there are always creative ideas…

say… strait up for Hideki Matsui?

Matsui’s owed a bit more per year but it’s only 1 year, M’s need a DH .. sure this is sort of a dump deal. I guess if anyone takes Kei Igawa from the Yanks they’d be willing to throw in a prospect just to get rid of him though lol.

Boston is tougher to match up with, as their worse contract is Lugo, who has a even worse contract than Johjima and doesn’t fill the M’s need .

in a off season where Jason fucking Varitek is asking for 4/52, I’m sure you can find SOMEWAY to trade Johjima. if not the best way ever.

Desperate means lack of sound alternatives. surely gambling on Johjima is a better idea then giving 4/52 to Varitek or playing a journyman backup there. or even guys like Josh Bard and Michael Barrett.

It depends a bit on what the M’s are willing to take in return, but it’s hard to say that unless one think Johjima 08 is the real Johjima going foward instead of 06/07 that there’s no chance for him to get traded.

I’m interested to see your argument that he is better than any team’s other options (over the next 3 years and not just 2009).

I’m interested to see your argument that he is better than any team’s other options (over the next 3 years and not just 2009).

is that the catcher market works differently than most other markets, there are only very very few truely elite catchers, and very very few reasonablly decent onces, and a lot of really really really bad onces. if you have a one of the elite guys or even the half decent onces (like say Navarro, Shoppach), its’ an amazing advantage.

There are essentially 3.5 truely elite catcher now, Mauer, Mccane, Martin, and maybe Soto (need more time to be sure) a few decent onces or good but old/injury prone or other issue like not being able to throw anyone out guys like Navvaro, Shoppach, Napoli, B-Molina and that’s bout it (Posada’s old/injured, V-Mart sucks at catching and Varitke is old and sucky ) amoung other guys, some might put up half decent years while sucking badly at others (Liard, Barrett, Bard, Buck etc…), or consistently below average (AJ Peirzynski) while many other just flat out suck.

notice how the first two group consist mostly of guys that will not see FA in ages if ever? the guy closet to seeing FA (B-Molina) also happens to be old and obviously declining soon if not now.

So the question begs that what Johjima is going foward? age is a obvious issue I guess, but other wise it’s hard to see him not bouncing back to at least some semblence of AJ Pierzynski level hitting at least with a better glove. AJP is due 6.25M in the next two years also, so the money difference seems minimal.

Honestly, if your a contender with at least some cash to spend or a bad contract to swap, I don’t see how Johjima is a bad idea unless i’m unaware of something physically wrong with him.

From the M’s perspective, they probably shouldn’t play him going foward anyway, seeing how developing Clement should be a priority regardless of either players’ performance. in that case, getting him for ANYTHING with even minimal value should be better off than the current situation.

Just look at the FA catcher list for the next two season should give a better idea.

Rod Barajas TOR
Henry Blanco * CHC
Johnny Estrada WAS
Toby Hall * CWS
Adam Melhuse TEX
Mike Redmond* MIN
Ivan Rodriguez NYY
David Ross BOS
Javier Valentin CIN
Jason Varitek BOS
Vance Wilson DET
Gregg Zaun* TOR

2010

Josh Bard SD
Henry Blanco CHC
Ramon Castro NYM
Ramon Hernandez * BAL
Jason Kendall MIL
Victor Martinez * CLE
Benji Molina SF
Jose Molina NYY
Miguel Olivo KC
David Ross CIN
Brian Schneider NYM
Yorvit Torrealba * COL

The few decent guys in there are all way past their prime, everyone else you could make a very sound case for them of being a backup if they aren’t already.