Johnson in, but for the right reasons? Daily Links…

by Mike Salk

MARINERS/MLB

It’s official. Or at least as official as it is going to be. Rob Johnson is your starting catcher and Kenji Johjima is now a very well-paid backup. Shannon Drayer has the details including a paragraph that I find a little troubling.

“Joh has been rather stoic about this, too stoic perhaps. I have heard it expressed around the club that they would like to see Joh interact more with his pitchers outside of the game. What I have seen from Joh is a very consistent clubhouse routine. After games he catches he spends time writing notes in a notebook much like Jamie Moyer used to. Before games he sits in his locker, often reading fishing magazines. He is not unpleasant, but he doesn’t put himself out there either.”

Something about this feels funny to me. Tell me Johnson is the better choice and I believe it. Tell me it’s because of friendship and friendliness, and something sounds wrong to me. Is it fair to make personnel decisions based on friendship? We’ll discuss at 11. Larry Stone has more on the decision to go with Johnson. Jason Churchill weighs in at Prospect Insider as well. As does Dave Cameron .

Meanwhile, the M’s just keep on winning. Yesterday, it was Ichiro preserving a 5-3 win with a leaping catch at the wall for the games’ last out. He says that he was “like a dog chasing after a Frisbee” making the game ending catch. Also in there, David Aardsma takes a shot at Victor Martinez.

Down on the farm, USSMARINER has a minor league wrap for the week, Ryan Rowland-Smith looks ready and pitched well again. On the other hand, Brandon Morrow gave up 5 runs in 5 innings in his first start with the Tacoma Rainiers. To be fair, most of the damage was done in a bad first inning. I am going to Tacoma today to chat with some of the guys and see Jason Vargas pitch. I’m interested in talking to Morrow about his approach down there.

The M’s need to make up some ground before the trade deadline. They are still 5 back in the loss column with 10 games to play. Pittsburgh Pirates’ infielders Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez, who have been linked to the Mariners in trade rumors, both reject contract extension offers.

SEAHAWKS/NFL

We spent much of Friday debating the Colin Cowherd source that claimed Mike Holmgren “mailed it in” last year. Not a whole lot of people bought it. Danny O’Neil defends Mike Holmgren and says that injuries not time commitment was the problem with the Seahawks last year. I spoke to a big ‘Hawks fan over the weekend who told me that Seahawks fans would defend Holmgren no matter what because he is the their “football mamma.” OK. By the way, spent some time at the Hawk’s Nest after the soccer match. Sweet bar. Can’t wait to see it before a football game.

Field Gulls takes a look at the injury situation at wide receiver for the Seahawks. Mike Sando has a NFC West mail bag and thinks the Seahawks are in the best position to overtake the Arizona Cardinals. I am 100% with him on this. Michael Vick was released from home confinement on Monday, now he will lobby to be reinstated into the NFL.

MISC.

ESPN.com’s headline calls Stewart Cink a ” Villain in Victory.” Um, are you kidding me? Did I miss something? The other guy chokes, and he’s the villain? He was supposed to play for second place? Yes, it would have been a great story if Tom Watson had won, but let’s keep the blame where it belongs…

ESPN picks the most dangerous player in space for each Pac-10 team; Chris Polk is the man for the Huskies.

After taking on Chelsea the Seattle Sounders are getting ready to play the Houston Dynamo for the US Open Cup, Tuesday night.

Jon Brockman continues to impress the Sacramento Kings with his toughness.

Notes:

Yuniesky Betancourt is 2-12 with a triple since being acquired by the Kansas City Royals

The Mariners don’t have a game tonight. They are in 3rd place; 4 games behind the Angels, and 1 game back of the Rangers