Great week to be Ichiro Suzuki
danger boy
Posts: 15,722
Ok. i'm all for people making money for a living. but c'mon. $90 million for a 5 yr contract? Boy, i wish i could get in on some of that change. Is it just MLB or are other pro sports stars also pulling in that kind of dinero??
The Seattle leadoff man signed a $90 million, five-year contract extension Friday, three days after he was the unanimous MVP of the All-Star game.
The deal ensures Seattle, enjoying its best season in four years, will not lose its franchise cornerstone to free agency this fall. Instead, the Mariners will keep the seven-time All-Star and perennial Gold Glove outfielder under contract until age 39.
When asked whose counsel he valued most during contract negotiations that began in January, he said, "Ikky, my dog."
"He said, 'Ruff, ruff, ruff,"' a smiling Suzuki said through an interpreter. "That means, 'Stay, stay, stay."'
Seattle won the bidding to sign him to come, come, come out of Japan before 2001. Then the Mariners signed him to an extension in 2004 that is paying him $11 million this season.
"Now, I have the opportunity to be on one team for a long time. And I am grateful for that," Suzuki said at a press conference announcing the richest contract in Mariners history.
"I'm going to do my best to play 10 more years here."
Suzuki, the first player in major league history with 200 hits in each of his first six seasons, led the majors with 128 hits going into Friday night's game against Detroit. He was batting .355 with five home runs and 39 RBIs, and had stolen 23 bases.
"We're signing here a Hall of Fame-type player," general manager Bill Bavasi said.
As Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said, "He is our icon."
The contract contains a $5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $17 million for each season from 2008-2012, with part of the money deferred. Because of the deferred money, the average annual value is discounted to about $16.5 million.
Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, refused to specify how much cash is deferred, but said it is a multimillion dollar chunk with interest of at least 2 percent. He said that the $126 million, seven-year extension signed by Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells in December was a prime consideration in negotiating Suzuki's deal.
Armstrong jabbed back at those such as Florida Marlins president David Samson who think Suzuki's new deal is irresponsible.
"I can think of about 12 to 15 other contracts that I would qualify as beyond the pale," Armstrong said, adding he has exchanged e-mails with Samson regarding his comments this week to a Miami radio station blasting Suzuki's imminent deal.
"This contract fits very well with what we want to accomplish here - and does not take the industry off any prudent course."
Mariners chairman and CEO Howard Lincoln said Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Yamauchi signed off on the deal. Yamauchi is the Nintendo company mogul and former Mariners owner who sold his shares of the team three years ago but remains its chief to whom Lincoln reports regularly. But Attanasio said Yamauchi was not directly involved in the negotiations.
Lincoln acknowledged the risk in giving so much guaranteed money to a man approaching 40 years old by the end of the deal.
"But in Ichiro's case, it's a very acceptable risk" because the center fielder's supreme fitness and preparation, he said.
"He may be 33, but in a much younger body.
"The idea is, we're going to get a World Series and bring it to Seattle and win it while he's here. He is going into the Hall of Fame, and he's going to wear a Mariners uniform."
In spring training, Suzuki declared he was intrigued by the prospect of becoming a free agent for the first time and that he was tired of losing in Seattle.
"Ichiro wasn't sure he wanted to stay here," Attanasio said.
Said Bavasi: "You have to understand the great opportunity he passed up. He's taken himself off a really aggressive market."
The Seattle leadoff man signed a $90 million, five-year contract extension Friday, three days after he was the unanimous MVP of the All-Star game.
The deal ensures Seattle, enjoying its best season in four years, will not lose its franchise cornerstone to free agency this fall. Instead, the Mariners will keep the seven-time All-Star and perennial Gold Glove outfielder under contract until age 39.
When asked whose counsel he valued most during contract negotiations that began in January, he said, "Ikky, my dog."
"He said, 'Ruff, ruff, ruff,"' a smiling Suzuki said through an interpreter. "That means, 'Stay, stay, stay."'
Seattle won the bidding to sign him to come, come, come out of Japan before 2001. Then the Mariners signed him to an extension in 2004 that is paying him $11 million this season.
"Now, I have the opportunity to be on one team for a long time. And I am grateful for that," Suzuki said at a press conference announcing the richest contract in Mariners history.
