If you haven't already heard, I'm sorry to be the one to break the news to the White Sox, Sawx, Yankees, Mets and any other team's fans that had designs on Ichiro entering free agency this fall and being signed by your favorite team.
It has been reported today that Ichiro (though the man himself, in typical Ichiro fashion, answered all questions abut it in some sort of riddle/haiku), will be signing a 5 year contract extension with the Mariners in the neighborhood of $100MM.
That said and done, he proceeded to go 3-3 for the American League in the annual summer classic, including (both his own personal first and the first ever in the All Star Game)inside the park home run that put the AL ahead to stay, and cementing himself as the Most Valuable Player of the game.
How big is this? In a word, HUGE!!! The face of the franchise will be under contract through the 2012 season, which would make him nearly 38 years of age and probable retirement (though he has said recently that, after retiring from the outfield, he plans to pitch, and to play until he is 50). If nothing else, this should mean that he will enter the Hall of Fame as a Mariner, he will have set and/or broken more records, and will likely have proven to himself everything that he planned to.
$100MM is a lot of money for a guy his age, but we have to remember, too, that this is Ichiro, and he is like no other player in recent history. His workout routine, work ethic and physical conditioning are unlike any other player, so trepidations in that area may well not apply.
I am wondering if he knows something that the rest of us do NOT know (i.e what trades might be being disc ussed to better the team for the stretch run)? It is certain that his teammates standing up for him during "the Incident in Oakland" this weekend pleased him and indicated that the winning attitude he was waiting to see in the M's had finally arrived.
He was also extremely happy at the elevation of John McLaren to the manager's position, as he had been the first person to meet and work with him when he arrived from Japan in 2001, and he is very fond of him. This, too, surely had something to do with the agreement being reached so soon after McLaren took over the reins, after a season long worry session on whether it would get done or not.
So, all of you other teams and fans that had hoped to find Ichiro in your center field next season, you have my sincerest commiserations (well, no, not really, but.......), and you'll have to figure out someone else to put out there.
The issues of the day were to have been Daisuke Matsuzaka's home debut in Fenway Park and the matchup of Dice-K versus Ichiro.
Dice-K debuted, and managed not to be booed by the Fenway Fanatics (don't worry, Dice-K, that will come and probably sooner than later, given their inclinations). Dice-K versus Ichiro was neither particularly good or bad for either man. Ichiro went 0 fer, but he often does that in April, especially after a five day lay off.
On the other hand, Matsuzaka's other countryman, Kenji Johjima continued his streak of good hitting off of the right handed pitcher.
None of these, however, were the true story of the night. That belonged to young, now 21 year old Felix Antonio Hernandez, just 21 years and 4 days of age. He came "this close" to pitching a no-no tonight. He held the Sawx hitless until the eighth inning, and they might not even have gotten that one if the infielder had been able to dive about 6" further to smother the ball.
As it is, he pitched a complete game shut out, one hitter; the first one hitter by an M's pitcher since Gilly Meche did it during the 2000 season.
I never saw one of Matsuzaka's so called gyro balls, but I saw plenty of heat and crisp breaking balls from young Mr. Hernandez. I foresee these two young pitchers having a healthy competition this season, in terms of wins and reputation throughout the American League.
Watch out, Johan, those footsteps you hear behind you are future Cy Young candidates.....
While I am intensely disappointed that it is now likely that our boy El Cartuela will not face down Dice-K on Wednesday (since Felix will have been called into service in the oft-postponed doubleheader in Cleveland tomorrow--assuming it happens then, either), because that would have been a pitcher's duel well worth the price of admission for fans of both teams.
But, there is still a silver lining to all of those snow clouds that have been hanging over Cleveland for the past three days and nights. The first Mariners player that will step into the batter's box to face Dice-K on Tuesday is...
his fellow member of Team Japan from last year's World Baseball Classic, Ichiro Suzuki.
Having been on the same team as Mr. Matsuzaka, Ichiro will have had the advantage of observing Dice-K's pitching strategy against other teams and batters. As well as helping him prepare for his own at-bats against the Boston rookie, he will be able to provide some advance scouting to his current teammates on the Mariners, to help them prepare as well.
A bit farther down in the batting order is...
Kenji Johjima, who has played AGAINST Matsuzaka in Japan, as recently as two years ago.
