Should Mariners consider a reunion with Ichiro?
With the Seattle Mariners struggling, entering play Monday 34-42 - just a game better than the last-place Oakland Athletics - many think the club should be considering upgrades ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times is one of those individuals advocating for change, and his suggestion in a new column is especially intriguing: bringing back Ichiro Suzuki.
Ichiro, of course, became an MLB icon during his tenure in Seattle, beginning with his amazing 2001 rookie year and lasting until the midway point of the 2012 season. The M's also just brought Edgar Martinez on as their new hitting instructor, too.
In his piece, Baker argues that Ichiro could be had as a 'cheap' option for offensive help, considering Suzuki is more of a contact hitter than the Mariners typically run out there each night.
At 41, Ichiro isn't exactly the catalyst he was earlier in his career, though he is still a mostly serviceable outfielder: he's hitting .266/.316/.310 with the Miami Marlins this season, though only three of his 42 hits are for extra-bases. With Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton out a bit with a hand injury, Miami - still trying to contend this season - might need Suzuki more, a point brought up by Baker in his column.
Perhaps the best argument for Seattle to take a chance on a reunion with Ichiro, besides the nostalgia factor, is that he'd only be paid roughly $1 million, meaning his addition wouldn't be a significant payroll increase. With Seattle already committing a ton of money to various players on the roster, Ichiro wouldn't cost very much.
But would he be worth it? That's a good question, and Baker's piece definitely suggests that there would be pros and cons to the possibility - but it's also a situation the Mariners could explore within the next month.
