How many people in 1996 would have agreed that the Seattle Mariners could come within sight of the World Series in the next five years without the names Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey, Jr., or Alex Rodriguez on their line-up card? Ichiro made it clear starting in April 2001 that this is his game and we’re lucky to watch him play. It’s simply inconceivable that anyone would actually suggest trading the Seattle Mariners’ right fielder, for a number of reasons.

On the field, he is unquestionably among the game’s elite. He batted above .370—THREE SEVENTY—for an entire season last year. The next closest player in the entire major leagues with more than 500 at bats was Colorado’s Todd Helton, who batted .347 with a hundred and fifty fewer at bats and also played half his games in the hitter-friendly Coors Field. Ichiro is durable, a notion reinforced by the fact that he was the only player in the majors last season to register 700 or more at bats. He fields his position extremely well, (.994 career fielding percentage), and makes highlight-reel catches look routine. His arm is among the best in the game, and his quickness out of the batter’s box is often talked about.

One argument often made against Ichiro is that he does not hit for power. With a lineup that includes Bret Boone, Richie Sexton, and Adrian Beltre, who needs more power? With a hitter as talented as Ichiro getting on base, the Mariners count on the big swingers further down the lineup to bring him home.

However, Ichiro’s greatest contributions may in fact come off the field. He is extremely popular both in the United States and in his native Japan, and is responsible for a wealth of merchandise sales and increased Mariners attendance. No other player caters to such a demographic. Ichiro connects the Mariners to foreign fans and Japanese-American fans alike, and is worth every penny the Mariners spend on him.

In addition to being a great ball player, Ichiro is an ambassador for baseball and a great role model. He does not get involved in any incidents off the field, and has respect for the integrity of the game. He was recently signed to a contract extension through 2007, which confirms that he will be leading off for the Mariners for the foreseeable future. The only Seattle fixture less moveable than Ichiro is the Space Needle.