Athletes - Kenji Johjima

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	Athletes - Kenji Johjima

Kenji Johjima (城島健司; ジョウジマ　ケンジ, born June 8, 1976 in Nagasaki, Japan) is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Seattle Mariners in the American League. He bats and throws right handed.

Team History

On November 21,2005, Johjima and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract. Prior to signing with the Mariners, he played in Japan for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks team in the Pacific League who drafted him in 1999. Johjima also played in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens for Japan.

Career highlights

A seven-time All-Star for the Hawks, Johjima became a free agent after hitting .309 with 24 home runs and 57 RBI in 116 games, during the 2005 season which was cut short by two injuries.

From 1996 through 2005, Johjima hit .299 with 211 home runs and 699 RBI in 1117 games. His most productive season came in 2003, when he hit .330 with 119 RBI and finished third with 34 home runs behind Tuffy Rhodes (51) and Alex Cabrera (50).

As a catcher, Johjima had 6321 outs with 572 assists and 48 errors in 6941 chances for a .993 fielding average. He posted a .376 caught stealing% (222-for-591).

A winner of seven straight Gold Gloves, Jojima is projected to become the first Japanese player to catch full-time in the major leagues. Infielder Len Sakata, a Japanese-American born in Honolulu, caught one game for the Baltimore Orioles, winning a World Series ring in 1983.

Johjima is progressing wonderfully trying to learn English and Spanish in order to communicate with the Seattle Mariners' pitchers. He has often used the phrase, "Call me Jo."

Awards

Pacific League MVP (2003)
Seven-time Gold Glove winner (1999-2005)
Six-time selection to the "Best Nine" team, chosen by Japanese sportswriters (1999-2001; 2003-2005)
Most votes for the Japanese All-Star Game (2005)

Career statistics

Japan Pacific League

Games: 1117
Batting Average: .299
Hits: 1206
Homeruns: 211
RBIs: 699
Stolen Bases: 63

Sources

Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji Johjima, Kenji

ja:城島健司

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