if Matsui doesn’t return with us, i’d like to see him return to Japan where he’d be a hero.

How many extra fans does having one of more year of Griffey Jr. embarrassing himself put into the seats of Safeco Stadium? I’d be irate at this signing if I was a Mariner fan.

is that Seattle is still shopping for a DH. Frankly, I don’t want us (Mariner fan here) to shop for Matsui…I think we can do better. Since we’ve committed one roster spot to a part-time DH who can’t play the field reliably, we can hardly justify getting another one. The general reaction at the SABR-related Mariner sites (Lookout Landing, USSMariner) is that the Griffey signing is disappointing, but not the end of the world. Everybody, including Griffey and his agent, are going into this stating that they expect reduced roles for KGJ this year. Essentially, we just bought our 25th player first. Tactically, not great, but absolutely surmountable. Still, I don’t want him back for another season, and everybody and their pet dog will admit that if his name were anything else, the Seattle press would be screaming instead of finding excuses for why it’s not a bad idea.

So, we’re still shopping for a somewhat-versatile DH bat, and since we’ve now already got one who can’t field, there’s reason to think that Matsui should be off the potential list.