ItsTheBlog™

The Seattle Mariners, throughout the 90's and until now, has fielded a team that arguably could be one of the strongest, if not, most talented teams in the big leagues. They've had Griffey, Arod, Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Jeff Nelson, Jay Buhner. They set the league record, at the time, most home runs by a team in a season. They won 116 games in 2001. Yet they've failed to even reach the World Series in their franchise history. The problem? Well it's difficult to pinpoint just one but the failure to keep their stars is definitely near the top.

Griffey...gone. Arod...gone. Randy Johnson...gone. After letting three superstars and future hall of famers walk, General Manager Bill Bavasi is instituting a new strategy: overpay to stay. And this is exactly what he's done in the rumored Ichiro contract extension worth roughly 100 million over 5 seasons. At 20 million a year, Ichiro would become tied for the 4th highest annual contract in baseball with Barry Bonds only behind Arod, Jeter, and Giambi (all yankees...surprised?). The question remains: is he worth it?

Contracts are normally crazy to begin with. Many contracts that are issued are regretted within the subsquent years. For example...let's see...the Texas Rangers are picking up a good portion of Alex Rodriguez's contract still. Get that? The Texas Rangers are paying the best player in the game to play on the richest team in the league. I think that speaks volumes. Even given this, Ichiro's contract makes Alfonso Soriano's look like a bargain. To give 20 million a year to a slap hitter is pure stupidity. Bill James' infamous sabrematrics will tell you that and I will tell you that.

Ichiro's production will not justify his contract, his position will not justify his contract, and his age will certainly not justify his contract. Ichiro, as productive as he is now, will not nearly be as productive come 5 years down the line when the Mariners are paying him a gaudy 20 million a year. Upwards to 20% of the Mariner's payroll will hamper the M's ability to acquire a supporting casts capable of bringing in their first World Series title.

But what does justify his contract is his marketability; namely that he is from Japan and he is playing in the United States. He will bring in more than he will eat up. But what he will eat up is any chance the Mariners will have in the next 5 years to win a World Series. And if you think the Mariner's performance this year is any indication of their capabilities, then my audience is dumber than I thought.

Ichiro asked to have his first name printed on the back of his jersey in Japan because his last name, Suzuki, was too common of a name. He attempted to set himself apart from the rest of the players. He's established himself as a player enough here in the states to set himself apart. But if he needed anything else, this ridiculous contract will surely be the corrective lenses to the no longer blurry image.