Kenji has proven to have a keen eye for pitcher's mechanics, and should be able to help his teammates have an idea of what might be coming their way.
There are two other teams in the American League with Japanese position players (Iwamura in Tampa Bay and Iguchi in Chicago) which could give those teams a bit of an advantage as well. I am all in favor of anything that will give the M's a chance of beating Boston (and any other team that they can, with the objective being to take series on the road every time this year--one knows that they aren't going to do a lot of sweeping, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad, in comparison to the past three years).
There are many that are presuming that Matsuzaka will win the AL Cy Young this year. I think that Johan Santana may have something to say about that (and, if he continues to perform the way many in the know think he will, Felix may have something to say about it, too).
In the meantime, let the debate rage on about whether or not the gyro ball really exists. I am looking forward to Wednesday's game, just to see it for myself.
Here's to Wednesday and Dice-K's home debut against the M's.
UPDATED AT 19:07 PDT Sunday: This just in. The field at the Jake covered with 18 inches of snow, snow still falling, grounds crew and blowers nowhere in sight. It apparently took them nearly 8 hours to remove 3-4" of snow the other day (so how long will it take to remove 5 times that much?). Games might not happen tomorrow either, so there is still a chance for a Felix vs Dice-K match up on Wednesday afternoon. Felix spent his 21st birthday today throwing snowballs and making snow angels (better than being out drinking......)
All right, ladies and gentlemen. Before we get down to serious business this evening, go to this page and click on "Serious Heat." Watch the video to get a good preview of the Mariners' opening day. (Of course, you can feel free to watch the rest of them as well. They're pretty hysterical and should, as usual, win them some awards again this year).
Today, this young man became the youngest pitcher to start on Opening Day in MLB since Dwight Gooden in 1985. He also became the youngest pitcher EVER to start for the Mariners, as well as one of only seven in the history of professional baseball to start on opening day before 21 years of age.
For those who do not know, El Cartuela is loosely translated as "The BadAss", which is Felix Hernandez' nickname for himself, and one which he has had embossed onto his glove to remind not only himself, but everyone else, what he aspires to be in the baseball world.
He came to Spring Training this year 20 pounds lighter, with his work ethic adjusted, and fully expecting to be the Mariners' opening day pitcher. His performance over the past six weeks indicated that he should, indeed, be granted that honor and it was given him about 10 days ago now.
He did not disappoint, no sir (and ma'am), he did NOT. His line for today was as follows: 8 IP, 3H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K (right up there with only Pedro Martinez and former Mariner Randy Johnson), ERA 0.00, with a final score of Mariners 4, Athletics 0. He told his teammates before the game "get me one run and we win the game." That would have been all they needed, but Richie Sexson saw fit to add a three run homer to the mix, just for insurance purposes, of course.
If Felix can keep this up for the balance of the season, and he believes that he can, opposing batters on his day in the rotation should "be afraid, be very afraid." There is, of course, no way that he can win all 33 of his starts (if he did, then even I would be very afraid, but for Felix' arm, not the opposing teams), but 20 games ought to be enough to get him serious consideration for the Cy this year in the AL, and give even Mr. Santana a moment's pause, and I think he can do it if he tries really hard.
In case you have forgotten what he looks like, here is a reprise of that pachyerm that applied himself firmly to the Mariners' backs last year..
One of his toes got pried loose today, and there could/should be more on the way.
If my counting is correct, and I hope that it is, it appears that he will be pitching against Dice-K in the third game of the Boston series later this month. What a matchup that ought to be. Until then, "Viva el Rey Felix, el Cartuela."
I am a 50 something health care professional transplanted to Seattle from SoCal in 2001 (and, before you ask, no, I don't want to go back). My tastes in sports are pretty eclectic, but in order of preference, I guess they would be baseball, hockey, basketball, football--col lege and pro/men and women alike. Teams I "HATE": USC (I went to UCLA); University of Michigan (born and raised in Columbus OH to a large family of OSU alumni/alumna e), and--probably most of all--the d***ed Yankees. I have worked in a variety of capacities at the MLB, NBA and NFL venues here in Seattle and at UW (hey, what true sports fan could pass up the possibility of getting paid to do something you would have done anyway (and had to pay for it)?)
