MLB HPより抜粋。
There was really only one word to describe the Mariners' catching situation in 2005 -- chaotic.
Seattle used seven different catchers that season and showing no semblance of continuity or durability at such a critical position.
This, perhaps more than anything else, was the reason Seattle went out and signed Kenji Johjima to a three-year deal worth $16.5 million prior to last season.
The move wasn't so much considered a huge gamble, as Johjima enjoyed success during an 11-year career in Japan. But there are always questions as to how quickly a player will assimilate himself to the Major Leagues.
Johjima certainly took care of any concerns early on, as he blasted home runs in each of his first two Major League games in April.
Consider that a sign of things to come.
The Japanese rookie certainly exceeded expectations, both offensively and defensively in 2006, hitting .291 with 18 home runs and 76 RBIs.
His 147 hits were the most by an American League rookie catcher since the Angels' Buck Rodgers set a record with 146 hits in 1962.
Johjima, who was fourth in the voting for the American League's Rookie of the Year, was a rock behind the plate, catching the most games (144) of any backstop in baseball.
What was once an area of concern for the Mariners suddenly became a strength in 2006.
"I don't know what we really expected from him," Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said. "For him to do what he's done ... as far as adjusting to coming to a new country, a different culture and the whole nine yards, it's nothing short of amazing."
Johjima, 30, was a pillar of consistency in 2006. He hit .287 in the first half of the season and .295 after the All-Star break. Better still, he showed no signs of wear and tear despite a workload that was the heaviest in baseball.
Johjima said his career in Japan conditioned him to catch so many games. He appeared in at least 115 games in Japan in eight different seasons. Japanese teams play a 140-game regular-season schedule.
"We played 140 games, but I do not actually come out of the game even if we are winning by a lot or losing by a lot," Johjima said last season when asked about his heavy workload. "I've caught 140 games, so it's not tough for me."
Johjima hit .344 with runners in scoring position, and his 18 home runs tied Dan Wilson (1996) for the most homers by a Mariners catcher in a single season. He had success hitting just about everywhere in the lineup.
"Jo is certainly an important part of our offense, and he did a good job for us offensively," Hargrove said. "He did a good job defensively. He did a good job as he got used to the American game, and he became one of the better catchers in the American League."
Hargrove was able to spell Johjima with 24-year-old Rene Rivera on occasion, especially in day games that followed night games. That should again hold true in 2007.
Rivera hit .152 with two home runs and four RBIs in 35 games. Six of his 15 hits went for extra bases.
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