SATURDAY: MLB.com's Joe Frisaro gathered a bit more information on the failed talks, including this quote from Johnson's agent:
"We talked twice for a total of 30 minutes. Everything happened this week. There were no hard feelings about it, no harsh words. They offered us a deal that we felt was way under market value for the dollars and years."
FRIDAY, 6:12pm: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick is reporting that contract extension talks between Josh Johnson and the Marlins have reached an impasse, and that the righthander will not agree to a new deal with the team at all.
"Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins," [Johnson's agent Matt] Sosnick said. "We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed."
Sosnick says that Johnson made it clear he wanted to remain with the team, "but they just weren't comfortable going to the fourth year." Marlins' GM Michael Hill wouldn't comment on the negotiations as per team policy.
The 25-year-old Johnson had a 3.23 ERA in 33 starts for the Marlins this year, making his first All Star Team. The righty earned $1.45MM in 2009, and has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he hits the free agent market. Sosnick added that given his age and performance, Johnson's next contract could be worth nine figures.
