M's extend Johjima

by scareduck on Apr 25, 2008 2:21 PM PDT

Robothal is reporting Seattle has extended the contract of their starting catcher, Kenji Johjima, for another three years. That means he'll be with the team through 2011, playing out his age 35 season. He's starting very slowly (.200/.268/.246), which leads me to two possibly conflicting conclusions:

The M's have lost faith in ex-USC catcher Jeff Clement and will move him to 1B/DH.
The M's want Johjima as a backup at exorbitant rates, and don't understand the number of free agent catch-and-throw guys available as backups.

Just the sort of deal to make you happy Bavasi isn't running the Halos anymore.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan and may or may not be a reflection of human evolution, divine enlightenment or nine cans into a 12-pack.

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Wow that is so so so awesome terrible great for us

Unless he is like Ichiro’s best friend or some daytime yakuza hit man for Ninetendo’s organized crime unit (i.e. value to the team other than on the field -VTOF, hey a new stat!)

by Rev Halofan on Apr 25, 2008 7:01 PM PDT 0 recs

V2TOf

Is how I think the stat should read

As opposed to V2TOn (Value 2 Team Onfield)

by TheTypingFiend on Apr 25, 2008 7:35 PM PDT up 0 recs

That's funny

And I worry about our stupid contracts…

Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.

by Carl Johnson on Apr 25, 2008 7:48 PM PDT 0 recs

No one can beat Bavasi at flat out wasting money

except maybe Sabean.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Apr 25, 2008 7:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

Who owns the Mariners?

What I don’t understand is what everyone else doesn’t understand about the extension. Sexton is gone after this season.

by wumbug on Apr 25, 2008 10:23 PM PDT 0 recs

Nintendo of America

Off topic, but Liberty Mutual (based in Bahstun) is buying up Safeco.

It’s fun to think that (a corporation based in) Boston will soon own the naming rights to (the baseball team in) Seattle’s stadium.

Chew on that with your morning latté, suckas.

Howie drinks your milkshake! He drinks it up!

by ReggieBullits on Apr 25, 2008 10:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

It's not the money

though it’s partly that. The real issue is extending a catcher on the wrong side of 30 when they have the best catching prospect in the minors blocked by that same guy, and then they decide to block him further with a player who will likely be worse in at least two of those years.

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Apr 25, 2008 10:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

Or more simply

bad deployment of resources.

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Apr 25, 2008 11:09 PM PDT up 0 recs

Rob, you wrote it yourself:

two possibly conflicting conclusions:

Jeff Clement will move to 1B/DH.

the M’s want Johjima as a backup

....or possibly a third conclusion:

They’re obviously not ready to say “Sayonara” to Johjima, for whatever reason (Japanense ownership notwithstanding). Hell, Bavasi may trade Clement yet.

Yeah. Johjima’s starting off slowly (and I’m glad), but it’s only 20 games. Bavasi will probably try to find another pitcher. Vidro’s contract is up this season, too, but there is a vesting option for ‘09.

Can you imagine what Bavasi would do if we let Juan Rivera walk or if we disposed of Kendry Morales? Hey, GA could get an extra year or two in Seattle as the DH.

I would be critical of Bavasi if they re-signed Sexton.

by wumbug on Apr 25, 2008 11:58 PM PDT up 0 recs

Re-signing Johjima

seems to be good immediate politics to me…...then let the other chips fall where they may.

by wumbug on Apr 26, 2008 12:11 AM PDT up 0 recs

This is why its a bad signing

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/what-do-you-see

You don’t extend a 32 year old catcher to a 3 year extension when he has:
A) been declining since he joined the mariners 2 seasons ago
B) your top prospect plays the same position (this contract blocks his opportunity to come to the bigs)
C) he has been playing horribly this year

A 1 year extension would be great for the M’s, giving them some insurance in case Clement becomes a bust. But a 3 extension like this completely limits their options.

by BoulderBrian on Apr 26, 2008 2:15 AM PDT up 0 recs