Originally Posted by MLB.com

JUPITER, Fla. -- Playing it safe, the Marlins are holding back Josh Johnson's throwing schedule until the 23-year-old's sore right arm is fully healthy.

Johnson has not thrown a ball since experiencing discomfort where the biceps and triceps meet above his throwing elbow on Jan. 19.

While some pitchers threw off the mound on Saturday and another group will throw on Sunday, Johnson is not rushing anything. He had an MRI exam on Jan. 31, and the results revealed no structural or ligament damage.

"The ligament is fine," Johnson said. "My arm feels really good right now, but I don't want any setbacks. That's what I don't want to do."

One of the Marlins' top starters, the club's objective is to get Johnson ready for the start of the season.

"We're going to be cautious," general manager Larry Beinfest said. "I don't think there is any reason not to be. He's a major asset to this team, and he's 23 years old. I don't think there is any reason to mess around."

In 2006, Johnson finished fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting. He finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA and logged 154 innings.

Johnson opened the season as a reliever and then made 24 starts. In mid-September, he experienced right forearm discomfort and didn't pitch the remainder of the season.

Finding a closer: The closer competition is wide open with camp now under way. The team is confident that the candidate will arise from within.

The team has not ruled out switching Ricky Nolasco from starter to closer. For now, however, the intention is for Nolasco to start.

"We believe that in this camp there is a closer, or closers," Beinfest said. "The only thing I can say at this point is, whoever that person is, he will have ample opportunity to do that job. We're not going to just throw somebody in there the end of March and say, 'Go at it.' Hopefully, we'll do what's right and get him ready to do that job."

One scenario the team is not leaning toward is having a closer by committee.

"I don't necessarily believe that you should have a committee," said Beinfest, who will discuss the topic with manager Fredi Gonzalez and pitching coach Rick Kranitz. "You can have closers, but that day, you have a closer -- rather than just opening it up to whoever can do it that day."