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MIKE READLINGJosh Johnson, picked in the third round of the major-league draft, is off to play in the Arizona Rookie League.
TAMPA - Josh Johnson has learned a couple of things the past week.
The first is, when you're drafted in the third round of the major-league draft, you had better have a good cellular phone plan. People tend to want to talk future professional baseball players. A lot.
The other is that Kansas City Royals gear is hard to find in Tampa.
"The hats are either too small or too big or just don't fit," Johnson said. "And the rest of the stuff is hard to find."
He finally settled on a Royals license plate for the front of his car before ensuring himself all the hats, shirts, socks and whatever else he could possibly want Sunday night. That was when Johnson, the draft's 85th pick overall, sat down and signed his first professional baseball contract.
The former Middleton shortstop flew from Tampa to Surprise, Ariz., (by way of Phoenix) Monday afternoon to begin his new career.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, though Tim Moss, last year's 85th overall pick, received a signing bonus of $440,000. Billy Killian, No. 71 this year, signed with San Diego for $450,000 and Eduardo Morlan, the 91st choice, signed with Minnesota for $420,000.
Johnson will spend the summer playing in the Arizona Rookie League, based out of the team's recently completed minor-league complex in Surprise.
His flight out of Tampa ended what Johnson called "one of the best weeks of my life."
Johnson was in a hotel in Albuquerque, N.M., June 7 preparing for the All-American Baseball Game that night at Isotopes Stadium. He and his father watched as the teams waded through the first, second and part of the third round without hearing his name called.
"I told my dad if I didn't go in the fourth round, I was going to the University of Texas (where he had a baseball scholarship waiting)," Johnson said.
Then he got the call from the Royals, one of the teams, along with the A's, Brewers and Indians, who had expressed the most interest in him. After calming down a little bit, Johnson took a nap and played in the game that night.
"The Royals didn't want me to play because I might get hurt or something, so I had to sneak in and play the first three innings," Johnson said.
He went 1-for-2, hit a home run, reached on a fielder's choice, stole a base, drove in two and scored twice in the capper to the biggest night of his life.
Part of his Royals contract includes a clause which stipulates the team will pay for a full scholarship to any college in the United States. Johnson said he plans to attend Texas to get a degree in business, though he won't be able to play baseball for the Longhorns.
"I don't really have any regrets," he said of missing the chance to play college baseball. "I either go to a good situation or a really good situation."
The situation Johnson finds himself in now is one like he never has been in before - playing baseball as a livelihood. Johnson said he looks forward to being a part of it.
"I'm just going to go out and hustle and play hard," he said.
Oh, and get a good cell phone package since most of those calls are going to be cross-country now.