Don Wakamatsu on Johjima, Hines

I just got off the phone with Mariners' manager Don Wakamatsu in Texas. He said he that he had no inkling at the end of the year that Kenji Johjima wouldn't be back. "All I knew is that it was a tougher year because of injuries,'' he said. "He battled through a lot of things this year. Because of the injuries and the (decline in) playing time, it's tough on a guy of that caliber. But I really had no idea at the end of the season he wasn't going to come back. "I'll tell you the same thing Jack (Zduriencik) said: I honor his decision, wish him the best of luck, and thank him for this year. I'm awfully positive about the whole thing.'' Read more...