Reflections on Ichiro Suzuki

Change, it is one thing that we can count on happening.  Time passes and things change.  This occurs in sports as it does every other realm of life.  Yesterday evening, the news broke that Ichiro Suzuki, long time Seattle Mariner, had been traded to the New York Yankees.

I was shocked in a lot of ways to hear this news.  I knew that Ichiro was in the last year of his deal but I didn't expect him to get traded, let alone to the New York Yankees for two minor league pitching prospects.  Along with being shocked, I was also sad.  Sad because he left the Mariners and also going to the Yankees.  Everyone who knows me knows that I don't like the Yankees.  I made reference to this in a post I made here several years ago.  So it'll be weird and sad to see Ichiro put on pinstripes the rest of the season.

It's also sad because it's another reminder that players don't stick with teams like they used to.  It makes what Chipper Jones is doing a rarity, playing with one team your whole career and retiring with them.  Yes I know Ichiro played in Japan before coming to the U.S. but the M's were his one MLB team.  He became synonymous with the M's like Ken Griffey Jr. & Edgar Martinez before him.  In my three years in Seattle, I loved watching Ichiro play in the outfield.

I'm sure when he retires, he will go into the Hall of Fame.  And when he does, he will go in as a Mariner which will be good.  In the meantime, seeing him not in a Mariners uniform and not wearing #51 will be another reminder that things change and time moves forward.

Trading Deadline Reflections

The trading deadline of MLB has come and gone and two major trades went down and both were shocking to me.

First, Ken Griffey Jr. was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Chicago White Sox for two minor league players and cash. I'm kind of disappointed in a way because I'd much rather he would have been traded a year ago around this time back to the Seattle Mariners. I'm still hoping that before his career is over with that he'll return with the Mariners. This should boost the White Sox lineup but they're still going to have a tough time with the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.

The other and more relavent to me is the one that sends Manny Ramirez away from the Boston Red Sox. It was a three team deal that also involved the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers get Ramriez, the Pirates get four players and the Red Sox get Jason Bay. From the perspective of the Red Sox, they get a All-Star OF in Bay who has had similar numbers as Ramirez this year. Personally, I'm torn. Like what I said yesterday, I've liked Manny Ramirez for a long time. But this year it seems his attitude has really taken a turn south (as in not good). I really think the comments he made yesterday really pushed it over the edge. It'll make things interesting next week when I go see the Sox play here in K.C.