Don’t expect to see Ichiro ever assume Ken Griffey Jr.’s 2009 role with the Mariners of part-time DH and bench cut-up.
“I would much rather play in a game where I don’t get any hits or play in a game where I make an error than not play,” Ichiro told ESPN’s Jim Caple. “Having to go through that is a lot better than not playing in the game.”
No DH for Ichiro either: “I think one of the requirements for being a DH is weighing at least 200 pounds, so maybe if I was that heavy I would do it. [But] the day I weigh 200 pounds is the day I’m inside a coffin.”
All this is contained within a terrific article by Caple about Ichiro’s hitting style. There’s not much here that a dedicated Mariner fan doesn’t already know, but kind of a fun refresher.
