Updated Jan 26, 2012 - 10:02 am

Wedge: 'Good possibility' Ichiro won't hit leadoff in 2012

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Wedge joined "The Kevin Calabro Show" to talk about the acquisition of Jesus Montero, the possibility that Ichiro might not hit leadoff next season, and more.

By Brady Henderson

Eric Wedge sounds like he is prepared to move Ichiro out of the leadoff spot he has occupied for 11 seasons.

The Mariners manager told 710 ESPN Seattle Wednesday said there is a "good possibility" that Ichiro will hit elsewhere in the lineup in 2012.

"If you had to put a gun to my head right now I'd probably be leaning in that direction, but I'm not going to just close myself off until spring training," Wedge said while speaking with Jim Moore and Mike Salk from the Sports Star of the Year awards banquet.

Ichiro

Ichiro is coming off the worst season of his 11-year MLB career. The 38-year-old right fielder hit .272, marking the first time he posted a batting average below .300. He also failed to reach 200 hits, make the All-Star team and win a Gold Glove for the first time in his career. His down season didn't help an offense that ranked last in all of baseball in runs scored.

Wedge told 710 ESPN Seattle's Shannon Drayer in September that he considered moving Ichiro out of the leadoff spot last season, adding: "He was open to it at that time but as we saw it through the next couple of days and seeing the domino effect it could have, I felt it was best to leave it alone."

Wedge said Wednesday that he hasn't made up his mind and added that he plans to speak with several Mariners, including Ichiro, in spring training to gauge their viability as potential leadoff hitters.

"I've got a vision in mind in regard to what I want to see happen," he said. "Obviously I've got to work off of Ichiro a little bit, but ultimately I'm going to do what I think is best to give us a chance to score runs because it's just too important for us to make a huge step for us this year offensively."

Wedge was asked what he'd like to see from his leadoff hitter.

"I want him to get on base, I want him to see pitches, I want him to help the number two hole hitter, the number three hole hitter, the four hole hitter," he said, adding that he also values speed and doesn't want to see quick outs.

"So we'll see. Ichiro is very unique, but I've been very frank with him and very clear in regard to what I'm looking to do, so we'll see."

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Marinerman87 wrote...

Wedge is making the right call

January 25, 2012 7:59 pm

Ichiro was an out machine last year and he was the big reason why the M's almost never scored in the first inning. Wedge is great because he doesn't let Ichiro dictate what's going on, he tells Ichiro man to man what he's thinking and isn't afraid to tell anyone what he thinks. The two big questions now are who will hit leadoff(Ackley?) and where will Wedge put Ichiro in the order??

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Toby in Tacoma wrote...

Ichiro not a lead off hitter anymore

January 25, 2012 9:44 pm

The 2nd biggest frustration I had last year was Ichiro leading off. It seemed like every time his slap the ball right to someone, instant out. He's played ball for many years and his skills have diminished. Ichiro has done spectacular things for our club in the past but everyone wears down eventually. I support Wedge and Z, let's play ball.

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Newton wrote...

Itchy is good enough to play on a real baseball team.

January 26, 2012 12:04 am

Mariners who are a crap team should let itchy play on good team like Texas or Boston. Let him go and pick up some players that know how to suck to be a mariner.

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wcremedy24 wrote...

Newton

January 26, 2012 5:27 am

Please stick to chanting for Charlie Whitehurst.

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XKOP wrote...

Newton

January 26, 2012 10:39 am

And reading your posts proves that you know how to suck being a poster.

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Ed Altizer wrote...

Leading Off...Maybe

January 26, 2012 7:04 am

It's interesting how there are those who say Ichiro is an "out machine". He had a bad year last year, for him...but he still had 184 hits. Look at the stats of players for 2011 and count the number who had more than 184 hits. Yes there were several, but there was a huge number who had less. For most players, 184 hits in a season is a very good year. What Wedge said he wants from a leadoff hitter describes Ichiro, with the exception that Ichiro doesn't work as many walks as he should and could.

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69 Pitch Wedge wrote...

It's interesting how Marinerman says Ichiro was an "out machine".

January 26, 2012 7:29 am

Another basic M's fan who does not have a clue. Losing does that to this type of fan. #51 stats--GP/161(1st), Ave./.272(3rd), Hits/184(1st), 2B/22(3rd), 3B/3(2nd), HR/5 (5th), RBI/47 (3rd). What stands out to this M's fan is that #51 played 161 games and was still able to put out numbers that are far from being an "Out Machine" even in the 1st inning. 184 hits with only 80 runs scored and 47 RBI's might suggest to look at others on the team for your out machine.

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Marinerman87 wrote...

Hey genius

January 26, 2012 8:38 am

I am an educated baseball fan and Mariners fan and entering my 17th year of being a Die Hard M's fan through thick and thin. Ichiro may of had 184 hits, but over 677 AB's. Only 39 walks in 677 AB's. He had a good April and sucked most of the year. A career low OBP of .310. That's approaching Yuni Bentancourt and Jose Lopez OBP territory. He was a slap singles hitter that hit for an empty .272. THAT is not what you want as a leadoff hitter. I hope Ichiro rebounds but at his age who knows.

