The Florida Marlins made it official on Thursday,
as the team announced the signing of pitcher Josh Johnson to a four-year
contract.
While financial terms were not divulged, it was reported last week that the
Marlins signed one of baseball's most talented young pitchers to a deal worth
$39 million.
"To be successful at this level you need three ingredients -- talent, energy
and class -- and with Josh, we have a winner who has all three," said Marlins
owner Jeffrey Loria. "We are extremely happy to have him in our family for
the next four years and beyond."
The contract extends through what would have been Johnson's first two years of
free agency.
Johnson had been the subject of trade rumors, as the financially-strapped
Marlins often trade star players before they hit free agency. The team had
done this following its 1997 World Series victory and again after another
championship in 2003, famously dealing ace Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike
Lowell to Boston for star shortstop Hanley Ramirez and other prospects.
But after the players' association singled out the Marlins as a team that is
negligent in its revenue sharing requirements, Florida gave its staff ace a
deal that will keep him with the team when it unveils its new stadium, which
is set to open in 2012.
Johnson, who turns 26 at the end of January, had his best season in 2009,
going 15-5 with a 3.23 earned run average and 191 strikeouts in 33 starts. In
parts of five seasons, all with the Marlins, Johnson is 34-16 with a 3.40 ERA
in 86 contests -- 76 starts.
However, he did miss parts of the 2007 and 2008 season while recovering from
Tommy John surgery. He is 22-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 47 starts since his return.
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