This Just In: Josh Johnson Is Good

ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new column up about the "pitching stock market" premised around which pitchers represent the best chance for favorable returns over the next 10 years. Coming in second place (and the top NL pitcher) is our very own Josh Johnson.

2. RHP Josh Johnson, Marlins (age 26)
Here's a shocker. The great Ubaldo didn't finish second in this race, either. Johnson actually outpolled him, 12 votes to 11, even though they're the same age.

So what's up with that? Well, the Josh Johnson Fan Club loves the chances of this 6-foot-7, 240-pound monster holding up to be "a horse for the next 10 years." Plus, quipped one panelist, "He's already had Tommy John [surgery], so he's got that out of the way."

But beyond the "absolutely overpowering weapons," our panelists kept extolling Johnson's "drive to be special" and his "great desire to be the best." He also has the aura of a star who's on the rise. Since this guy came back from his Tommy John surgery just before the 2008 All-Star break, he's 28-8 and has the best winning percentage (.778) among all big league starters not named Chris Carpenter (24-6, .800).

To me, the only thing keeping Johnson from absolute super-duper stardom is his repertoire of pitches. He has a mid 90's fastball, a tight slider and a changeup. Not very sexy. If he were getting results with a knee-buckling curveball, a splitter or even a gyro-ball, people would be taking more notice of the big guy. I'll gladly watch him be dominant just as is, but it's a shame more people don't realize how unbelievably good this guy is.

Johnson's Second Spring Start A Strong One

The Marlins $39 million ace turned in a spring start far more fitting a pitcher of his expectations today striking out 4 Cardinals batters (including the side in the first inning) while allowing 1 hit over 3 innings of work. The big righty's fastball sat between 91-94, a tad off the velocity he flashed last season, but it's still early.

At the plate, the Marlins scored 3 runs late in the game. The Marlins featured what projects to be two every day players in their lineup today (Jorge Cantu and Hanley Ramirez).

Ramirez went 0-3 with a strikeout, Cantu went 1-3, while Logan Morrison, who at least in theory is still in a battle for the every day first base job, continued a rough spring with an 0-4 day to drop his average to .056.

The Marlins are on the road tomorrow to take on the Baltimore Orioles.