The Seattle Mariners’ passing of the guard might have been no more evident than what was transpiring Saturday night at T-Mobile Park.
There was 45-year-old Ichiro, honored before the game with the club’s franchise achievement award before he rendered a passionate, and admittedly nervous, speech of more than five minutes, all in English. Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez were here, too.
Then 33-year-old Felix Hernandez took the mound for what could very well be one of his final starts in Seattle (at least with a Mariners jersey) before his $175 million contract expires at the end of the season.