Ichiro and Mariners

[RotatorCuff]

Exactly. Why argue about a guy who is going to tell the Mariners to shove their money and their entire garbage organization.

Put yourself in Ichiro's shoes and try and find one single reason to stay with the Mariners.

If you do then you are just pulling something out of your azz because there aren't any good reasons for him to stay.

[bedir than average]

The owner

[RotatorCuff]

The owner??? Hilarious. He's attended how many Mariners games? None???

One thing I truly believe is that when Ichiro talks about wanting to win he actually he means it, unlike a lot of other professional athletes.

So he isn't going to stay with the Mariners.

[bedir than average]

I'm unaware of any other owner in baseball that speaks Ichiro's native tongue. Can you point one out? Can you point out another organization that has a history of supporting him when other teams thought he was just a 4th OF?

The fact is that honor and loyalty are powerful motivators in Ichiro's culture, and those are two reasons why the Mariners are still front runners to sign him.

[phredmojo]

as much as i want ichiro gone, he won't be going anywhere, whether its via trade or FA. he's got it too good here and can do whatever he wants and he knows it

[Timberwolf]

I think Ichiro stays if he likes the direction of the team, which would mean that Hargrove will NOT be the manager in 2008. Are the people who don't like Ichiro willing to put up with a couple more years of Hargrove?

[bedir than average]

21 game hitting streak

Oh, and reason number two is no other team has Felix, the Twins do have Johann, so maybe he'll sign there.

Mariners Stats - Win Probability | Fan Graphs

He's third on the team in WPA, first in BRAA, first in batting average, first in on-base and only fourth in slugging, he's tied for sixth in Homers, he's also first on the club for times in scoring position, and and the bad leadoff hitter has more walks than all but two guys on the team.

[phredmojo]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf

I think Ichiro stays if he likes the direction of the team, which would mean that Hargrove will NOT be the manager in 2008. Are the people who don't like Ichiro willing to put up with a couple more years of Hargrove?

as long as bavasi, lincoln and armstrong are here it doesn't matter who the manager is

[bedir than average]

1000 Games of Ichiro | KOMO 1000 News Radio - News, Weather and Sports - Seattle, WA Seattle, Washington | Headlines

Drayer on Ichiro

As Ichiro reaches and passes his 1000th game in the Major Leagues, I thought that it would be a good time to relay some of my Ichiro stories. I figure that I have been there for at least 800 of those games. In those years in covering Ichiro there were times I thought I might have a grasp of just who he was. I know I have seen glimpses of personality but ultimately, despite the time spent around him and sometimes talking to him both in formal and informal settings I still feel I know very little of just who he is. It is not for lack of trying, rather, I think that Ichiro likes to have the aura of mystique (apologies to Curt Schilling) partly to keep a distance between himself and the public and partly because he his creative and enjoys keeping everyone around him on their toes.

[bedir than average]

In the last of the Brad Lefton interview series during pre-game on KOMO tonight he talks a bit about Ichiro's plans concerning signing/FA.

For those that don't remember Lefton is a St.Louis based reporter who is fully fluent in both Japanese and English who also has more access to Ichiro than any other US based reporter.

If anyone has a clue as to Ichiro's intent outside of the actual Ichiro camp, it would be Lefton.

[bedir than average]

it should be noted that BadLeadoffHitter lead off with a hit for a 22 game hitting streak

He scored in the top of the first

[RotatorCuff]

Enjoy him while you can bedir because I don't think he'll be here in 2008.

It's been a nice run.

[bedir than average]

Honestly, the run has kind of sucked. Besides '01 the team hasn't been worth too much time/effort. Ichiro's only been Ichiro! in about half his seasons.

[The Iceman Cometh]

Yeah, but imagine those year's without Ichiro!..... yuck.

[RotatorCuff]

Well bedir. It has been nice to go to Safeco Field even during the losing because there is always the chance that you could see Ichiro do something amazing.

I'll bet you a latte with the proper amount of foam (we'll have to go somehwhere other than Starbuck's) that Ichiro is wearing a different uniform next season.