Ichiro’s 5 Greatest Mariners Moments

In case you didn’t hear, it is Ichiro week here at Sodo Mojo. Today, we will attempt to boil down the 5 best moments of Ichiro’s 10+ years with the Mariners. What will be #1? Let’s find out.

Of course, trying to boil down the career of a first ballot hall of fame player is difficult. In fact, I would say it is impossible. So where do we start? How do you choose between MVP seasons, batting titles, Gold Gloves and more with one player? I don’t have a clue. So maybe, let’s just get started?

5. Ichiro’s Inside-The-Park Homerun

2007 was another excellent year for Ichiro and the Seattle Mariners. The team surprised many, winning 88 games and finishing in second in the AL West. Of course, Ichiro was the biggest reason why.

In 2007, Ichiro led baseball in hits for the 4th time, slashing .351/.396/.431 in 161 games. He also stole 37 bases, won a Gold Glove in center field, and his second Silver Slugger. Not surprisingly, Ichiro was voted to appear in his 7th consecutive All-Star game as well. In San Francisco, Ichiro put on a show:

Of course, the irony was boundless. He hit the ball over the head of Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr., and the pitch was delivered by future Mariner Chris Young. Ichiro’s wild dash around the bases netted him the All-Star Game MVP and helped cement him a new mega-contract with the Mariners.

Ichiro was a frequent visitor to the mid-summer classic. He would be selected 10 consecutive years, from 2001-2010. But there is no better moment for his All-Star game experiences than this journey around the bases.

Number 4. Ichiro Robs Garret Anderson Homer

One of my fondest memories of Ichiro was when he confirmed his side hustle was as a web-slinging humanoid arachnid protecting the people of New York. Get it? He’s Spider-Man. Of course, I kid (but seriously, have you ever seen Ichiro and Spider-Man at the same time? Think about it).

Perhaps none of Ichiro’s acrobatic catches can top what he did to the Anaheim Angels on May 2nd, 2005. Trailing 1-0, Garrett Anderson, famed Mariner killer stepped to the plate and sent a Joel Pinero fastball deep into right field.

The ball had a high arch and Ichiro would have been able to camp under it, had the right-field fence been about 10 feet back. Alas, it was not, and all Ichiro could do was watch it sail into the stands. Or at least, that’s what most of us thought.

Instead, Ichiro shuffled his feet and leaped into the wall, scurrying up the fence in an attempt to make an incredible catch. But of course, nothing that hard gets done that easily, and Ichiro had a slight problem: the ball was actually not carrying as far as he thought.

A problem for most people, but not Ichiro, who calmly made an adjustment, and came down with the signature catch in his Mariners career.

In truth, picking just one Ichiro moment that showcases the glove is tough. How many highlight real catches are there to choose from? But for my money, this moment of pure athleticism and concentration takes the top spot. What do you think?

Number 3. Ichiro Walks Off the GOAT

2009 was a magical season for the Mariners. After a disastrous 2008 campaign that saw the team go 61-101, nobody expected much from the 2009 squad. The Mariners had brought back Ken Griffey Jr., which was cool, and signed household name Mike Sweeney.

Despite these moves, nobody thought much of the Mariners chances to be anything relevant in 2009. But instead, the Mariners won 85 games, and Ichiro had arguably his best offensive season. He slashed .352/.386/.465 and finished 9th in the MVP voting that season.

The Mariners hung tough for most of the season, and on September 19th, the Mariners needed a win in the worst possible way. They were in luck, as Felix Hernandez the runner-up in that season’s Cy Young race was on the mound. Felix was as brilliant as ever, spinning 8 innings of 2 run ball. Unfortunately, as we have seen way too many times, the offense sputtered.

They had managed just 1 run all night, and the greatest closer of all time was on the mound. With 2 0uts and Michael Saunders on second, Ichiro stepped to the plate. Like most hitters, Ichiro hadn’t found much success against Rivera. Ichiro had just a 2-10 mark against Rivera.

But on the first pitch he saw, Ichiro barrelled up a cutter and sent a shot deep into the night air and 15 rows up into the right-field stands to win the game.

It was a magical moment in Seattle and the most memorable home run of Ichiro’s Mariners career.

Number 2: Ichiro Gets 258

In baseball, very few records are truly seen as unbreakable. Most felt that way about Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak. Some thought the same about Hank Aaron’s home run record. Of course, both were broken, but nobody expected George Sisler’s 80-year single season hit record to be broken.

Think about it. In an era of home runs and walks, who could ever have a swing in this game with this level of specialization to break such an outrageous record? As it turns out, Ichiro.

On October 1, 2004, with George Sisler’s daughter and grandchildren in the stands, Ichiro stepped to the plate in the 3rd inning. He had tied the record in his first at-bat and was now looking to etch his name into the record books. As we know, he did just that:

It was an incredible moment in an otherwise forgettable season. The Mariners 4 year window had slammed shut and the team would enter a decade of darkness. But at this moment, we were reminded of the greatness of baseball. How on any given night, regardless of the teams playing the game, something remarkable is bound to happen.

Ichiro would finish 2004 with 262 hits, a record that might never be broken. Ichiro hit .372 that year and would have likely won the MVP award if not for the Mariners atrocious 63-99 record. It was truly the year of Ichiro in Seattle, and one us fans are fortunate enough to witness.