Football
Associated Press 17y

Season-ending surgery for Marlins' Johnson

MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins' injury-plagued rotation
received more bad news from the doctor Thursday. Right-hander Josh
Johnson will require elbow surgery and will likely be sidelined
through the 2008 season.

The Marlins anticipate that Johnson will need ligament
replacement, known as Tommy John surgery, meaning he would be out
12 to 18 months.

The decision to perform surgery, which had been expected, came
after Johnson was examined Thursday by specialist Dr. James Andrews
in Birmingham, Ala. The operation was scheduled for Friday.

Johnson pitched only 15 2-3 innings this season and went 0-3.

"He missed the whole year, really," manager Fredi Gonzalez
said. "It's something that is hopefully not a whole year next
year."

Johnson's arm first bothered him last September. His most recent
attempt to come back ended when he complained of elbow stiffness
the day after a three-inning rehabilitation start last week for
Class-A Jupiter.

Johnson went 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2006 and finished fourth in
the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He spent the first 2½ months of
this season on the disabled list because of an irritated ulnar
nerve in his right elbow, then made only four starts before he was
again sidelined by forearm stiffness.

He's one of three second-year Florida starters sidelined this
year by injury. Johnson, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco each won
at least 10 games as rookies in 2006, but this year they're a
combined 3-6 in 67 innings.

Sanchez had surgery June 21 for a torn labrum, and it's
uncertain whether he'll be ready for spring training in 2008.
Nolasco, recovering from a sore elbow, pitched two innings Thursday
in a minor-league rehabilitation start and may soon join the
Marlins' bullpen.

"If we want him back, it would be faster to have him in the
bullpen," Gonzalez said. "If we stretch him out (to start), it's
going to be the end of the month."

Rookie Rick VandenHurk will remain in the rotation as a
replacement for Johnson. VandenHurk went into Thursday's start
against Colorado with a 3-2 record and an ERA of 7.00 in 10 games.

"He has handled this whole thing up here pretty good,"
Gonzalez said. "He's got some mound presence and composure."

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