Props to K. Johjima!

Yes, he was quite an improvement on the Mariners' pathetic catching situation. His RBI and run numbers would have been better had he been batting higher than 7th for most of the season (as far as traditional measures go).

I agree with the batting order comment. He batted really well with runners in scoring position, and especially well in game winning situations.

As for how he handled his pitchers, it seems like the pitchers love him. They communicate as much as possible and Kenji did a great job taking charge when he had to. The only real negative vibes I got concerning signs and such were from Jamie Moyer, and he's gone now. I think Jamie showed frustration with the M's this year just because he could never get any run support. He was getting the Roger Clemens treatment. Felix Hernandez used Rivera as his catcher most of the time I saw him pitch, but that could just be a language issue.

He's just going to keep getting better from now on. If the M's add Matsuzaka to the rotation, I think that'll lighten up both Johjima and Ichiro a lot. Ichiro relaxed a lot more this season with Johjima, and Matsuzaka's a really easy going young guy. Mentally, he'd be better off with Ichiro and Johjima, as opposed to just having Hideki Matsui. I don't see Matsuzaka and Matsui hitting it off much. They're just two very different guys.

This season, I watched a couple of Oakland A's games against Seattle and it did seem like Johjima relaxed Ichiro. A couple of times, the broadcast showed Ichiro and Johjima smiling and joking in the dugout.

I think that Matsuzaka should play for Seattle and avoid the New York circus. I just read on ESPN's web site that Matsuzaka will be posted by Seibu. Too bad my lame brain San Francisco Giants don't go after him.

Seeing my Dodgers get Matsuzaka to revive that Nomo vibe would be cool as far as I see things. Maybe he and Saitoh would get along. But then again I'm biased.

I would expect New York, unfortunately.

Rumors are that Saitoh has asked the Dodgers to make a run for Matsuzaka. Though, the question is, do the Dodgers and McCourt have enough money to spend? If Kuroda makes the jump, LA could sign him.

- I would expect New York, unfortunately.

All I know is this is getting old, real quick. It is by no way a certainty that the Yankees will acquire Matsuzaka.

As you remember, Seattle is owned by the Nintendo Corporation, one of Japan's biggest companies. Also, their former owner, Hiroshi Yamauchi, has been influential in acquiring big name Japanese players for the M's, as he has convinced them to get Kazuhiro Sasaki, Ichiro, and Johjima.

Plus, Seattle has the best scouting in the Pacific Rim easily, as they have taken the lead in Pacific Rim scouting. Also to those who think Matsuzaka wouldn't want to play for a team like Seattle, add Matsuzaka to the Seattle equation, with King Felix, Gil Meche, and Jarrod Washburn, Matsuzaka would definitely help the M's become a pennant contender soon.

Plus, remember in the posting system, a player doesn't have the choice to choose where he will play, so who ever makes the winning bid acquires that player.

Furthermore, since Matsuzaka has been wanting to play in the majors for years, I don't see him denying playing with Seattle, where he will be right at home with Johjima and Ichiro. Plus, Seattle has the money to make a competitive bid for Matsuzaka and won't be blown away by the Yankees. Also, rumors have it that third baseman Adrian Beltre will be on the market, and if Seattle dumps his salary, then they will be fine salary-wise. Even with Beltre they are fine.

All I know is people need to get a better understanding of this whole situation, and stop thinking that it is a certainty Matsuzaka will end up with the Yankees. Right now, I couldn't think of anyone who would want to play with the chaotic Yankee clubhouse. Same with ESPN, where they also need to stop reporting that it is a wrap that Matsuzaka will end up in New York, because with the posting system, it is the team that gets the winning bid, and last time I checked, Matsuzaka is no free agent.

What George, Prince of Darkness wants, George gets.

- What George, Prince of Darkness wants, George gets.

Why, George might usually get what he wants, he doesn't have the final choice here. It is he who gets the winning bid, not what Steinbrenner wants. If someone outbids him, which Seattle can do, then it makes no difference what George wants.

If George wants him badly enough, George will put forth an unreasonably high bid. Matsuzaka is seen as a $10m+ per year pitcher. So, if the bid fee is too high, it doesn't justify the overall cost of having a pitcher of that caliber. $30m posting fee combined with a 5 year $55m contract would mean that Matsuzaka costs $17m/year to the club. That would be too much to pay for many clubs. So, there should be a reasonable high range for the bids, if clubs are thinking rationally.

Oddly $17 million per year is exactly what Mike Mussina has been collecting. I'd take Matsuzaka for that in a heartbeat. Yes, I'm a Yankee fan.

