Hot off the wires, here’s Pinstripe Alley’s Steven Goldman talking to Amy K. Nelson about Monday’s blockbuster trade:
Goldman: Ichiro’s Best Days Behind Him (VIDEO)
I can’t argue with a single thing that Steve says here. Ichiro was a great player when he batted .350, a really good player when he batted .300, and just sort of around when he’s batting .270, as he has since the beginning of 2011.
Change in scenery? Hey, you never know. But one can't count on a change of scenery helping a player, and particularly a player Ichiro's age who's actually been somewhat famous for his consistency, if not in performance then certainly when it comes to preparation and work habits. Are we really supposed to believe that Ichiro stopped hitting with the Mariners because he just wasn't enjoying himself any more?
That’s possible, but there’s no reason to believe it. Or to expect him to become a premier hitter again.
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