During the course of the 2009 season, Pawtucket Red Sox left-hander Kris Johnson plummeted from prospect to suspect.

Johnson spent the 2008 season at Portland and ranked ninth in the Eastern League and eighth in the Red Sox’ farm system with a 3.53 ERA. And he set a career high with 108 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings pitched.

How far did Johnson drop last season?

This far:
* In 22 starts with Pawtucket he was 3-13 — his 13 losses leading all Triple A pitchers — with a bloated 6.35 ERA.
* He lost his last seven Triple-A decisions.
* While pitching 96 1/3 innings, he walked 44 and uncorked seven wild pitches.
* In 14 road starts his ERA ballooned to 7.99.
* Eventually, he was demoted to Portland where he was 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA in three starts.
Kris Johnson -- SOSH
To be kind, the Red Sox didn’t exactly get much in return, considering they shelled out an $850,000 signing bonus for a pitcher who was their third pick (a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds) in the 2006 draft — a bonus for a player they selected just behind their current setup man Daniel Bard.

“I got to the point where I almost was accepting failure every time out,” admitted Johnson. “It came to a point where I was expecting to lose.”

Ouch.

Johnson began the 2010 season in Pawtucket’s bullpen and slowly but surely commenced the climb back to respectability.

For example:
* He won his first game in 309 days (since June 21, 2009) when he beat Buffalo, 5-1, on April 26.
* He won his first road game in over a year when he blanked Norfolk, 6-0, on May 18.
* During a span of seven starts from April 26 through May 30, Johnson was 3-2 with two no-decisions, a sparkling 2.52 ERA and only 36 hits allowed in 39 1/3 innings.
* His 3.83 ERA led all Pawtucket starters.

“There are a lot of adjustments he’s made,” said Pawtucket pitching coach Rich Sauveur. “Number one, I think he’s learned how to pitch, when to use his off-speed pitches and not try to be so fine with his pitches.”

Being “fine” with his pitches is another way of saying Johnson was “nibbling”, which is a sure-fire recipe for disaster.

“When the count was 0-0, 1-0 or 2-0, I tried to nibble corners instead of letting hitters put the ball in play,” admitted Johnson. “This year it’s starting with getting more of the plate early in the count.

“When it gets to two strikes, that’s when you can start expanding the zone.”

Sauveur seconded that motion.

“He was trying to hit those corners instead of using more of the plate with his secondary pitches in fastball counts,” explained Sauveur. “He’s learned to use his fastball in all counts. He’s been able to use his fastball as an out pitch — which we all knew since he’s been here that he could do that.”

What Johnson experienced physically paled in comparison with the mental problems he had to overcome.

“It’s just a matter of him believing in himself,” said Sauveur. “He really has shown that he knows how to win. He’s stayed positive. I think believing in himself is one of the keys because, last year, he was confident but I don’t think it was so real. It almost was like a fake confidence.

“Now you see the confidence in him. It’s coming out of him and it’s real. I can see it and he believes in himself.”

Sauveur cited specific game situations in which Johnson’s confidence manifests itself.

“This year if he gives up a walk or a base hit, he’s trying to get a double play,” said the coach. “Last year it was like, ‘Oh, no, here it goes again.’ You know what? That’s what happened. And then there would be another base hit and a walk and another base hit — and the next thing you knew it was three runs.

“This year it’s totally different. He gives up a walk or a base hit and he’s trying to get a double play. He’s got two men on and nobody out and it’s like, ‘Alright, I’m going to get an out here and try to keep the runner on third base and here we go.’

“He’s thinking,” continued Sauveur. “He’s worked very hard and has listened to me regarding what I’ve tried to teach him. He’s been a good student of the game.”

Johnson also has been a “student” of Boston’s sports psychology coach, Bob Tewksbury, who pitched in the majors for the Yankees and Cardinals.

“I’ve talked with ‘Tewks” after every start,” said Johnson. “Every time I’ve talked to him it’s been ‘Hey, another good outing. Let’s keep it going.’

“He helped boost my confidence but boosting confidence comes with success. We tried to figure out ‘How did you struggle? When you got in trouble, what was going through your head?’ That’s the kind of stuff we talked about.

“He always told us there are at least three points in a game where you’re going to get in a jam,” continued Johnson. “So, how do you respond? We tried to fine-point those things and it got better as the year went on last year. ‘Tewks’ definitely brought up things in my mind, subconsciously, because we talked about it so much.”

In 2009, Johnson also assumed the dubious role of a starting pitcher who suffers from a lack of run support.

The PawSox scored exactly 32 runs in his 16 starts (they scored zero runs in three starts) which averaged out to a paltry two runs per start.

“I put too much pressure on myself,” admitted Johnson, who acknowledged that the lack of run support weighed heavily on his mind. “I tried to be perfect and when I tried to be perfect I ended up giving up six, seven or sometimes eight runs. No matter if they did score for me, it didn’t matter. I still would have gotten the loss.

“This year, it’s a little different. Instead of if the hitting is struggling you’ve got to be perfect, it’s a matter of just going out there and pitching your game and everything will work out.

“It’s been a matter of simplifying things,” continued Johnson. “Last year I tried to do too much and put everything on my shoulders. This year you know what? Throw your fastball for strikes. Throw your curveball for strikes. Locate your fastball and let your defense work. This year it’s like instead of accepting losses or accepting walks or expecting trouble to happen, I’m bearing down on that.”

**EXTRA BASES: Johnson finally “hiccupped” Friday night as Pawtucket lost 8-4 at Louisville … He lasted just three innings and allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits …  He also walked three and struck out two