Johjima's injury

Kenji Johjima will be having surgery to correct a knee injury he picked up last season. The problem here is that his recovery will take around 6 months which means that Johjima will not be available for the start of the season. Kanoh has just had surgery on his hand but should be recovered by the start of the season.
However, this is Mayumi land and the logical candidate to step in and take over the catching duties is not to be considered. Mayumi is talking in terms of using Komiyama and Okazaki as replacement catchers. Okazaki was alarmingly industrial league quality as catcher when he played and Komiyama demonstrated that he too is not ready for the first team. Quite frankly this obsession with turning Kanoh into an outfielder needs to be abandoned and he should start the season as catcher. If Tigers really do need another outfielder they should go all out to get Uchikawa (they should do that anyway) as his bat is going to be needed with Johjima sidelined. The Johjima injury need not be a crisis but the way Mayumi seems to be managing it, it already is.

This could be troubling. Johjima should be able to play before too long into the season, but it's important to get off to a good start, so why not go with the most experienced catcher in Kannoh? I posted recently that we could have so much talent next year that even Mayumi couldn't mess it up. Maybe I was wrong.

I read on Yakyu Baka that Tigers might be considering a three-year deal for Akihito Fujii.
I think it is fair to say Rakuten would not miss him too much, (he only played 35 games in 2009 and 8 in 2010), and his arrival would be disturbing news for Kanoh's future.

Yes this is what is being reported - it's wrong on so many levels. Fujii started his career with Kintetsu joining the new Rakuten. He was their lead catcher for the first three years of the Franchise but didn't shine. Last year he played in only eight games and the year before 35 games. He can't be said to offer much in the catching role. His batting average is unspectacular and he doesn't contribute much in the run department. Tigers don't need another Noguchi which is what Fujii is.
Leaving aside Kanoh are Tigers really going to fail to talk to Uchikawa? There is no indication apart from Sakai-owner's stated intention. Tigers really do need to go after talent and use the talent they have. Hiroshima is interested in Uchikawa but really Tigers can easily out-trump them and boost their outfield. The money spent on him would also be a much better investment than on Fujii.