Catcher Kenji Johjima of the Seattle Mariners opted out of the final two years of his contract so he could return to Japan, and play ball in what is, presumably, a more comfortable environment for him. I cannot pretend to imagine his thought process, having had a college course in Japanese culture.  I know Japanese people are more honor-driven than we are.  Johjima was not dominating the AL like he dominated the league back home, or even the World Baseball Classic.  Perhaps returning to dominance outweighed earning American dollars or playing in the American league?

It is a gutsy move, and I applaud it.  It returns him and any family to a more familiar environment, and it frees up salary space for the Mariners.

I wanted Kosuke Fukudome more than probably any of you, and I still feel he is our best defensive outfielder, by far.  In fact, at this present time, he is our best outfielder, period, and will remain so until Alfonso Soriano recovers from his knee surgery or until Milton Bradley recovers from his lobotomy.  However, I admit that bringing him here has been, at best, overpaying for a league average player.  It wasn't a bust in Bradley, Hundley, or Candy Maldonado territory.  But he will never be an impact hitter in the major leagues, and he is being paid as if he was.

So the best thing Fukudome could do for us, right now, is to opt out of HIS deal and return home.  The precedent has been set.