Josh Johnson: “i Was Hoping For One More Shot At Making Something Happen Down There In Miami”

In true Marlins fashion, the time came when the organization decided it was time to dismantle their roster and get rid of some of the biggest contracts. Just one season after moving into a new stadium and loading up the roster with some big-time free agents, all of that excitement is gone in an instant and the fans are understandably upset with ownership. The blockbuster trade between the Blue Jays and the Marlins was finalized yesterday and that means Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck and Josh Johnson are all heading to Toronto.Josh Johnson joined 790 the Ticket in Miami with the Dan LeBatard Show to talk about where he was when he found out about getting traded, what his reaction was when he found out the rumors were true, whether he felt betrayed, how he thinks South Florida fans should feel, if he understands the fans point of view following the trade, if he thinks Giancarlo Stanton is happy in Miami and if he thinks Stanton will be around in Miami for the next few years.

Where he was when he found out about being traded:

“I was actually upstairs with my kids playing and I went downstairs to check my phone and I had a bunch messages and calls from my agent and I called him back and he said ‘have you heard?’ I was like ‘what are you talking about?’ As soon as that happened I heard a bling on my phone, the MLB trade rumors and it says ‘Blue Jays close to acquiring Josh Johnson’ and I was like ‘I just did right now.’ He was like ‘yeah let me make some phone calls and see if it is for real or not’ and he did and here I am.”

What his initial was when he found out the rumors were true:

“A little confused. I thought or was hoping that I would at least go until the All-Star break and then the trade rumors would start going. I was hoping for one more shot at making something happen down there in Miami, but that’s just kind of how the business goes and now I’m really excited to move on and start a new chapter in my career.”

Did you feel betrayed?

“No. I could see trading me, (Travis) Buck and maybe Boni (Emilio Bonifacio) but I was really confused by the (Jose) Reyes and (Mark) Buerhle trades. I’m glad they’re coming with me, really good team up there but those kind of confused me, especially after them saying that they were going to be there for the long term.”

How should South Florida feel?

“That’s a good question. I don’t know. I guess excited to start over, I don’t know. It’s tough to go through. They’ve gone through it before and a lot of fans didn’t like it. We still heard about it the last couple of years about how they didn’t like those kinds of things in the past but they got some really good players coming back over there.”

Whether he understands the fans point of view:

“From the fans point of view yes, it’s hard to see guys come and go so often and in essence not see too many guys like Chipper Jones in one place for 18 years, that’s going to be very rare but to see guys stick around for 10, 11 or 12 years and be in the same spot, same place and always be there for the fans but that’s kind of how they do things down there and it’s a part of it.”

If he thinks Giancarlo Stanton is happy in Miami:

“Maybe. I bet even when he got drafted he would’ve liked to have been out there on the West Coast near LA, he’s always talking about LA and stuff but in the long run, he’s a California guy and all those California guys like to go out west somewhere.”