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Marinerman87 wrote...

Seriously

January 26, 2012 8:40 am

Comparing Ichiro's stats to the rest of last years team? Isn't that kind of skewed?? It's like comparing a C student to a class full of students getting F's! Compare his numbers with other leadoff hitter or right fielder in the AL and see where he ranks....Hint:it's not in the top 5...

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MFCEO wrote...

good and bad

January 26, 2012 7:42 am

Yes Ichiro still gets more base hits then anyone else(watch out for Ackley). It is the other crap he does that pisses me off. Like making the decision himself to bunt when it is clearly a terrible idea. Or to steal by his choice when the batter has no idea of it. Throw is his inability to all of a sudden last year not be able to track fly balls down. He does his own thing too much of the time. And is a lame teammate. hopefully he is hitting 8th or 9th.

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SeattleNative wrote...

@ 69 wedge: You forget the most important stat for a leadoff hitter:

January 26, 2012 8:13 am

Ichiro's OBP in 2011, at .310, was the worst of his career, and placed him #12 on the team for OBP. That suggests that, compared to at least 11 other people on the team, he is an "out machine".
You can't score if you're not on base.

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69 Pitch Wedge wrote...

I checked out that stat Oh Native One, check this out

January 26, 2012 8:32 am

yes .310 was the worst of his career but of the 11 other players you speak of only 2 (Ryan/Smoak) played 123 games compared to #51 161 games and the other 9 didn't even play more than 1/2 the season.

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SeattleNative wrote...

Ichiro had 200 more AB than the next closest player...

January 26, 2012 9:03 am

...which means that Ichiro saw a lot more pitches than anybody else on the team. Which means he should be better at picking out pitches to swing at.
The biggest problem I saw is that he was constantly swinging at pitches way out of the strike zone.
For the good of the team, take a darned walk every now and then. You're the leadoff hitter, ferchrissakes. Get on base.

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BikeNazi wrote...

Ichiro is a marketing machine

January 26, 2012 9:21 am

He sells tickets and gets fans in the seats. Half of the promos revolve around him. He'd be better off with the Yankees and Seattle could free up some of his money for some new talent. No more of this Ken Griffey Jr. living in the past crap.

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otherpointofview wrote...

pains me

January 26, 2012 9:45 am

it pains me to say this..but do you guys see anyone else who could hit at the top of the order who has proven himself as a major league hitter?.... NOPE! yes we have lots of potential.. i like Ackley.. but i think he'll hit about the same average.. but get less hits and he strikes out much more.. his OBP might be slightly higher but he doesn't steal as many bases.. so it's either Ackley or Ichiro at this point. you either chalk up last year as a down year for a guy who's been nothing but good the last 10 years or roll the dice with Ackley.. either way it's going to be a down year yet again

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artimus wrote...

The sooner the M's go all in with the

January 26, 2012 10:02 am

...young guys, the better (as far as I'm concerned). I hope they do what they need to do to extricate themselves from Ichiro as gracefully and quickly as possible. I'd also be bummed to see them extend the budget on the Johnny Damons of the world. Stick with JackZ, go with the youth, and build something that will hopefully lead to them being in the runnng for a while.

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C"mon Man wrote...

Mariners

January 26, 2012 11:25 am

Fan favorite?yes,slap hitter?yes, but ever since opposing pitchers and their coaches have figured him out, he is average. Here comes the kicker,even though I will be scolded for saying this,I would trade him as easily as they did Joe Buck's hero Cliff Lee, but he will retire a Mariner, as opposed to trading him for young pitching prospect's, but why upgrade? When you have Bud Selig's profit sharing to help keep the M's in the black with a average team and a beautiful tax dollar stadium that has now become a social gathering as opposed to the home of a rock solid,Lou P. managed team, full of excited M's fans, and sports bars full of clammering fans and people like me glued to their radio at my second job at night.

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Kevin Calabro

Kevin Calabro hosts a weekday show from 3-6 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle. Kevin spent 21 seasons as the radio and television announcer for the Seattle SuperSonics. In addition to his show on 710 ESPN Seattle, Kevin also does play-by-play for the NBA on ESPN TV and ESPN Radio.

Jim Moore

Jim Moore, aka The Go 2 Guy, co-hosts The Kevin Calabro Show on 710 ESPN Seattle. Jim previously was a reporter and columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for 26 years.

Jessamyn McIntyre

Jessamyn McIntyre is the producer of The Kevin Calabro Show. She comes to 710 ESPN Seattle after four years at ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Conn. Jessamyn also freelances as an on-site producer for NBA games on ESPN Radio.

Updated Jan 26, 2012 - 10:02 am

Wedge: 'Good possibility' Ichiro won't hit leadoff in 2012

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