"I'm going to do my best to play 10 more years here."
Suzuki, the first player in major league history with 200 hits in each of his first six seasons, led the majors with 128 hits going into Friday night's game against Detroit. He was batting .355 with five home runs and 39 RBIs, and had stolen 23 bases.
"We're signing here a Hall of Fame-type player," general manager Bill Bavasi said.
As Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said, "He is our icon."
The contract contains a $5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $17 million for each season from 2008-2012, with part of the money deferred. Because of the deferred money, the average annual value is discounted to about $16.5 million.
Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, refused to specify how much cash is deferred, but said it is a multimillion dollar chunk with interest of at least 2 percent. He said that the $126 million, seven-year extension signed by Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells in December was a prime consideration in negotiating Suzuki's deal.
Armstrong jabbed back at those such as Florida Marlins president David Samson who think Suzuki's new deal is irresponsible.
"I can think of about 12 to 15 other contracts that I would qualify as beyond the pale," Armstrong said, adding he has exchanged e-mails with Samson regarding his comments this week to a Miami radio station blasting Suzuki's imminent deal.
"This contract fits very well with what we want to accomplish here - and does not take the industry off any prudent course."
Mariners chairman and CEO Howard Lincoln said Japanese billionaire Hiroshi Yamauchi signed off on the deal. Yamauchi is the Nintendo company mogul and former Mariners owner who sold his shares of the team three years ago but remains its chief to whom Lincoln reports regularly. But Attanasio said Yamauchi was not directly involved in the negotiations.
Lincoln acknowledged the risk in giving so much guaranteed money to a man approaching 40 years old by the end of the deal.
"But in Ichiro's case, it's a very acceptable risk" because the center fielder's supreme fitness and preparation, he said.
"He may be 33, but in a much younger body.
"The idea is, we're going to get a World Series and bring it to Seattle and win it while he's here. He is going into the Hall of Fame, and he's going to wear a Mariners uniform."
In spring training, Suzuki declared he was intrigued by the prospect of becoming a free agent for the first time and that he was tired of losing in Seattle.
"Ichiro wasn't sure he wanted to stay here," Attanasio said.
Said Bavasi: "You have to understand the great opportunity he passed up. He's taken himself off a really aggressive market."
PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
Post edited by danger boy on
Comments
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I wonder how much Chuck Armstrong and Bill Bavasi are making.
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Ichiro is an incredible athlete and baseball player. Easily my favorite current player.
The thing I love about his new deal is that it essentially means he will go into the Hall of Fame as a Mariner. -
No player deserves this insane amount of money but Ichiro and A Rod should be the highest paid as they are the two best overall talents in BB.His signing should keep Mariner fans coming to the ballpark the next few years.Testing
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David Beckham...(soccer)....5 year 50 MILLION PER YEAR 5 YEAR CONTRACT! with the Los Angeles Galaxy MLS:eek: From the bottom it looks like a steep incline, From the top another down hill slope of mine.:mad: But I know the equilibrium's there!:cool: .."Faith No More"
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David Beckham...(soccer)....5 year 50 MILLION PER YEAR 5 YEAR CONTRACT! with the Los Angeles Galaxy MLS
Slight exaggeration, his salary is about 10 mil (which is still ridiculous), the rest is anticipated advertising revenue and profit-sharing from the team.Wikipedia wrote:It was confirmed on 11 January 2007 that David Beckham would be leaving Real Madrid to join MLS team Los Angeles Galaxy on a 5 year deal worth as much as $250 million that will see Beckham earn up to $10 million a year in direct salary, but with endorsements and profit-sharing, Beckham could earn up to $50 million a yearIf you will it, dude, it is no dream. -
there's no doubt these athletes are incredible at what they do.. no one will argue that... what i find disgusting is how much teams are willing to shell out for one player.
Yes these big name top athletes are at the top of their game.. and they are what win games and bring in fans.. but seriously.. if some of them made half of what their contract calls for.. they'd still be multi millionaires .PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin: -
Kimi R
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Gotta love sports that have no salary caps, eh?Lovin that music year after year.
