According to the Tacoma News Tribune, the Mariners are close to signing Kenji Jojima to a two-year contract worth about $8 million.
The deal would include an option for 2007. This seems very sudden, as Jojima, who just arrived in the U.S. this week, was supposed to visit at least a few teams over the next couple of weeks. If true, it seems like a good signing. The language barrier is going to be tough to overcome, but Jojima should provide ample offense and defense. Have fun!