What a ride it has been for the sure-fire future first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee. Ichiro came to the Mariners for the 2001 season. After winning his rights via the posting system, the Mariners, and their fans weren’t exactly sure what they were getting. While pitchers from Japan had come over and been successful, there hadn’t been a position player to come to the Major Leagues and make a large mark.
I remember being in the spring of my junior year in high school and hearing the news out of spring training about how Ichiro was doing. I’ve been a Mariners fan since I can remember and my Mariners fandom was struggling heading into that season.