TOOLS OF IGNORANCE

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courtesy Kirby Arnold| HeraldNet


KENJIjohjima
EVERYDAY CATCHER
.227 | 7 HR | 39 RBI
Despite Johjima's struggles in 2008 and a wealth of catching talent in the Mariners' system, new manager Don Wakamatsu said before spring training began that Johjima would be his starting catcher. That raised a few eyebrows because Johjima loomed to miss most of spring training while he played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The WBC was a positive experience for Johjima, who batted .353 in nine tournament games and came back as a more confident catcher.

"I think the WBC had a strong effect on him," Wakamatsu said. "He gained some confidence and some of that leadership came out." Wakamatsu said he didn't see that a week before spring training, when Johjima flew to Arizona and spent two days working out and meeting with the manager before returning to Japan for the WBC.

"It showed me how much passion he has," Wakamatsu said. "I actually told him he didn't need to come over, and he still came over. We got a chance to sit down and talk about my managerial style and what I expect from a catcher and the onus we're putting on the pitchers here now. I think that took some pressure off him.

"When he came out and we worked out, he wasn't nearly as open as he was when he came back. I saw a transformation." Johjima went 5-for-11 with a home run in his first four games back with the Mariners at spring training, and he has gone out of his way to connect with the pitching staff. Not only has he approached new pitchers on the team to learn their repertoire, he re-visited the returning pitchers for a refresher on changes they've made since last season.

"There was finger-pointing all over the place last year. At least that's what I heard coming in here," Wakamatsu said. "But I couldn't be more pleased with his interaction with the pitchers."



ROBjohnson
BACKUP CATCHER
.305 | 9 HR | 49 RBI*
Five years after he broke into pro ball with the Everett AquaSox, Johnson is on his way to making the Mariners' opening-day roster for the first time. He has gotten most of the playing time behind the plate in the past week when Johjima hasn't started. Johnson has long been considered the Mariners' best defensive catching prospect, although he hit the ball well last year at Class AAA Tacoma and continued it at spring training this year. Entering Thursday, he was batting .364 with one home run and four RBI.

*Hitting statistics at Class AAA Tacoma in 2008