Ichiro still enigma upon departure
Mariners move 18-year star into front office
He arrived an enigma 18 seasons ago and now departs from our baseball fields in just as mystifying a fashion.
Ichiro Suzuki, perhaps the greatest pure hitter we have ever known, was removed from the Mariners roster Thursday and will move immediately to their front office.
Yet he made it clear through his agent that he has no interest in retiring.
Hey, he’s just 44, and he wants to play until he’s at least 50.
He’s going to stay in uniform for the Mariners for the rest of the season, but just won’t be playing. He’ll be on the field and providing instruction during the day, but won’t be part of the coaching staff. He’ll be in dress clothes during the games, and watching with the rest of the front office staff, but won’t be making decisions.
In the Wondrous World of Ichiro, why shouldn’t we be surprised that he still leaves us confused all these years later?
His agent, John Boggs, says Suzuki has no interest in retiring. But when asked if Suzuki is still interested in playing if another team calls, Boggs says that he will stay put.
At least for now.
But at a time when we should be writing glowing tributes, recalling how former Mariners manager Lou Piniella was so disgusted in Suzuki’s first spring that he wanted to send him back to Japan, only for him to produce 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons and a future induction into Cooperstown, Suzuki indicates it’s still premature.
He wants to keep playing, and every time you want to doubt him, he proves us wrong. We never imagined he’d still be playing six years later after leaving the Mariners the first time, stopping in New York, Miami and now back in Seattle.
Besides, just before you start looking for those retirement papers, remember that the Mariners and Athletics are opening next season in Tokyo, where teams will be permitted to carry extra players on their roster.
So would it surprise a soul to see Suzuki playing at least one final time? Back home in Japan. Wearing a Mariners uniform. And going out with the entire world watching and heaping his praises.
Really, this is how it should all go down.
The man deserves it.
The Mariners acknowledged that they want to keep Suzuki in their organization long after his playing days, a franchise icon whose achievements rank perhaps behind only those of Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.
But really, Suzuki’s final stop belongs in Cooperstown, N.Y.
This is where he’ll be elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible five years after retirement. This is where he has already visited seven times, more than any other player while still in uniform. This is where he’ll have all his memorabilia, joining Hank Aaron and Tom Seaver as the only players to donate every single bat, glove and uniform the museum desired.
This is a man who will be immortalized forever, achieving more hits than any man who ever lived: 4,367, including in Japan.
And perhaps still counting. Sure, this season hasn’t gone like Suzuki hoped, playing just 15 games and hitting .205 without an extra-base hit, but do you know any other 44-year-olds this side of Bartolo Colon competing in anything more strenuous than a beer league?
The only time he was ever on the disabled list was in 2009, for a bleeding ulcer.
The first time he even stepped into the trainer’s room, besides grabbing a Band-aid, was in 2017 when his knee was bruised after an outfielder collision.
The man stayed healthy and performed. Did he ever.
He won an MVP and rookie of the year award in the same season, led the major leagues in hits six seasons, won two batting titles, made 10 All-Star teams, won 10 Gold Gloves and led the majors in stolen bases.
He is one of seven players in history to achieve at least 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases, and if he didn’t spend his first nine years playing for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan’s Pacific League, he’d be all alone in that 4,000-hit, 1,000-stolen base club.
Really, we need Ichiro Suzuki to play one last time, take one final at-bat and receive one last curtain call.
Next spring in Major League Baseball’s opening series in Japan would be the ultimate send-off.
He never got the recognition he was due playing in the aftermath of Rod Carew, Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn and never was truly celebrated like Pete Rose, but we have all season to do just that now.
And hold out hope for one last encore.