[Vision2020] M's to sign gold-glover with big bat from JapaneseLeague!

[Carl Westberg]

Great Mariner hot stove league news, Tim.  But how does Mr. Johjima feel 
about Wal-Mart?                                                              
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                              Carl Westberg 
Jr.


>From: Tim Lohrmann <timlohr at yahoo.com>
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] M's to sign gold-glover with big bat from 
>JapaneseLeague!
>Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:36:57 -0800 (PST)
>
>
>M's to sign Japanese catcher Johjima
>Full story: 
>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002636677_mari21.html
>
>By Bob Finnigan
>Seattle Times staff reporter
>
>
>
>Scoring the first big-name free-agent signing of the offseason, the 
>Mariners will announce the signing of catcher Kenji Johjima, possibly as 
>soon as today.
>
>Sources say that Johjima has agreed to terms with Seattle. His name is much 
>bigger in Japan, where he has averaged .305 with 30 homers the past five 
>years and won seven straight Gold Gloves.
>
>The Mariners increased their offer late last week from two years plus a 
>club option for a third year to more than $5 million a year for three 
>years, a deal that also includes incentives.
>
>Also, Johjima and his family were said to take a liking to the Northwest in 
>their visit last weekend.
>
>Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi declined to comment on the imminent 
>announcement of the signing.
>
>Instead, Bavasi said, "if we are lucky enough to sign Johjima, he would fit 
>in playing on an everyday basis."
>
>Seattle scouts have given Johjima high marks as a two-way player.
>
>"Our people tell us he has high potential as an offensive player and a 
>solid defensive catcher," Bavasi said.
>
>Bavasi dismissed what most U.S. baseball men have seen as the main problem 
>-- the fact that Johjima doesn't speak English.
>
>"If he's here, we wouldn't regard it any different than the situation with 
>Latin guys," he said. "He'd have to pick up some English and even some 
>Spanish. But we're talking about enough to get the next hitter out, not to 
>split the atom."
>
>With Johjima coming in as the front-line receiver, sources say Seattle is 
>prepared to trade Yorvit Torrealba, the catcher who played most of the 
>games in the second half of the 2005 season after coming here from San 
>Francisco in a midseason trade.
>
>Johjima's team in Japan, Fukuoka Soft-Bank Hawks, reportedly had offered 
>him a one-year deal of $10 million to stay.
>
>He will make his decision public on Tuesday in Japan. At Fukuoka's breakup 
>meeting before the offseason, a tradition for Japanese teams, Johjima will 
>tell Hawks' manager Sadahura Oh that he will play in this country.
>
>
>
>
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