Gibberish.
“This year I felt like I learned a lot as a human being, not just as a player,” he told reporters through interpreter Anthony Suzuki.
“Because that’s a part of being who I am, knowing how people around me think psychologically.”
Ichiro’s reliance upon an interpreter, 11 years into his major league career, makes some fans bristle. It doesn’t bother me. To the contrary, I think he needs a second interpreter: somebody with the skill to translate the translation.
Asked if reporters were misled in believing he put undue pressure on himself to keep his streak of 10 200-hit seasons alive – he finished with 184 – Ichiro replied: “Yes, by a lot …
“I don’t think you guys have enough imagination.”
The Ichiro who scoffed at the notion he cared about 200 hits is the same Ichiro who has admitted he cried after collecting his 200th hit in 2003.
“The fans want me to get hits, and since I’ve been able to in the past, 200 hits became kind of a benchmark indicating I’ve done well,” Ichiro said in a 2004 conversation with Narumi Komatsu, translated into the book “Ichiro on Ichiro.”
“One hundred eighty wouldn’t cut (it),” Ichiro continued in that conversation. “For the fans it’s got to be 200. And for me I think it’s certainly attainable. If I perform up to my capabilities it’s a number I should be able to reach without too much trouble. It’s a nice, round number.”
Let me see if I’ve got this straight: The man who once called 200 hits “kind of a benchmark indicating I’ve done well” chides sportswriters for their lack of imagination in supposing he still cares.
Uh, whatever. I may lack a lot of things, but imagination is not one of them.
I can imagine 2012 as Ichiro’s last season in Seattle. He’s got one year remaining on a contract that will pay him $17 million. The Mariners would be foolish to extend it under any terms.
Ichiro turns 38 on Oct. 22. He lost a step in 2011 – it helps explain why he hit .272, an astonishing .59 points off his career batting average of .331 – and I imagine him continuing to lose additional steps as he approaches 40.
Furthermore, as a right fielder, he occupies a position associated with a power bat. General manager Jack Zduriencik’s quest to sign a free agent capable of hitting an occasional home run has been stymied by Ichiro’s presumptive title of Mariners’ Right Fielder For Life.
There are many reasons to allow Ichiro to play in Seattle as long as he wants: He’s the face of the franchise. On a team whose only other household name is Felix Hernandez – a team that will be challenged to win more games than it loses next season – the future Hall-of-Famer provides fans an opportunity to see a certifiable legend.
As a 10-time All Star and former MVP, he’s earned the right to retire when he wants, and how he wants.
If these arguments sound familiar, they should. They were the same arguments used to justify the re-signing of Ken Griffey Jr. for a sort of “victory-lap” season. And wasn’t that a kick?
Griffey had a chance to go out in storybook style, riding the shoulders of his teammates after the 2009 finale at Safeco Field.
Aside from the fact the victory and 85-77 record had no playoff implications, the long goodbye, amid the early-autumn shadows, was perfect.
But Griffey was brought back – older, slower, less inclined to engage with teammates who grew up idolizing him. Griffey’s victory-lap tour was done before the 2010 All-Star break.
Ichiro will have a similar opportunity for a dignified last hurrah.
The Mariners begin next season in Japan, an historic event that will allow Japanese fans to celebrate Japan’s greatest active baseball player for the first time.
I’m not keen on scheduling openers off North American soil. I’m not keen on scheduling any big-league contest off North American soil, but I’ve gotta be honest: The idea of Ichiro returning to Japan for two regular-season games is pretty cool.
I can imagine Ichiro parlaying that red-carpet homecoming scene into a serviceable season noteworthy for his amenability at surrendering the role of leadoff man. I can imagine him as a capable No. 2 hitter behind Dustin Ackley.
I can imagine Ichiro enjoying the storybook ending that Griffey chose to deny. Ichiro deserves it, and Mariners fans – both here and in Japan – deserve it.
What I don’t want is Ichiro signing a contract extension for the purpose of, what, exactly? So he can amass the 572 hits he needs to reach 3,000? It’ll take him at least three years to achieve that goal, maybe more.
But I can see the Mariners bowing to Ichiro’s wishes. After 11 seasons of shameless capitulation, that doesn’t require any imagination at all.
John McGrath: 253-597-8742; ext. 6154 john.mcgrath@thenewstribune.com
