Johjima Moves On
Christmas came early for the Mariners yesterday, as Kenji Johjima has decided to opt out of the remaining two years of his contract and return to Japan. The 33-year-old backstop was due 16 million over the final two years of his extension which he just inked last April.
The Mariners have multiple soon-to-be free agents on their roster. Adrian Beltre and Erik Bedard top the list, but Russell Branyan is also unrestricted. The only safe bet on returning seems to be with Branyan, but stranger things have happened. The Mariners also have a potential arbitration hearing with Felix Hernandez lined up, and given his season, he should see a substantial raise.
Johjima only appeared in 71 games and recorded a career low 258 plate appearances in which he looked more like the morbid 2008 version of himself rather than the solid 2006/2007 editions. He split playing time throughout the year with Rob Johnson – a prototypical backup catcher, right down to the hyperbole about his defensive abilities – and with top prospect Adam Moore not too far off from Safeco, odds are Johjima wasn’t getting 500 plate appearances again anytime soon.
Despite this rather unceremonious exit, Johjima’s initial signing is a bright spot. He combined for 7.4 WAR during his time here in the States – a value of 29.4 million – while receiving around 25 million in salary. That winds up being a net gain, and whatever jerseys or television ratings he gained through the Japan fan base that previously didn’t embrace Ichiro – do such people even exist? – makes his employment a net gain for the M’s.
1,700 plate appearances and a .268/.310/.411 line later, we have likely seen the last of Kenji Johjima in Major League Baseball. Somewhere Jarrod Washburn is ripe with glee.
Well Washburn smelled pretty ripe down the stretch for Detroit….
We’ll be glad to have you back, Joh. Frankly, you were treated (outside of the overly generous contract I doubt you have much or anything to do with) pretty shabbily by many of your team”mates” – may they get what they deserve for it.
A WBC championship is something. You were a good catcher in the Majors, from this fan’s point-of-view.
I’ll look forward to seeing you in any (non-Giants) NPB uniform soon.
Very well put, Mr. Pinball, and I agree completely. Johjima got totally shafted by malcontent blame-shifting teammates, media, and in turn much of the Mariner fanbase in 2008. The stench of 2008 was unfortunately so strong that it wafted over to 2009, and injuries didn’t help anything. Despite improved numbers (ISO .160 – close to his ’06 campaign, a BABIP a fair amount below his usual, and his CS ratio the best in the MLB amongst all catchers) he lost playing time to “Mr. cERA” Rob Johnson. Now don’t get me wrong… Rob should have caught Felix down the stretch, but Johjima should have been playing the rest of the games instead of sitting for stretches of 3 or 4 games in a row. He was the better defensive catcher and by far the more potent bat.
If 2008 never happened, Joh is probably still in the majors and one of the top 5 catchers in the league in 2010.
I was a bit disheartened when I first heard the news, but upon further reflection I just have to say hooray for the NPB and it’s the MLB’s loss. I would love to see him come back to Fukuoka, but if the Tigers nab him it would give me a Central League team to follow.
So ends the stay of the best catcher in Mariners team history, and the best catcher under contract to the Mariners now.
Okay, sure, he was grossly overpaid, but he was still the best catcher on the team. Getting out from under the contract is nice, but this does mean more Rob Johnson. Does someone at least have a plan to teach Rob how to CATCH THE FREAKING BALL?!?
Well, that was the whole point of the article–he’s not under contract to the Mariners anymore because of this news. I had heard rumors of their being some kind of opt-out clause, either after this year or next, but I never saw it explicity outlined anywhere. Good to know that the Nintendo suits back in Japan allowed it, though.
As to the future, I’m not sure how much “more” Rob Johnson it means. As stated above, Adam Moore is the future, but may not be ready to assume full-time duties at the beginning of 2010. So, in the short term, it may mean more of Rob Johnson, but in the long-term, hopefully less of him(with his eventual relegation to the role he is really destined for, that of backup catcher, being the long-term goal–at least I hope.)
And another washed up veteran from the US moves back to Japan…
The NPB will really take anybody, eh?
(Go Rakuten)
Ripe with glee?