Keep an eye out for Josh Johnson

Posted May 22, 200519 yr

Posted on Sun, May. 22, 2005

Down on the farm

JOSH JOHNSON | RHP, FLORIDA MARLINS

If Josh Johnson is nothing else, he's a fast learner. And not just because he has shot through the Marlins' minor-league system, going from Oklahoma high school ball to the top of the team's Double A pitching staff in just three full seasons.

Rather, it's how he has applied that education that's most impressive. Like the lesson he learned at Single A Jupiter last year when Johnson's teammates went 36 innings without scoring a run behind him. That would have demoralized most 20-year-olds, but Johnson took it in stride.

'I was just like, `I can't do anything about it,' '' he says. ``Might as well go out there and try to put up zeroes.''

And that's exactly what he has done this season, giving up just eight earned runs in seven starts to go 4-1 with a Southern League-best 1.91 ERA entering Saturday's scheduled start against the Tennessee Smokies. Plus, opponents are hitting just .190 against Johnson, who has 10 more strikeouts than hits allowed.

''After last year everything just started clicking,'' says Johnson, a 21-year-old right-hander the Marlins paid just $300,000 to sign after selecting him in the fourth round of the 2002 draft. ``I kind of could see it coming. I finally got some confidence.''

Run support, however, has been harder to find -- which explains why Johnson entered the season 11-21 as a pro despite a splendid 3.61 ERA in 219 2/3 minor-league innings. But the Marlins weren't fooled by the numbers, inviting Johnson and his 96-mph fastball to major-league camp last spring. He wound up pitching just one exhibition inning, striking out two of the three men he faced.

''That was huge,'' the 6-7, 240-pound Johnson said. ``They recognized that I was pitching good, they realized that. I talked to Al Leiter a lot and Todd Jones and all those guys.

``It was awesome. They helped me out a lot.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/11705838.htm

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