Ichiro may not be an active player anymore, but that won’t stop the Mariners from trying to get him into the 2018 Home Run Derby.
The Seattle Mariners have started a #IchiForDC campaign to convince MLB fans that Ichiro would be a quality addition to the competition. The former American League MVP is not known for hitting dingers, with only 117 career homers and just three seasons with 10+ home runs, but possesses tremendous power nonetheless.
According to Mariners manager Scott Servais, “Ichiro would be a great addition at the home run-hitting contest at the All-Star Game because he takes BP every day and he is launching balls – it is really fun to watch. He comes out every day; he takes his BP very seriously. Everybody remembers when Ichiro was on top of his game he was slapping the ball all over the place, but he has power. He can still handle the bat.”
? RT if you want ICHIRO in the Home Run Derby ?@Mariners manager Scott Servais makes the case:#TrueToTheBlue #Mariners #IchiForDC pic.twitter.com/oBoz6XFdiD
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 20, 2018
This isn’t news to those familiar with Ichiro’s playstyle, as the mechanics of his swing are better suited to rack up singles. His swinging motion is noticeably different in batting practice than in games because he tried to hit for average, not home runs. He is well aware of his power but felt keeping the baseball within the ballpark was the best way to help his team win. When he was asked why he doesn’t try to hit more balls over the fence, his response was, “If I’m allowed to hit .220, I could probably hit 40 home runs, but nobody wants that.”
Despite the interest of fans and members of the front office, Ichiro will be sitting this one out. He did give a reason for not planning to participate, saying “I’m not a player, and just the long, great history that MLB has, I don’t think it would be good for it.”
Featured Image Via Flickr/Russ Walker
