The Mariners' May malaise actually fomented as the April showers began to wane. Kenji Johjima, one of Seattle's most reliable contributors over the past three seasons, received a strangely-healthy contract extension on April 25th. While financial terms were not technically disclosed, FSN's Ken Rosenthal reported, Joh received a three-year deal worth about $24 million. While the deal may have been considered fair by both sides, the signing unveiled the hubris of a certain baldheaded, goatee-sporting M's GM: a willingness to set the market despite a lack of (or at least misinterpreted) hurriedness — although the Carlos Silva contract can be eschewed on another day. Jason Varitek and Pudge Rodriguez will be highlighting the offseason free agent catcher market, and while the Mariners may have saved a bundle by locking up Johjima just four weeks into the season, it's very possible that they overpaid for a mediocre backstop.

What made Johjima's signing all the stranger was the fact that his replacement, Jeff Clement, had been waiting in the wings for three years. Although often overshadowed by his draft counterparts — Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Zimmerman, and Ryan Braun were all selected after the M's took Clement at third — the USC alum had been progressing nicely at the plate. Despite Clement's questionable defense, the Johjima signing put Clement's future in a pit of uncertainty. Add to that the fact that Johjima's average at the time was a worthless .194 — while Clement mashed .375/.550/.688 through the first 19 games in AAA — and the Johjima extension cast a strange and eerie pall over the start of the season.

As May's opponents whacked apart the Mariners, the team's widespread weaknesses came to light: the young bullpen had been exposed to brain- and arm-curdling radiation (or the hitters had seen them just a few too many times), the starters — namely $9.85 million man Jarrod Washburn and his 5-plus ERA — decided to take it easy, and the hitters enjoyed displaying their best Richie Sexson imitations, with Johjima, Jose Vidro, and the entire Mariners bench garnering early-season rewards (while Ichiro — Ichiro! — finished a close second).

A brief reprieve came when Brad Wilkerson and Greg Norton were designated for assignment, but the M's young replacements so far have proved equally abysmal. As of Saturday, young right fielder Wladmir Balentin had logged just nine hits in 38 at-bats — although he had brought in seven RBIs — and Clement owned the dubious honor of being the only regular with a slugging percentage under the Mendoza Line. Furthermore, Clement plugged up the DH spot — why is less-power-than-my-dead-grandma Vidro still on the team? — which prevented finally removing Raul Ibanez and his enlightening defense from the field of play.

The offensive drought that the mires the Mariners has reached grandiose proportions as we enter the middle of the month. A 24-inning scoreless streak, including 14 against the decrepit arms of Jose Contreras and Sidney Ponson, was broken only when Contreras gifted the M's a run-scoring wild pitch. It wasn't until the bottom of the ninth that a Mariner crossed the plate on his own accord as Balentin displayed a glimpse of his possible power on a solo shot into the night.