2012 Ichiro Performance Thread

[enozlac]

"GODZILLA!"

Ichiro: So this is what winning is?!

[35Knucklecurve]

"GODZILLA!"

That is hilarious..."Are you sure that's champagne?!"

[snapple]

we should offer him a 1 year contract if swish walks

[nnysiny]

i am pleasantly surprised by how good hes been since the trade. those pinstripes can really motivate a guy

[Battingly]

i am pleasantly surprised by how good hes been since the trade. those pinstripes can really motivate a guy

60 Games - .325 and about 15 SB's

That was a great deadline pickup and he could have made an even bigger impact if Girardi didn't stick him in the 8 & 9 spots for so long.

He should have been at the top of the order, 1 or 2, from day one.

[roblyo33]

60 Games - .325 and about 15 SB's

That was a great deadline pickup and he could have made an even bigger impact if Girardi didn't stick him in the 8 & 9 spots for so long.

He should have been at the top of the order, 1 or 2, from day one.

You do realize that he had an OBP around .290 when they got him. Girardi did the right thing by batting him low in the order at the beginning.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

You do realize that he had an OBP around .290 when they got him. Girardi did the right thing by batting him low in the order at the beginning.

Exactly. You can't change a lineup in hindsight. There were a decent number of folks who weren't even happy about getting him.

Ended up being a pretty significant piece to make up for the loss of Gardner

[Mr Coffee]

Ichiro's .261 batting average as a Mariner leads all M's with at least 400 ABs.

Montero is second at .260.

[unfamous loser]

You do realize that he had an OBP around .290 when they got him. Girardi did the right thing by batting him low in the order at the beginning.

seriously, there was pretty much no case for him to batting at the top of the order until a few weeks ago and even that was tenuous, to some extent, given how "hot" streaks can come and go.

[NYRangers79]

It's going to be very interesting how he does in the post season, since he has not been in one for years.

[grizy]

Kuroda and Ichiro! both came here on sweet heart deals.

I like our equity in the hearts of Japanese imports. I'm hoping there is more to come.

[GordonGecko]

I just love this group think about how we shouldn't make any real commitment to Ichiro and that he's essentially finished and can't be counted in for future years. Sounds exactly like what people were saying last year about Jeter putting him out to pasture and here is in 2012 with one of his best season ever. Ichiro is the real deal, and what's more he's motivated and shows no sign of materially slowing down (playing for a contender).

Seems to me people are all of a sudden concerned with spending the Steinbrenner's money so they can avoid a big luxury tax payment. Forgive me if I don't give a **** about their tax payments with what they charge at the Stadium and how WCBS has to sponsor every part of the field, every spoken noun and verb in the broadcast to make their contract payments to Yankees corp.

Pay the man, give him 2 years @ 10-12M/yr or something similar, he's one of the big reasons the Yankees salvaged the season and he brings in a lot of extra fans & interest, not just Japanese

[NYRangers79]

I just love this group think about how we shouldn't make any real commitment to Ichiro and that he's essentially finished and can't be counted in for future years. Sounds exactly like what people were saying last year about Jeter putting him out to pasture and here is in 2012 with one of his best season ever. Ichiro is the real deal, and what's more he's motivated and shows no sign of materially slowing down (playing for a contender).

Jeter had a great year and some people here are still putting him under the bus. I think Ichiro is going to make a difference for us in the post season and maybe be that little extra spark we need to push ahead.

[JL25and3]

I just love this group think about how we shouldn't make any real commitment to Ichiro and that he's essentially finished and can't be counted in for future years. Sounds exactly like what people were saying last year about Jeter putting him out to pasture and here is in 2012 with one of his best season ever. Ichiro is the real deal, and what's more he's motivated and shows no sign of materially slowing down (playing for a contender).

Seems to me people are all of a sudden concerned with spending the Steinbrenner's money so they can avoid a big luxury tax payment. Forgive me if I don't give a **** about their tax payments with what they charge at the Stadium and how WCBS has to sponsor every part of the field, every spoken noun and verb in the broadcast to make their contract payments to Yankees corp.

