By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
The Houston Astros like what they see in
first-round draft pick Mark Johnson.

---

Astros expect more
big things from
Mark Johnson

The former University of Hawaii
pitcher had a solid year in A-ball
and should move up next season

By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

Mark Johnson more than justified his status as the No. 1 selection by the Houston Astros organization in his first season of professional baseball.

The former University of Hawaii right-hander was drafted in the first round in 1996, but was a member of the U.S. Olympic team until the final cut and didn't begin his pro career until this past spring.

"He started in high A ball and was a real surprise. He made it look easy," said Jim Duquette, the Astros director of player development.

A closer in his final season with the Rainbows, Houston decided to switch Johnson back to a starting role.

"That's what we project he would be doing in the majors," Duquette said.

Johnson began his season with Kissimmee of the Florida State League with three losses before earning his first victory.

"The games I did pitch well, I was getting no decisions or a loss," Johnson said. "At the beginning of the year my ball was up in the zone and I was giving up a lot of hits -- a lot of home runs actually."

That would change under the guidance of Kissimmee pitching coach Jack Billingham, a mainstay of the Cincinnati Reds' starting rotation during the Big Red Machine years in the 1970s.

"He had me slow down a bit, be a little more deliberate and don't waste so much energy," Johnson said.

"All around I was learning how to pitch better. He worked on smoothing out my mechanics. It was a great learning experience for me."

Johnson went 8-6 after the shaky start. His 3.07 earned run average was 10th in the league. He struck out 127 and walked 27 in 15513 innings.

He said he doesn't care whether he's a starter or a reliever, whatever it takes to get to the big leagues.

The Astros are thinking starter and look for Johnson to be in the rotation for their Double A team in Jackson, Miss. (Texas League) in 1998.

"He has great competitive fire," Duquette said. "He's the type of player who can pick a team up when it's struggling or when he has runners on base and the game is on the line."

Johnson sums up his initial pro season this way: "I think I made great improvement on how to locate the ball to be a more complete pitcher. I learned more about the the game and game situations," he said. "It is more of a thinking game. Everyone throws in the 90s and the hitters are better, so you have to think."

Johnson will attend the Instructional League in Florida this fall. The Astros want him to continue developing his change-up

After that, he said he will return to Hawaii to continue his off-season conditioning program.