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Despite an atypical season, Ichiro still provides drama
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We've been used to batting titles, hit records and high averages from the Mariners 34-year-old right fielder. But he took the low road this season, and not so coincidently, so did his team. Ichiro hit below .300 from April 9 to July 2. That his longest span under .300 in his career - 83 days.
He got off to exception starts in stolen bases and RBI but has flat-lined in both since late June. He had 34 steals on June 23 and just four since. He had 21 RBI on June 27 and 15 since. He's on pace for season lows in doubles (projected at 17), home runs (6), RBI (46) and slugging percentage (.387).
It's not mostly his fault that this team has been horrendous all season, but he certainly shares in the blame. He's the team catalyst. As he goes, so goes the team. That's not just what I say, but opposing managers and scouts have said the same thing. As he has been bad, so has his team been bad.
Having said that, with six weeks to go, Ichiro is in position to provide the team's only positive element in a massively disappointing year. His two goals this season were to reach a record eighth straight 200-hit season, tying Wee Willie Keller. Barring injury, he'll do that. He's on a pace for 213 hits. His second goal, as always, was to win the batting title. He won seven in Japan and two here. After his agonizing slow pace, within the past two weeks he finally broke into the American League top 10.
Fortunately for Ichiro, no one has run away in the batting race this season, unlike Detroit's Magglio Ordonez last season (.363). The current leader is Minnesota's Joe Mauer (.324). Ichiro, with three hits today, is at .312, in the eighth spot. That's quite low for Ichiro - a career .331 hitter who hit .351 last season - but it's his highwater mark since April 8.
Other than avoiding 100 losses for the team, Ichiro's third title quest is about the only drama left down the stretch. Certainly former batting champions Mauer, Ordonez (.312) and Alex Rodriguez (.310) will be in the hunt to the end. Rangers' Ian Kinsler (.319) and Milton Bradley (.314) should stick around, if only because they play half their games in a cozy, thin-air ballpark.
I think there also are a couple dark horses. One Minnesota's Justin Morneau, the 2006 MVP lurking at .309, and Boston's Dustin Pedroia (.321). Even though Pedroia is 24 and in just his second full season, he's proving he belongs in the .300 club. He has hit .387 since June 21.
Ichiro is going after a singular achievement in a team game - something critics has said that's been his priority - but at this point it's the only thing that will help the Mariners break through the football coverage over the final two months.
Topics: Ichiro going for batting title
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