NewsJohnson inspired early by Burnett
Encouragement before first big league start stays with ace
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
06/21/09 5:53 PM ET
MIAMI -- As far as pep talks go, it was short, to the point, and it included some salty language.To this day, however, the words sunk in for Josh Johnson.
In 2005, the Marlins made Johnson a September callup from Double-A, and his first Major League start was directly connected to A.J. Burnett.
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Then with Florida, Burnett had a blowup with former Marlins third base coach Jeff Cox in Atlanta, and he offered some highly critical comments to the media about the organization and former manager Jack McKeon. Afterward, Burnett was suspended from the team, and his last scheduled start of the season -- on Sept. 30 against the Braves in Miami -- was handed to Johnson.
Johnson was sitting at the far end of the clubhouse when Burnett, after being told he was suspended from the team, walked over and gave a few strong words for inspiration. Burnett knew Johnson would be making the Sept. 30, 2005, start.
"He came over to my locker. I don't know if I can repeat what he said," Johnson said on Saturday night.
Basically, Burnett encouraged Johnson to stick it to the Braves.
"I'll remember that forever, too," Johnson said. "He's the first guy who came up to me and gave me kind of a pep talk."
In 5 1/3 innings that day, the 6-foot-7 right-hander gave up two runs, struck out seven and walked four. He wasn't involved in the decision, but Florida won the game, 5-2. Now 25, Johnson has come has come a long way since that first start against the Braves.
On Saturday night, Burnett and and Johnson hooked up in a classic pitchers' duel at Land Shark Stadium. Johnson tossed seven strong innings in the Marlins' 2-1 win over the Yankees. Burnett, who struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings for New York, suffered a hard-luck loss.
"That's a man out there," Burnett said Sunday afternoon of Johnson. "He was awesome. When I saw him back then, he had a feel for pitching. He wasn't throwing 97 [mph] back then, but he had a feel for pitching. Now he's healthy, and he's throwing heat out there."
Burnett this year has already faced some of the best pitchers in the game. He's gone head-to-head against Josh Beckett and Roy Halladay. Where does Johnson stack up?
"He's close," Burnett said. "He's close. If he stays healthy, and keeps doing what he's doing, watch out. He seems like he's very down to earth. Hungry and humble. That's what you've got to be."
In defeating New York on Saturday night, Johnson improved to 7-1 while lowering his ERA to 2.66. His 105 innings pitched are tops in the National League.
A fourth-round pick out of high school in Oklahoma in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Johnson was in big league Spring Training camp in 2005. That rotation included Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett and Dontrelle Willis. Veterans like Brian Moehler, Todd Jones and Guillermo Mota were on the team.
Quietly, Johnson went about his business, knowing he would open the season in the Minor Leagues.
"I remember in my group were Todd Jones and Brian Moehler, Guillermo Mota," Johnson said. "I remember Moehler taking me under his wing. I'm a quiet guy anyway. I didn't say anything all camp. That's just kind of how it was. I just sat there, didn't say too much. I like to listen and learn that way."
Johnson made a point of watching Beckett and Burnett as much as possible.
"I'd sit in the bullpen and watch them warm up for the games, then sit in the dugout," Johnson said. "There were a couple of things that Beckett used to do. I don't know if he still does it, because I haven't seen him for a while. But I'd do some things that he used to do. He'd hit his back leg [with his glove] if he wasn't standing back. I got that from him. I picked up a few pieces from a couple of these guys."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