Pay the man, give him 2 years @ 10-12M/yr or something similar, he's one of the big reasons the Yankees salvaged the season and he brings in a lot of extra fans & interest, not just Japanese

Ichiro! sucked for a year and a half, then had a couple of good months. His speed and defense are nice - but not what they once were, and not likely to improve. As a hitter, he has to continue to hit .320, given his lack of walks or power.

It's a great narrative to say that his whole career has been re-energized by being in pinstripes and/or with a contender, but that's just speculation. There's also no reason to think that will last for another two years. It's just as likely that the Yankees caught lightning on a bottle.

Better a year too early than a year too late.

[GordonGecko]

Jeter had a great year and some people here are still putting him under the bus. I think Ichiro is going to make a difference for us in the post season and maybe be that little extra spark we need to push ahead.

That doesn't give me too much comfort with Cashman considering he let go Word Series MVP Matsui in '09. If Ichiro happens to perform similarly, I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake twice

[JL25and3]

That doesn't give me too much comfort with Cashman considering he let go Word Series MVP Matsui in '09. If Ichiro happens to perform similarly, I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake twice

That wasn't a mistake.

[NYRangers79]

That doesn't give me too much comfort with Cashman considering he let go Word Series MVP Matsui in '09. If Ichiro happens to perform similarly, I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake twice

Considering Matsui's downfall over the last couple of years, it was actually a wise choice by Cashman not to resign him. But Ichiro is a different player than Matsui, and he still has strong defense in the outfield. I think there is still more fuel left in the tank for Ichiro. So only time will tell.

[teknetic]

That doesn't give me too much comfort with Cashman considering he let go Word Series MVP Matsui in '09. If Ichiro happens to perform similarly, I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake twice

How was letting Matsui walk a mistake?

[GordonGecko]

That wasn't a mistake.

How was letting Matsui walk a mistake?

I do realize - Matsui was a totally different guy that Ichiro, you wouldn't put him in the leadoff and his fielding was definitely past prime and not really servicable, but the man was clutch. Yankees really could have used his services in 2010 at DH or off the bench and cut ties after that. Fresh off a World Series MVP award, that should count for something

[NYYankeesFan92]

I do realize - Matsui was a totally different guy that Ichiro, you wouldn't put him in the leadoff and his fielding was definitely past prime and not really servicable, but the man was clutch. Yankees really could have used his services in 2010 at DH or off the bench and cut ties after that. Fresh off a World Series MVP award, that should count for something

I would've preferred that over the failed Lance Berkman experiment that ended up being a colossal failure. As for Ichiro, i wouldn't mind bringing him back via a 1-year deal.

[enozlac]

If Ichiro performs well enough in the postseason and wants to play another year, why not give him a 1 year deal?

I'm sure he would rather play his final year on a winning team and would take a slight discount.

[TheInfallibleOne]

Kuroda and Ichiro! both came here on sweet heart deals.

I like our equity in the hearts of Japanese imports. I'm hoping there is more to come.

Getting Darvish would have made a nice trio....

[flymick24]

If Ichiro performs well enough in the postseason and wants to play another year, why not give him a 1 year deal?

I'm sure he would rather play his final year on a winning team and would take a slight discount.

i think a lot rides on how he performs in the postseason

[awy]

free darvish nao

[JL25and3]

I do realize - Matsui was a totally different guy that Ichiro, you wouldn't put him in the leadoff and his fielding was definitely past prime and not really servicable, but the man was clutch. Yankees really could have used his services in 2010 at DH or off the bench and cut ties after that. Fresh off a World Series MVP award, that should count for something

That might have been fine if Matsui had expressed any interest in a one-year deal as a DH or bench player.

As for Ichiro!, even a one-year deal should have a plan B. I'd prefer they not go into June with a right fielder hitting .280/.315/.375. I'd really like to see him signed as a fourth outfielder with a chance to compete for a starting job.