Ichiro gets $90 million...

[buckeyefan78]

Mariners re-sign star CF for 5 years

SEATTLE (AP) - Great week to be Ichiro Suzuki.

The Seattle leadoff man signed a $90 million, five-year contract extension Friday, three days after he was the unanimous MVP of the All-Star game.
The deal ensures Seattle, enjoying its best season in four years, will not lose its franchise cornerstone to free agency this fall. Instead, the Mariners will keep the seven-time All-Star and perennial Gold Glove outfielder under contract until age 39.

Suzuki led the majors with 128 hits going into Friday night's game against Detroit. He was batting .355 with five home runs and 39 RBIs, and had stolen 23 bases.

"The one thing we have made clear since spring training was that it was our goal to have Ichiro play his entire career in Seattle, retire as a Mariner and go into the Hall of Fame in our cap," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said.

"While I don't believe this is Ichiro's final contract, I do think today's signing is a big step in assuring he will spend his entire career here in Seattle," he said. "He is both an offensive force, and a Gold Glove outfielder. It is great news for our organization and our fans that he will be here in Seattle for another five years."

Associated Press

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7018682


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$18 million a year to hit singles and play defense?

[Tarkus]

Yea, insane, isn't it?

I always wonder where these figures ever come from...over cocktails & hookers over a 3 day weekend???

[HibachiDG]

Yeah, I think Ichiro got a lot, but baseball salaries have been going like that. I think the most interesting contract to watch will be when Torrii Hunter gets a new one. The Marlins President was on a radio show this week practically in shock that Ichiro got this money.

However, I think this could work out fine for Seattle just because they're not really in the market to add any big dollar free agents to this team. They have two outfield prospects in Wladimier Balantien and Adam Jones that are both Major League ready, but unable to find a spot to break through yet. If both of those players become the contributors that they expect, then they'll have a pretty solid team without adding a lot of salary.

[themush]

Is this the same team that let Randy Johnson, Griffey Jr. and A-Rod go? But give Ichiro 90MM? I think Tarks theory has some validity to it.

[doublee]

Is this the same team that let Randy Johnson, Griffey Jr. and A-Rod go? But give Ichiro 90MM? I think Tarks theory has some validity to it.

While I agree that Seattle is paying too much to keep him the city has a huge Asian, specifically Japanese, population and that is probably the driving force in bending over backwards to keep him in Seattle.

[buckeyefan78]

While I agree that Seattle is paying too much to keep him the city has a huge Asian, specifically Japanese, population and that is probably the driving force in bending over backwards to keep him in Seattle.

Which is similar to the " Mark Cuban Syndrome" we're seeing in Chicago: he'll bring in $ but don't expect rings.

Who, in their right mind, wants that for their team?

[HibachiDG]

Well, rings are not exactly guaranteed, so if a team can get people coming to the gates even if they fall short of their goals, that's a good thing in terms of getting a ring long term.

[da12ken]

It's funny how ignorant people are about Ichiro's production:

VORP:
6th in majors (behind A-Rod, Mags, Chase Utley, Hanley Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera)

Win Shares:
2nd in majors (behind Vlad)

Average Runs Created (RC) from 2004-2006
Ichiro: 123
Alex Rodriguez: 122
Derek Jeter: 114
Carlos Beltran: 94

Plus stellar defense at a premium position. In the context of baseball production he deserves as much as any player in the game and that's excluding his international appeal off the field.

[Tarkus]

It's funny how ignorant people are about Ichiro's production:



I believe you're confusing fans reactions to an absolutely ridiculous amount of money for any player with ignorance about Ichiro's stats. I'd say the majority of fans are more than aware of his accomplishments but also aware of the "Salaries Gone Wild"...

[da12ken]

Sometimes I think that no professional athlete should earn that kind of money. Then I think about supply and demand. It's not necessarily right, but the economics of MLB justify exorbitant contracts.

[Tarkus]

You're right about that. It's just an insane sign of the times tho...

As long as the owners insist on battling each other to the death (of their bank accounts), this trend will continue till we're all paying $75 to see a game with $25 beers, $20 hot dogs, & $15 peanuts...:rolleyes:

[da12ken]

Record attendance this year. Obviously people love the product and keep going back to it, prices be damned.

As for player worth, I would personally pay guys like Ichiro, Pujols, A-Rod and possibly Vlad $20-$25 million a year. Transcendent talents that are highly marketable. Johan is the only pitcher I can think that I would pay that amount. Maybe Roy Halladay. Pedro in his prime was probably worth $30+ million.

[Tarkus]

As long as the people keep showin' up makes it make sense now in the broad scheme of things but the bottom will fall out down the road & create more than it's share of problems in the years to come IMO...

Sooner or later it'll put some of these owners in dire straits. There'll always be some owner who'll set the bar even higher & it never seems to be by a few mil...it's usually a leap much greater...

[da12ken]

Yea, there definitely needs to be more concerted effort to bring team salaries closer to the median instead of having extreme highs (New York teams, Boston) and lows (Florida teams). Maybe hard max and minimum caps.

I also think draft picks should have slotted salaries like the NBA. Baseball and the NFL get into these ridiculous holdouts, which end with rookies getting paid more than most veterans. How does that make sense?

I probably wouldn't approve of max-contracts like the NBA though. That's something I'd leave up to a team's discretion. If Tom Hicks wants to blow a quarter bill on a player that's his prerogative.

[Jeff Levers]

It's funny how ignorant people are about Ichiro's production:

VORP:
6th in majors (behind A-Rod, Mags, Chase Utley, Hanley Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera)

Win Shares:
2nd in majors (behind Vlad)

Average Runs Created (RC) from 2004-2006
Ichiro: 123
Alex Rodriguez: 122
Derek Jeter: 114
Carlos Beltran: 94

Plus stellar defense at a premium position. In the context of baseball production he deserves as much as any player in the game and that's excluding his international appeal off the field.

What does the VORP stand for? Never seen that stat before.

I do find it funny that while talking about salaries and the Marlins being on the low end that they also have 2 of the top 6 guys listed in that VORP stat. Goes to show it isn't always about who has the most money with regards to finding talent.

[da12ken]

VORP is Value Over Replacement Player; in essence "demonstrates how much a hitter contributes offensively or how much a pitcher contributes to his team in comparison to a fictitious "replacement player," who is an average fielder at his position and a below average hitter."

Yea, it's too bad the Marlins are what they are. How the hell did this franchise win two titles and despite being so backwards?

[Jeff Levers]

Thanks for the description, I figured it was something along those lines.

[catman]

I was in the Twin Cities this morning and listened to a discussion of Torii Hunter's contract situation with the Twins. Most of the fans want to see the team resign him and have him playing CF when they move into the new stadium. They also seem to agree that resigning him will help keep Johan Santana in a Twins' uni.
As to Ichiro's contract, I have no real problem with it. He certainly is the best player on his team and they needed to keep him to make a run at the championship in the AL West.

[bama4256]

Right now he has 155 hits for the season. He will go over 200 hits again this season. He's worth every penny. Plus he leads the majors with a .351 average right now.