He is earning a spot in the rotation.

JUPITER, Fla. -- Sitting in the stands at Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, Josh Johnson captured what he felt was a historical moment with a well-timed picture that he once proudly displayed on his computer.

Then a spectator 15 rows behind the Yankees' bullpen on the third-base side, Johnson was pitching in the Marlins' Minor League system. But he was able to get tickets to the World Series through his agent, Matt Sosnick, and he wanted to witness the biggest stage in baseball.

 

Camera in hand, the right-hander clicked away when Yankees starter Roger Clemens struck out Luis Castillo. At the time, Clemens was considering retirement and the more than 65,000 at Dolphins Stadium and the millions more watching on TV believed they were watching the future Hall of Famer's final pitch.

 

"I had the picture of Castillo's (right) leg up," Johnson said, imitating the stance. "It was unbelievable (the World Series experience), seeing all those people there."

 

Unfortunately for Johnson, he never transferred his Clemens-Castillo picture to a disk, and when his computer crashed a while later, he lost a memorable shot. But soaking in the World Series atmosphere just fueled his desire to reach the big leagues.

 

A standout at Double-A Carolina last season, Johnson enjoyed a brief stint with the Marlins last September and made his first Major League start on Sept. 30, giving up two runs while striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings. He wasn't involved in the decision in a game Florida won, 5-2. In four games with the Marlins, he had a 3.65 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

 

Now, the Tulsa, Okla., resident is battling for a rotation spot.

 

"(Last September) just gave me confidence that I know I can go out there and get outs," Johnson said. "That's key. That's huge."

 

Actually, in stature, Johnson is pretty huge.

 

He stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 255 pounds, making him the tallest pitcher in camp.

 

When his arm is stretched out, his fastball has been clocked as high as 97 mph, although he pitches more in the 92-94 mph range. Right now, he's struggling with his mechanics and his velocity has been in the 88 mph range. He isn't alarmed by the drop in speed, because he says that is typical of him early in Spring Training.

 

Returning from the offseason, he is in the process of building arm strength and striving to get that extension on his follow through.

 

"Spring Training is about getting back and facing hitters," he says. "My arm slot has been good. I'm working in bullpens trying to get everything back."

 

Based on his performances thus far, Johnson is getting good results even if he feels he is mechanically off. He's 3-0 and hasn't allowed a run in nine innings.

 

In terms of his delivery, Johnson has arguably the cleanest windup of all the young pitchers in camp. And depending on which personnel evaluator you talk to, he is regarded as the top or second-best pitching prospect in the organization. Some scouts favor lefty Scott Olsen, while others like Johnson. Still others lean toward Anibal Sanchez, who has yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League game because of a tight shoulder.

 

"He's one of those guys fighting for one of those spots," manager Joe Girardi said. "His demeanor on the mound is very good. He never seems to be out of control. Sometimes that is good for young players."

 

And being so tall can work to Johnson's advantage on the mound because he is literally throwing downhill.

 

"That downhill plane that hitters are trying to hit is a lot different," Girardi said of facing such a tall pitcher.

 

Based on his numbers, he had the best season of all the young pitchers the Marlins had at Double-A Carolina last season. For the Mudcats, he was 12-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 26 starts.

 

Yet, for all his Minor League success, he was the last of the Double-A pitchers to get the call to the big leagues. In all, nine players were called up from Carolina before Johnson was brought up to provide more pitching depth in September.

 

Johnson got the call up to the Marlins when Josh Beckett's shoulder and Antonio Alfonseca's elbow were aching.

 

Because so many Mudcats were being brought up, players on the squad nicknamed the express to the Marlins "the shuttle." A warning sign that a callup may be on the way came whenever there was a Marlins' front-office sighting. If suddenly a big-league executive was sitting in the stands, it meant someone would likely be packing his bags.

 

"When somebody was coming to town, you knew something might be happening," Johnson said. "Something could be going on, so (you had to) just be ready."

 

This spring, Johnson is hopes to make his big break out of Spring Training, hooking up with the big club.

 

"You have to take advantage of it the best you can," Johnson said of the opportunity to win a rotation spot. "This doesn't happen anywhere else. It's out there for all of us, so you've got to go out and take advantage of it."

