M’s ink Johjima to three-year deal

If Jeff Clement has a future with the Mariners, it won’t be behind the plate. Breaking news from Geoff Baker’s blog at the Seattle Times is that the team has extended Johjima’s contract through the 2011 season. (Per club policy, terms of the contract have not been released.)

I am not going to disparage Johjima’s contribution to the team in recent years. He’s been a steady presence behind the plate, attested to by the 24.0 and 22.2 VORP he’s posted in 2006 and 2007. However, it does seem rather odd timing to sign Joh to an extension right when he’s struggling to hit .200, and currently having an on-base percentage (.268 ) twenty-two points higher than his slugging average.

Another thing that makes it especially interesting timing was that after his three-year contract expired at the end of the year, a roster spot would’ve been opened for Jeff Clement to fill. You know, the same Jeff Clement who the M’s spent (wasted?) their third-overall pick on in the 2005 draft, and is currently slugging .688 down in Triple-A. Considering that Clement has three fewer extra base hits so far in 19 games with the Tigers (10) than Johjima has basehits, the news of the signing has to be especially discouraging for Clement. Johjima playing on creaky, gimpy knees when he’s 35 is much less enticing than Clement wielding a .500-slugging bat at backstop in three years.

Maybe they’ll move Clement over to first to be Richie Sexson’s heir apparent. Which, of course, would create an obstacle for up-and-comer Bryan LaHair. Either way, expect to see one of these young promising hitters to be traded.

Perhaps Johjima’s contract was an attempt to compensate for being unable to ink Thomas yesterday? Ah, the reliable Mariners’ brain trust. Your incompetence never ceases to amaze me.

M’s just cannot top the O’s

After watching the M’s cough up a five-run to lose 8-7, their six loss in seven games against the Orioles, I must admit I am glad that it will be four months until the Mariners face the orange-and-black again.

Enjoy your team’s hot start, Birds fans.  Just keep in mind you’re not going to have Seattle around to beat up for some time.  For a little perspective as to just how the two teams’ dynamic has impacted their sesason so far, consider the following:

M’s record against the Orioles: 1-6.  Against everybody else: 10-6.  (7-3 against teams that aren’t the Angels or Orioles.)

Orioles record against everyone else: 7-8.

Obviously both team’s won-loss records have been inflated due to this discrepancy.

To sum up yesterday’s game:  Adam Loewen did not toss a quality start against the M’s, the first opposing starter to fail in six consecutive attempts.  (Of course, who’s to say he wouldn’t have if he wasn’t suffering from acute soreness in his pitching arm. ) The M’s sent eight batters to the plate in the third inning and tallied four runs against Loewen, effectively knocking him out after just 2.2 innings.  The five runs compiled through the first three innings was the most the M’s had scored in a week, and things were looking good for the M’s to win their fifth series of the season.

Despite home plate umpire Casey Moser’s constricted strike zone (according to Joe’s Tracer, that is) causing Washburn to miss his sports, and allowing more walks (three) in five innings last night than he had (two) in the preceding 24 innings, Washburn left the game with the team up by a 5-2 score and in good position to pick up his second win of the season.  Sadly, the M’s bullpen coughed up five runs over the last four innings as a see-saw battle ended decisively with Brian Roberts slugging the game-winning home run off Sean Green, the second consecutive one-run game won by the Orioles with an eighth-inning solo shot.

As for further evidence that the off-season Bedard move was a poor decision, consider the contribution for the O’s win last night by Adam Jones (3-for-4, two doubles, three RBI- imagine that offensive contribution over the waste of roster space known as Brad Wilkerson), and George Sherrill (a scoreless ninth inning for his eighth save, and fifth against the team as he pounds another nail into the hearts of Mariner fans).  Erik Bedard is scheduled to come off the DL and make a start on Saturday.  He better no-hit the A’s.  I’m just sayin’.

The Mariners get an opportunity to start a new winning streak tonight when the A’s, and their new addition Frank Thomas, come to town for a three-game series over the weekend.  Miguel Batista, fresh from tossing nearly eight scoreless innings against the Angels in his last start.  Miguel has split eight career decision against the A’s, with a 5.23 ERA while allowing 81 hits and 38 walks in 75.2 innings.  However, in his last start against the A’s last September, Batista pitched into the seventh inning of an eventual 4-0 shutout victory, allowing five hits and four walks.  Today he’ll be facing an Athletics line-up that doesn’t include Nick Swisher or Shannon Stewart, but the Athletics are on a mini two-game winning streak including an 11-2 pasting of Francisco Liriano and the Twins yesterday.  And Frank Thomas, by the way, his hit Batista extremely well, with a .333 average and two home runs for a 1.042 OPS in 21 at-bats.

The M’s will be getting their first look at Dana Eveland, a 25-year old from Olympia (holla!) who has seemingly been a prospect forever.  Originally drafted by the Brewers, the A’s got Dana in the Dan Haren trade, and Eveland has pitched pretty well so far this season.  In 23.2 innings over four starts, Eveland has limited opposing hitters to a  .202 opponent’s average and a microscopic 1.90 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.  Sure, Eveland’s a lefty with a plus fastball, and the M’s have been hitting left handers pretty well so far this year.  But pitchers making their debut against the M’s always seem to come out on top.  I’m picking the A’s to come out on top, by a 4-3 score.