Florida Marlins hope they have another Josh Johnson in draft pick Chad James
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By JOE CAPOZZI
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 29, 2009
MIAMI GARDENS — Manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't waste a chance to crack a joke after watching Chad James, Florida's first-round draft pick, throw in the bullpen for the first time in a Marlins uniform Saturday.
"I hope we didn't overwork him. We might need him tonight," Gonzalez said with a laugh.
No matter how badly the Marlins need pitching, James, 18, won't be making his major-league debut for a while. But give the kid credit for trying.
"He was trying to talk us into letting him throw in the playoffs with the Gulf Coast League. I said, 'I don't think that's going to happen,' " scouting director Stan Meek said.
James, who already throws an impressive breaking ball and changeup, went 8-2 with a 1.28 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 631/3 innings for Yukon (Okla.) High this spring.
"You hate to put comparisons on guys but we think there's some Jon Lester, that kind of guy in what we're getting," Meek said. "We think this guy has a chance to be real force down the way."
Meek has a pretty good track record when it comes to drafting high school pitchers from Oklahoma. Josh Johnson, who's 13-3 this season, was a fourth-round pick in 2002.
"Stan told me I was right about Josh Johnson and I'll be right about this kid." said Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' baseball operations president.
James, the 18th overall selection. signed a contract Aug. 17 that included a $1.7 million bonus. The Marlins gave him a one-day locker, above which someone wrote the nameplate "Bonus Baby 1."
"I'm real excited to be with the Marlins," said James, whose brother, Justin, was drafted in 2003 by the Toronto Blue Jays. "They have a great track record. I'm going to work as hard as I can to get here as quick as I can."
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