Ichiro! The USSM referred to in national media,somewhat respectfully. The general wailing and gnashing of teeth around the leagues: “We really wanted him, but he’s not worth it.”
Would that teams around the leagues underrated Ichiro as much as their fans do on their blogs.

A lifelong BoSox fan friend e-mailed me that his blogs had Ichiro a BoSox target in FA just after I had read the initial reporting on this site about the imminent signing. I was able to use a DMZ line: ‘Ummmmm No.’.

I know people say all the time, I’d be fine with whatever pressure came with the huge contract, and I think Ichiro can take pressure–look at the pressure he had to face coming here. But I don’t see him as being someone who *needs* the big contract for his ego.

I think he doesn’t need the BIGGEST contract (he’d certainly be insulted if he got lowballed). And I think he wants a chance to compete for the ring. I always thought if he saw he had a decent chance to do it here, he’d probably re-sign with the Ms.

I’ll bet at this point his use for an interpreter is not because of poor english, but what they like to call “plausible deniability”

that just reminded me of the story that went around when he first arrived about the Japanese magazine offering money for a lockerroom photo

Much better suit and tie, Ichiro.

I heard that he’d changed to take his wife out to dinner when they called him out for the MVP festivities– and that he missed his dinner reservations

2. I really liked what he said about fans in other communities asking him to come, but that Seattle’s fans’ pleas resounded the most. Very classy.

3. First came the ‘he’s not worth it’ next will be ‘There he goes again, being conservative; he would have gotten more as a free agent.’ I’ve watched players chase the WS rings and get nothing but frustration, or chase the huge contract and get nothing but grief and stress. Think Miguel Tejada is happier for being in Baltimore? That Barry Zito’s sleeping well at night? That Giambi doesn’t miss the easy love of Oakland? That A-rod enjoys his daily drama? Oh, wait, I think he seeks it out, so erase that one.

I know people say all the time, I’d be fine with whatever pressure came with the huge contract, and I think Ichiro can take pressure–look at the pressure he had to face coming here. But I don’t see him as being someone who *needs* the big contract for his ego.

4. Now I won’t have to ritually bury my Ichiro rubber ducky when he left.

Here’s hoping that Monday’s Sean Green article gets bumped by the post on Adam Jones being called up.

It’s the same thing with Ichiro. When he talks to his teammates or opponents, there’s not microphone to record what he says, to dissect his words as so on. I’ll bet at this point his use for an interpreter is not because of poor english, but what they like to call “plausible deniability”

Also, just because Ichiro is comfortable conversing in English with his teammates and coaches/manager on the bench doesn’t mean he’s as comfortable conversing in English with “the outside world” and that would DEFINITELY include all forms of media. It’s a baseball thing, nothing personal (which is a phrase used frequently with baseball players when dealing with non-baseball players).

Yuppers.

He’s sorta the anti-obnoxious loudmouth type of player as far as the media goes. That’s bad for quotes, but not for fans…

- signed extension 7/13/07
- $5M signing bonus
- 08:$17M, 09:$17M, 10:$17M, 11:$17M, 12:$17M
- Suzuki agreed to defer an undisclosed amount, reducing average annual value of the deal to about $16.5M

Considering Vlad will be earning 14.5M next year and a club option for 15M in ’09, on a contract he signed in ’04, that’s a steal.