As for Kenji, isn't this thread about him? He started batting 3rd late in the season. I noticed it in the 2nd half of September on a fairly regular basis. Hopefully he'll get consideration for that slot next year!

The Yankees are the richest ball club in MLB, so George can get what George wants. How do you think George has gotten all those all-stars who can't get it together? Lots of money. The posting system is all about money. That's how George gets what he wants and what the greedy NPB owners get as well.

Ed, you forget about loyalty and pride, though. I think Seattle will get Matsuzaka based solely on the fact that Yamauchi probably has a lot of friends in Japanese business, including at Seibu and Invoice. Whatever bid the Yankees make, I'm guessing Seattle will have something just slightly higher.

George gets whatever he wants, as long as it's on American soil. Yamauchi will be the one with the power when it comes to this deal, though. It's not fair, but business is rarely fair.

Um, I believe that the bids are sealed on the U.S. side and opened all together. It would take a leak in the Yankee organization to know what to bid that would be slightly higher. The press will quote all kinds of numbers, some probably "leaked" to fool the competition. But I think that there are checks in the system to prevent anyone from seeing a competitor's bid before the bids are revealed.

I suppose that Yamauchi, through the OB network, would be able to have the Lions turn down any offer from anyone else (which is within the Lions' rights). But then he may be brought up on tampering charges (no comment on if he'd be convicted, though).

Thanks for the info, Michael. Any idea what the time line is for this whole process? I really want to see Matsuzaka's starts next year.

Not to be argumentative, so loyalty and pride will result in collusion and bid rigging? Seems like a strange and perverted use of some valued human attributes. I'm sure there will be a preference to keep the deal "in the family." At worst, George will make Seattle pay through the nose and Matsuzaka will go to the highest bidder, despite his wishes.

I think Seattle would be a great place for him. I'm not sure the Yankees are built to win right now, though a pitcher like Matsuzaka will tip the balance much more for the Yanks than Seattle. The M's probably need a couple of moves after Matsuzaka to contend.

H. Matsui, I'm sure, will tell him New York is a great place to play, if you have the fortitude. Matsui reminds me of Gehrig. Matsuzaka might have a different make-up, or might have an affinity for Ichiro and Johjima, as someone pointed out, which would make the M's a better choice. Alas, he has no choice as his fate is in the hands of cash hungry Seibu management.

- Alas, he has no choice as his fate is in the hands of cash hungry Seibu management.

Well, that's stretching it because Matsuzaka has to first ask to be posted, so he's well aware of his fate. Clubs are not free to sell players through the posting system without the players' request to do so.

My understanding is he can ask to be posted, but whether his wish is granted or where he ends up is out of his hands. He starts the process but can't control it, hence his fate is in someone else's hands. So the question is, "Does he feel lucky?"

- Not to be argumentative, so loyalty and pride will result in collusion and bid rigging? Seems like a strange and perverted use of some valued human attributes. I'm sure there will be a preference to keep the deal "in the family." At worst, George will make Seattle pay through the nose and Matsuzaka will go to the highest bidder, despite his wishes.

Of course George will try and drive it through the roof. But George doesn't have the connections, and if you remember, he failed to acquire another player through the posting system called Ichiro Suzuki.

You're making it seem as though it is a slam-dunk for the Yankees, which it is far from. Matsuzaka isn't a free agent like Hideki Matsui (so it doesn't matter what Matsui tells him), because Seibu is the one posting him. While, granted, many other teams (minus Boston) won't have the money, Seattle has plenty of money and are in safe hands financially. It isn't 1990 in Seattle. They can compete neck-to-neck with the Yankees on Matsuzaka, and if history has shown anything, Seattle has been better than the Yankees in the Japanese market.

Seattle has plenty of money, plenty of influences in Japan (which the Yankees don't have, and a former friend of Matsuzaka's, excuse the pun, won't be enough to sway Matsuzaka), and a dominant influence in Japan more so than the Yankees. Also, it was Yamauchi who convinced Seattle and was the one who was instrumental in getting Kaz Sasaki, Ichiro, and Johjima, while New York hasn't been able to be as strong in the market.

I don't think you understand what I wrote. I said that George will get what he wants because he has the resources to pay for it. If Seattle bids higher, he loses, so he will bid very high, IMHO. Matsuzaka-san is not a free agent and that means he has less of a choice than Ichiro-san.

Frankly, playing in a smaller market like Seattle will hurt Ichiro a bit when the HOF balloting comes around, but that's for another thread.

I also acknowledged that the Yankees may not have a level playing field - keeping it "in the family" was my polite way of putting it. But if you just want to be argumentative, I can certainly accommodate you. But for harmony and to get back to the topic, Johjima-san, I'll pass.