Once again, the highest batting average in the league. pitchers prefer to intentionally walk him for obvious reasons. Also, he can steal bases better than just about anyone in the game because of his extreme speed. Here in Seattle, everyone can feel the energy when he comes to the plate to bat with runners in scoring position. The other team usually has a group meeting while looking terrified at the possibilities, and Ichiro usually comes through for the M's and gets his base hit, double, or sometimes tripple. I admit, he's not a homerun hitter. That doesn't make him any less of an all-star. I'm glad we have him instead of a-rod!

Nothing wrong with a singles hitter with speed. When I was a kid, Rod Carew was my favorite player. He rarely hit homeruns, but he hit over .300 every year and came close to .400 once. You need somebody to get on base for the other guys to knock in.

He's a helluva hitter -- just didn't deserve the MVP last year. In fact, he's *better* at his job this year... on pace to walk 80+ times as opposed to 30 in '01.

One the best pure hitters in the league, whose average rises with runners on base, and rises still higher with runners in scoring position! He can hit to all fields, bunt, steal, stretch out a hit, and fields superbly. Seattle is lucky to have him. And he's cute too. (See "Hot Jock Talk" for more on this.)

I love watching Ichiro too, at least the rare time a Seattle Mariners game gets televised. With their record, they deserve more network coverage. I receive four TV stations from Spokane, Wash. and yet not one of them ever carries a Mariners' game, which makes no sense to me. New York, Toronto and Atlanta constantly get their games on the tube here, despite being much further away.

Also, the main Mariners website doesn't seem to have much of a photo gallery...I'd love to see more current pictures of Ichiro, Brett Boone, Jeff Cirillo, Dan Wilson, Edgar Martinez and Jamie Moyer. Occasionally I'll find a good Mariners photo on the Yahoo MLB slideshow, but is there another site someone can recommend?

Most of the Mariner games are covered on Fox Sports Northwest, I'm not sure how Canadian Cable and Sattelite systems work, but you might try getting a package deal for the season where you can watch all or any of the games you want. Yeah we also get all the Braves games here on TBS or TNT and the Blue Jays on CBC here, though I never watch those. The Seattle Times website usually has good photos of games.
Love your city and the Candian Rockies also!

[ July 05, 2002: Message edited by: gp43 ]

Hi gp43,

Thanks for the tip re: Mariners pictures. You're right, the Seattle Times has a good photo gallery, as well as a special section on Ichiro. Below is a link to a picture of him that I especially liked. Also found a nice one of Jeff Cirillo falling into the arms of spectators (wish I could have been one of them!) I hope to find some more of Dan Wilson.

Earlier this evening, I happened to meet a young Japanese woman who is here studying English and temporarily boarding with a friend of mine. There was a definite language barrier between us, but when I mentioned Ichiro, her eyes lit up and she excitedly told me that she and him are from the same city.

As for TV broadcasts, Fox shows some MLB games here, but not the Mariners on any regular basis. At least I'll get to see Ichiro and some of his teammates in the All-Star game on Tues. Otherwise, I'll probably have to wait until August when the Mariners play several games against Toronto (it's our patriotic duty to endure telecasts of the Blue Jays losing over and over)

Glad to hear you've enjoyed yourself in this part of the country. Seattle is one of my favourite US cities, although it's been several years since my last visit there. The exchange rate on our dollar is keeping most of us on this side of the border.



http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/photogall...n/ichiro/8.html