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The Seattle Mariners announced on Monday that catcher Kenji Johjima has opted out of his current contract so that he can return to Japan and finish out his career there. Johjima signed a three-year contract extension with the Mariners in April of 2008, but used a clause that allowed him to opt out of the final two years of his deal.The 33-year-old catcher came to Seattle in November of 2005 after playing 11 seasons in the Japanese Pacific League and was the first Japanese-born player to ever catch in the major leagues. In his four seasons as a Mariner, Johjima hit .268 with 48 home runs and 198 RBI.
"After lots of very deep thought and deliberation, I have decided to return home to resume my career in Japan," said Johjima. "I have had a wonderful experience competing at the major league level. The last four years have been extraordinary, with great teammates and great coaches. I will always be indebted to the Mariners organization for giving me the opportunity to follow my dream. This was a very difficult decision, both professionally and personally. I feel now is the time to go home, while I still can perform at a very high level. Playing close to family and friends was a major factor. I will miss the Seattle fans and their gracious support. Thank you all."
While Johjima was a very good player for Seattle during his first two years in the Majors, his numbers tailed off the last two seasons. After hitting .287 in 2007, his batting average dropped to .227 in 2008 and .247 this season. He also saw his playing time decline as he played in only 71 games for Seattle this season after never playing less than 112 in his first three years.
As for what this means for the Mariners, right now their top two catching options are Rob Johnson and Adam Moore. Johnson just underwent surgery on Friday to repair torn labrums in both his left and right hip, much like the surgery Chase Utley and Alex Rodriguez had. After letting that heal for three weeks he'll be undergoing surgery for a tear in his right wrist on Friday and may even need to have a bone spur removed from his right elbow.The Mariners expect him to be ready for spring training.
As for Moore, he only had 23 at-bats with the Mariners this season, and hit .217 with a homer and two RBI. He did hit .294 with an OPS of .775 in 91 games with the Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League.
It remains to be seen whether Seattle is content to go with the two youngsters behind the plate in 2010 or if they choose to take a look at any free agents available this winter.
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