 

To stick, Johnson has to have command of his fastball and slider while being able to effectively mix in his changeup, especially to left-handed hitters.

 

"He's pretty poised," catcher Matt Treanor said. "Command is going to be his big thing. If he can sustain his command, he's going to do real well. He's got a little slider. When his slider is going good and he can spot his fastball, and then he can throw his changeup on occasion, he will be fine. His big thing is if he can throw the changeup when he's behind in the count to lefties, and show it to the righties on occasion. Everybody has something he can work on."

 

Johnson has no shortages of people offering advice. He grew up near Dodgers right-hander Brad Penny, formerly with the Marlins. Johnson's brother actually was once a teammate of Penny. A few years back, Penny found himself on a young promising staff. Eventually that group developed into World Series champions.

 

In the offseason, the two Oklahoma natives exchanged phone numbers.

 

Some words of encouragement Penny offered to Johnson were: "'You guys are going to be young, but you guys have some talent over there. Stick with it at all times. Don't get discouraged or anything.' He gave me his number and told me if I needed anything at all to give him a call. That's nice to have. He played with my brother in high school. He's been through all this before."

 

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla

the new BIG COUNTRY Josh Johnson

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

 

:lol

 

And don't check the radar gun after every pitch.

 

Honestly, I thought a rotation spot was his even before the firesale.

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

 

:lol

 

And don't check the radar gun after every pitch.

 

Honestly, I thought a rotation spot was his even before the firesale.

Yea, I had him and Olsen penciled in with Willis, Beckett and Vargas before the firesale.

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

 

Do you think he isn't in shape or has had a problem staying in shape or he is assuming he has made it? I have not read or seen anything that indicates this. Just the opposite, actually. I think he has the makeup, physically and mentally, to hang in there for the long haul this season and succeed. I have more doubts about Olsen being able to physically handle being a starting pitcher over the course of a full season.

I want to see this kid pitch in the World Series. I want to see this team make it again.

 

As my favorite Anaheim orphan from Angels in the Outfield once said..

 

 

"Hey, it could happen."

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

 

Do you think he isn't in shape or has had a problem staying in shape or he is assuming he has made it? I have not read or seen anything that indicates this. Just the opposite, actually. I think he has the makeup, physically and mentally, to hang in there for the long haul this season and succeed. I have more doubts about Olsen being able to physically handle being a starting pitcher over the course of a full season.

PBC I think that was a little shot at Penny not being in great shape himself...

:lol

as each day goes by...im a bigger josh johnson fan...id like to see more righties in the rotation than lefties though...i mean i say lets see what olsen does at AAA and if he blows, then we know who we can trade...im still not ocnvinced like many others on this board that he is the second coming...

Marlins rotation:

 

Willis, Vargas, Moehler, Olsen, Johnson

 

Mitre in the pen

As my favorite Anaheim orphan from Angels in the Outfield once said..

 

 

"Hey, it could happen."

 

 

Were you watching that movie this morning when you used that quote? :mischief2

 

I caught the tail end of it.

As my favorite Anaheim orphan from Angels in the Outfield once said..

 

 

"Hey, it could happen."

 

 

Were you watching that movie this morning when you used that quote? :mischief2

 

I caught the tail end of it.

Naa, haven't seen it in years. But I just remember the little black kid (oooh I'm racist) saying that.

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

 

Do you think he isn't in shape or has had a problem staying in shape or he is assuming he has made it? I have not read or seen anything that indicates this. Just the opposite, actually. I think he has the makeup, physically and mentally, to hang in there for the long haul this season and succeed. I have more doubts about Olsen being able to physically handle being a starting pitcher over the course of a full season.

 

 

No only a cheap shot at Penny. JJ looks great.

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

I wonder whether Penny's advice included notated maps to every Bob's Big Boy and Sonic in South Florida?

I wonder if Penny's advice included "Try working out and actually staying in shape" and "Don't assume you've made it until you've actually put together a full season of success"

 

I wonder whether Penny's advice included notated maps to every Bob's Big Boy and Sonic in South Florida?

 

Not nice.