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Wow! little Ralfy Schu is getting $25mil. to go for sunday drives in his white and red wagon and finish in 18th place.He would do better if they just gave him a souped up Camry.Testing
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What bugs me - just a bit - is not that the Mariners signed Ichiro for 90 mil, but that they DIDN'T sign Ken Griffey, Randy Johnson & Alex Rodriguez. Griffey and Rodriguez hit homers and Ichiro is a slap singles hitter. I'm glad they're paying him the coin, I just wish they had started coughing it up on some of these other superstars."Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
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I'm thinking that Ralf is on his way out...Wow! little Ralfy Schu is getting $25mil. -
Michael Jordan used to make $40M in salary and an estimated $40+ M in endorsements. Now that's a paycheck.
A-Rod's contract is worth more than $250M for 10 years. Thanks more money than it cost to build several major league ballparks since his contract was signed. He's already been paid for about 7 of the 10 years. So he's probably made more than $200M during his career. Not too shabby!Carl -
Yes I have heard it could happen soon.Hopefully.:)I'm thinking that Ralf is on his way out...Testing
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BottomFeeder wrote: »Griffey and Rodriguez hit homers and Ichiro is a slap singles hitter.
But Ichiro is a lead-off hitter, where being on base is more important....hence his current .359 batting average. I just read that during batting practice, Ichiro regularly puts on a power display with homerun after homerun. -
BottomFeeder wrote: »What bugs me - just a bit - is not that the Mariners signed Ichiro for 90 mil, but that they DIDN'T sign Ken Griffey, Randy Johnson & Alex Rodriguez. Griffey and Rodriguez hit homers and Ichiro is a slap singles hitter. I'm glad they're paying him the coin, I just wish they had started coughing it up on some of these other superstars.
Trust me, the Mariners wanted to sign them, but for each case there was a reason they couldn't. Arod is a ****, and wanted to play for a winning team. So he said. The M's won 116 games the first year without him, he went to Texas. In reality he just wanted to play in a larger marker where his fame could grow. Griffey wanted to go play for the team that his father played for. He was not going to stay in Seattle, and he essentially forced a trade. Randy was upset at the front office for how they treate him. He was upset that he received no acknowledgment or compassion after the passing of his father during the off season. So, I am quite sure the M's would have retained them, but in each case it was impossible.
Trust me, all of Seattle wanted these players to stay. They all were part of the 95 team that Seattle still loves. -
But Ichiro is a lead-off hitter, where being on base is more important....hence his current .359 batting average. I just read that during batting practice, Ichiro regularly puts on a power display with homerun after homerun.
Yes, it is true. I've seen it many times. He has the most amazing control of the bat with his hands. He can hit for power, and during BP, he hits it up into the second deck regularly, which at Safeco, and unlike say Yankee Stadium, is very hard to do. You might have noticed his power stroke come out during the All Star Game when he just missed a home run. I believe he has also been asked to participate in the home run derby, but he always declines.
He is a singles hitter, and an excellent one at that, because that is his role on the team. He also has an amazing batting average with men in scoring position, year after year. -
I'm thinking that Ralf is on his way out...
Should have been out years ago. He has never come close to his brothers talent.
BTW, no F1 race at Indy in the forseeable future. Eff Tony George and that thing he calls a wife.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Yes, it is true. I've seen it many times. He has the most amazing control of the bat with his hands. He can hit for power, and during BP, he hits it up into the second deck regularly, which at Safeco, and unlike say Yankee Stadium, is very hard to do. You might have noticed his power stroke come out during the All Star Game when he just missed a home run. I believe he has also been asked to participate in the home run derby, but he always declines.
He is a singles hitter, and an excellent one at that, because that is his role on the team. He also has an amazing batting average with men in scoring position, year after year.
The below quote by Ichiro in the New York Times kind of summed up his style of play....Chicks who dig home runs arent the ones who appeal to me, he said. I think theres sexiness in infield hits because they require technique. Id rather impress the chicks with my technique than with my brute strength. Then, every now and then, just to show I can do that, too, I might flirt a little by hitting one out. -
WOW. this is on old thread. asshat who started it should have his balls removed. :eek:
PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin: -
been watching him since he was 21 years old or so when i was still in japan. amazing that he's been here forever. easily my fav baseball player of all time.Onkyo 805, RtiA5s, Csi5, Rti6s
