Marlins' RHP Johnson eyes bigger things in '11

Josh Johnson's offseason workout routine seems more suited to hitters than pitchers.

The ace of the Florida Marlins' staff now makes his winter home in Las Vegas, where his training plan was similar to ones used by mixed martial arts fighters and world's-strongest-man competitors. In short, the weakest spots in Johnson's core were identified, he worked on those areas and then moved into more of a full-body plan.

The results: He's slimmer and stronger, and believes the back and shoulder problems that cut his 2010 season short are long gone.

''It was all geared toward being a pitcher,'' Johnson said. ''It was awesome. A really good experience.''

So he arrived at spring training with a new look - noticably sleeker in the upper body, along with the more obvious decision to get rid of his shaggy locks and sport more of a closely cropped haircut.

The Marlins approve on all counts.

''That's JJ. He's the consummate professional,'' Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said. ''He always has high standards and he keeps them not only for his team, but for himself. He's everybody's idea of what you want in a real, professional guy.''

If the workouts over the winter keep him on the mound longer this summer, the Marlins will be thrilled.

Johnson was in the Cy Young Award conversation for much of last season, when he wound up 11-6 with a 2.30 ERA. But there was clearly a point in 2010 where the 6-foot-7 man who can throw 98 mph started slowing down a bit.

In his first 20 starts, Johnson was 10-3 with a 1.61 ERA, 141 strikeouts, 29 walks and opponents were hitting .207 off him.

From July 27 on, he was only 1-3, the ERA jumped to 4.20, the strikeout-to-walk ratio dropped in half and he was getting hit at a .283 clip. His last outing was Sept. 4, before the Marlins decided that the smartest move was not to force any more from their top starter.

''We had to be very careful,'' Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. ''If he was not going to be 100 percent, then we knew what the decision we would have to make was.''

This year, Johnson hopes the Marlins need not worry.

Predictably, when he got into the private gym in Las Vegas - he was approached by a friend of Jason Giambi at last year's All-Star game, who turned him on to the facility called Philippi Sports Institute - Johnson learned that his strength was out of balance. Years of concentrating on the right side of his body left him vulnerable in other areas, and that may be why his back muscles strained last season.

A few weeks working in Mark Philippi's gym changed all that. Philippi won the Drug Free Powerlifting Championship in 1996, Americas Strongest Man in 1997, and has worked with a slew of football, basketball, baseball and track stars over the years.

''They find your weak spot and attack,'' Johnson said. ''There's little things they do that's different. I hadn't done a dumbbell bench press in I don't know how long. He had me doing them almost every single day. It helps everything, shoulders, back, all that stuff. So five days a week, we got after it.''

Johnson has already seen one major breakthough in his game, or rather, one of his games. He broke par for the first time this winter.

''I think it'll help my pitching as well,'' Johnson said.

Since returning from reconstructive elbow surgery in July 2008, Johnson has been one of baseball's absolute elite starters. Over that span, only one pitcher with at least 20 wins - the Yankees' CC Sabathia, at 51-17 - has a better winning percentage than Johnson's mark of 33-12.

The Marlins gave him a $39 million, four-year contract last year. He's due to make $7.75 million in 2011, then $13.75 million in 2012 (when Florida is scheduled to move into its new downtown Miami ballpark) and again in 2013. They say he's earning the money.

''I don't set any number goals,'' Johnson said. ''The only thing I say to myself is that I want to improve on every part of my game.''