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For the first time this decade, this century, in this country, since he has been playing professional baseball, since he has been playing organized baseball, in his entire life, Ichiro Suzuki is not hitting the ball well. I've heard fans make the argument that it's a huge waste of money to sign a 38 year old .261 hitter. Really? Your worried about the YANKEES overpaying? Why does money even cross your mind? Is it coming out of your pocket? The Yankees will raise, maintain, or lower ticket prices whether they sign Ichiro or not, believe that, it's the equivalent of you deciding to buy that doublemint .25 pack of gun at the gas station and your wife yelling because rent is due next week, it's OK guys, I promise.
Not that the New York Yankees need it or anything but the added viewers that an international icon like Ichiro could bring to their own YES network is HUGE. They already have a big advantage by creating it to begin with, just a genius move on their part, but the type of pull that some of these stars from other counties have in both the US and in their own homeland is massive, especially with a player like Ichiro who became the star he was while playing back in Japan. If you combine the hits he had while playing professionally in Japan with the ones in MLB he could possibly achieve the all-time record which is a record that is probably never going to be broken.
From everything being reported it seems like the sometimes selfish, arrogant, loner that played for the Seattle Mariners since coming to the US is ready to make the necessary changes to just fit in with a new team, putting his stats aside in order to complete his amazing career with a MLB World Series Championship.
If we concede the facts that have been reported such as, he made concessions in regards to his contract in order to get the deal done, he has made it clear that he is willing to bat wherever and play whenever necessary to help the team win and truly wants to be on a team playing into October....I think this was a GREAT pick-up by the Yankees.
Let's try and keep in mind a few possible scenarios.
For the first time this decade, this century, in this country, since he has been playing professional baseball, since he has been playing organized baseball, in his entire life, Ichiro Suzuki is not hitting the ball well. I've heard fans make the argument that it's a huge waste of money to sign a 38 year old .261 hitter. Really? Your worried about the YANKEES overpaying? Why does money even cross your mind? Is it coming out of your pocket? The Yankees will raise, maintain, or lower ticket prices whether they sign Ichiro or not, believe that, it's the equivalent of you deciding to buy that doublemint .25 pack of gun at the gas station and your wife yelling because rent is due next week, it's OK guys, I promise.
Not that the New York Yankees need it or anything but the added viewers that an international icon like Ichiro could bring to their own YES network is HUGE. They already have a big advantage by creating it to begin with, just a genius move on their part, but the type of pull that some of these stars from other counties have in both the US and in their own homeland is massive, especially with a player like Ichiro who became the star he was while playing back in Japan. If you combine the hits he had while playing professionally in Japan with the ones in MLB he could possibly achieve the all-time record which is a record that is probably never going to be broken.
From everything being reported it seems like the sometimes selfish, arrogant, loner that played for the Seattle Mariners since coming to the US is ready to make the necessary changes to just fit in with a new team, putting his stats aside in order to complete his amazing career with a MLB World Series Championship.
If we concede the facts that have been reported such as, he made concessions in regards to his contract in order to get the deal done, he has made it clear that he is willing to bat wherever and play whenever necessary to help the team win and truly wants to be on a team playing into October....I think this was a GREAT pick-up by the Yankees.
Let's try and keep in mind a few possible scenarios.
- He comes in to play a corner outfield until Nick Swisher is back from the DL and then is a backup that is not only a veteran but still has great speed and a good glove.
- Used as a pinch runner late in games and as an insurance policy for their thin outfield now that the playoffs are nearing.
- Management thinks his drop in production has more to do with the tole of constant losing and once on a winning team he will be energized and rejuvenated enough to bring a solid bat to the playoffs.
- Management this he needs to get out of the spotlight and get back to just playing baseball and by playing with so many superstars in New York some of the pressure will ease.....(it won't ease much i'd imagine playing in front of a packed house nightly though)
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