In some pleasant news for Mariners fans, catcher Kenji Johjima decided to opt out of the final two seasons and $15.8 million of his contract, allowing him to sign with a Japanese team.Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said Monday the decision came somewhat unexpectedly over the weekend, and that it was solely Johjima's decision. Zduriencik said the Mariners did not pay any money to buy out their former starting catcher, who said last season he was struggling to accept Seattle benching him in favor of rookie Rob Johnson.
Veteran starters complained about how Johjima handled games. And when Johjima wasn't injured this year, the Mariners chose Johnson's leading of the pitching staff over Johjima's offense. By the end of the season, Johjima only played when Seattle's newest and youngest pitchers started.
Johjima hit .268 in his four seasons with Seattle, with 48 homers and 198 RBIs in 462 games. He holds the AL record for hits by a rookie catcher (147 in 2006). His 18 homers in his first season tied the Mariners' record for most by a catcher. But Johjima slumped to .227 as part of Seattle's 101-loss collapse in 2008 and he hit just .247 in 71 games this year.
Seattle, run by franchise chief and Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Yamauchi, had re-signed the 33-year-old Johjima in April 2008 to a $24 million, three-year extension covering 2009-11. Johjima's contract gave him the right to end it by Nov. 15 for the purpose of finishing his career in Japan. He gave up salaries of $7.7 million next year and $8.1 million in 2011.
Former Mariner's GM Bill Bavasi's decision to resign the catcher to that contract was bashed around the league by executives when it was signed, but by losing the weight of Johjima’s two years and $16 million, the team has more financial freedom than they had just last week.
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