the season, however, he was displaced by Jim Gilliam, who started the season playing second base. Werhas enjoyed a career game shortly after losing his starting job on May 28, going three-for-four with a walk and run scored in a seventeen-inning marathon with the Cincinnati Reds that ended in a 2–2 tie,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN196405280.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Cincinnati Reds 2|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=May 28, 1964}} but was soon returned to Spokane, regardless. He batted .309 with nine home runs and 51 RBIs for Spokane.

He returned to the Dodgers when rosters expanded in September {{baseball year|1965}}, going hitless with one walk and a run scored in three pinch hit plate appearances. The only time Werhas took the field was at first base in the final game of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196510030.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Milwaukee Braves 0|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=October 3, 1965}}

He earned a back-up job in {{baseball year|1967}}, but was dealt to the California Angels on May 10 for outfielder Len Gabrielson. On June 4, he hit his first major league home run off the Minnesota Twins' Jim Merritt.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN196706040.shtml|title=Minnesota Twins 8, California Angels 7|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 4, 1967}} His only other major league home run came later that month against the Cleveland Indians' Sam McDowell.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE196706220.shtml|title=California Angels 7, Cleveland Indians 0|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=June 22, 1967}}

Werhas' final major league at bat came with the Angels that season. He remained with the organization through {{baseball year|1970}} before heading to Japan in {{baseball year|1971}} to play for the Taiyo Whales. In the first trade between a Japanese and an American team, he was dealt to the San Diego Padres' Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Hawaii Islanders, for longtime major leaguer Clete Boyer.{{cite web|url=https://baseballbiography.com/clete-boyer-1937|title=Clete Boyer|publisher=baseballbiography.com}} He retired following the {{baseball year|1973}} season.

Werhas and his wife, Kay, have two children. His daughter is married to former Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees pitcher Dan Naulty.