Nick Johnson out with stiff lower back

Ladies and gentleman, start your worrying.

Nick Johnson, plagued by injuries throughout his career -- many of them of the fluke variety -- was a late scratch from today's game in Clearwater with a stiff lower back. Jamie Hoffmann replaced him at first and is batting second.

Johnson did make the trip here, a good sign, and will be available in the clubhouse to speak to reporters later.

UPDATE: Johnson said he would have played "for sure" today had it been a regular season game but, still, another strange ailment for a player used to them.

Johnson said the problem happened on one of his swings during batting practice.

"I wore my spikes out there on that turf (covering the dirt during BP) and I usually never do that but I caught a spike in the turf and it’s a little stiff," Johnson said.

"I usually just wear my turfs, for some reason I put my spikes on it. It wasn’t a good idea."

Turns out not.

Johnson said he's confident the issue won't be a long-term one.

"It wont be too long," he said. "I’m not really worried about that."

*** CC Sabathia was also in the clubhouse mid-game and said he was overall pleased with his two-innings (two walks, two hits, no runs in two innings), though there was plenty to work on.

"My delivery was so-so," Sabathia said. "I had a couple of times where I fell off the mound and wasn't headed toward the plate. That's why you saw changeups in the other batter's box, so that will be something I'll work on in my bullpen coming up and try to get it a lot better headed toward the start of the season."