The End of Ichiro in Seattle?
By Jason McIntyre
Naturally, Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times is asking what everyone in the Northwest is whispering: What to do with declining Ichiro?
"Ichiro should be easy to trade, but he isn’t. There are no secrets about him. Scouts know he’s not a team guy. Scouts know he doesn’t look at enough pitches during an at-bat. They know he is most concerned with volume. These are probably the last months Seattle will get to watch Ichiro. There is no way he should be re-signed. He’s not one of the wily veterans every rebuilding team needs in the lineup."
It’s moments like these that we must remind ourselves: Sports are a business. It must have been torturous for Bulls fans to see Jordan in a Wizards uniform. I’m glad I never saw Magic wear anything besides the purple and gold. We’ll never see Jeter in anything other than pinstripes. Even though Ichiro has veto power on trades, would he leave a sunken ship for a shot at the postseason? How might he look running around the Atlanta outfield? Pinch hitting in a big spot for the Giants? Probably awkward. [Seattle Times]