Ichiro in a Yankees Uniform

well this day will end with a drink

Ichiro was traded to the New York Yankees for minor league prospects and cash (basically they dumped his salary to get more young guys, who they will develop and then send to the Yankees). This solidifies my view that the Mariners are content to be a farm team for the big teams this season and, unlike the Rangers and Rays, have no interest in changing that status. I mean there was a shot of ARoid, Ibanez and Ichiro sitting together in the Yankees dugout. All former Mariners who were traded for options and junk and who are now beating up on the Mariners.

I get why they traded him. He is big money and they are going for a younger team. You couldn't trade Chone Figgins for a grilled cheese sandwich these days so they have to cut somewhere. Ichiro also deserves a shot at the playoffs and for better or worse he will get one with the Yankees. I firmly believe that if he played for New York he'd have made the last two All-Star teams (his numbers are WAY better than Granderson's).

Well as for me I always said that I'd cheer for Ichiro no matter where he went, but I assumed they'd trade him to an NL contender (where his style of play would seem to fit better anyway). I could happily cheer for Texas, Tampa, LA or even an AL central team but the Yankees. Baseball's answer to Donald Trump (I think his wig acts like steroids). Well I guess the positive side is that if the Yankees win this year I'll have something to be happy about.

Still, I'm more than a bit upset.