Should the Mariners try to sign Ichiro Suzuki for 2016?

[NorthKorea]

Assuming the Marlins don't re-sign Suzuki, should the Mariners make a push for the (essentially) 42-yr-old veteran outfielder from Japan? Personally, I think it'd be nice to sign him in a similar manner to how Griffey was allowed to "finish his career" with the Mariners, but Suzuki could actually play during this final season.

With the overall abysmal level of play by the Mariners OF, Suzuki may even be able to start for the team in LF, with the intention of having him give Seth Smith days off in CF, when needed.

Suzuki would likely reach 3000 hits as a Mariner, and this would virtually assure him of wearing a Mariners cap on his bust in Cooperstown.

Suzuki's veteran status could also help Cano with pulling the clubhouse together and allow the team to perform somewhat close to repeated expectations.

And if the Mariners win the WS, maybe Nintendo, Microsoft and Starbucks will agree to give him 5000 shares each.

 

[CamaroDMD]

I don't think they will and I don't think they should. When they brought Griffey back...the Mariners weren't making an obvious effort to win games. Over the last couple years...they have paid out big money to bring major players to Seattle in an attempt to win games. It hasn't been as successful as they had hoped...but bringing back Ichiro would be nothing more than an attempt to sell tickets. I think they are committed to winning at this time.

Plus, outside of the Japanese fan base (of which there is a lot here in the Pacific Northwest)...most Mariners fans put Griffey on a much higher pedestal than Ichiro. I think bringing Griffey back did a lot more to bolster the fans moral than bring Ichrio back would do.

Also, Ichiro is a lock Hall of Famer and he is guaranteed to be wearing a Seattle cap on his plaque due to what he did when he was in Seattle. These last couple years won't affect that and playing out another post-prime season in Seattle won't alter that at all IMHO.

 

[NorthKorea]

Personally, I think he should insist on an Orix Blue Wave cap for his plaque. If nothing else, it'd be good for some laughs each time Pete Rose bitches that Japan is minor league ball.

Initially, I thought he would benefit from playing and living near more Asians and weather closer to that of Japan. Now I wonder if he chose Miami due to undisclosed aches due to age.

 

[NorthKorea]

Oh well, the Marlins re-signed Suzuki for $2mm for 2016. He needs 65 hits to reach 3k for his MLB career... so I guess there's an outside shot the Aug 5-15 games will be sold out for the Marlins.

 

[ranbethscards]

I think this is a shame.. it's another Brett Favre fiasco. Hanging around to get 3K hits. Is he going to end up hurting the team more than helping?

 

[CamaroDMD]

I think this is a shame.. it's another Brett Favre fiasco. Hanging around to get 3K hits. Is he going to end up hurting the team more than helping?

I disagree, he can still play (as could Brett Favre until that last season). This isn't like Favre though...Favre played with the media. He enjoyed the attention. He would get up on the podium...get choked up and do that whole act. Ichiro hasn't done anything like that.

If he still wants to play, can still play at a productive level and some team wants him...then play. I have never bought into the idea that "stars tarnish their legacy" by playing "too long." Plus, the Marlins don't seem to be making a push to win so why not have someone on their roster make history to sell tickets.

 

[NorthKorea]

I think this is a shame.. it's another Brett Favre fiasco. Hanging around to get 3K hits. Is he going to end up hurting the team more than helping?

I doubt Suzuki will create negative value for the Marlins. He's to earn (in 2016) less than half the 2015 average MLB salary ($4.25). There have been opinion pieces disguised as articles on the value of an MLB win, but they don't really apply to players, due to the method of derivation.

A 0 WAR team theoretically wins 48 games per season (.294 winning %age). The Marlins had an overall .438 winning %age in 2015 and Suzuki had a .484 waaWL%, so even with a negative WAR, he had a significant positive influence on the actual outcome of games that he played in. This should remove questions about whether he hurts the Marlins more than he helps. The Marlins have a $77mm payroll, with Suzuki's share contributing $2mm. It doesn't seem like the Marlins are really playing to win now (despite Stanton's claims otherwise with the idiotic structure of his contract), so the Suzuki signing is a good one: They get a marginal bat, solid OF veteran, who is extremely popular outside the South Florida community. Suzuki allows the Marlins to gain fans who may have been otherwise alienated by a Latin-market team.

I'd say Suzuki likely generates about $5mm more in merchandise/memorabilia net revenue for the Marlins. A win was worth $52,469 per player in 2015. If we look at Suzuki's 88 starts in 2015, the Marlins had 43 wins while Suzuki was in the starting lineup. Suzuki's value on the field in 2015 was worth $2.235mm. So, even discounting the "clubhouse" and "marketing" value that Suzuki might be worth to $0, the Marlins actually "made" $235k, conservatively, in 2015 by signing Suzuki for $2mm. I don't imagine him suddenly hitting .150, so Suzuki will likely remain in the net $200k-$250k on-field value range for 2016 and 2017 (if the Marlins renew their option). All merchandise revenue is simply another way for Loria to pad his bank account.