Ichiro reportedly will re-sign with Mariners
Published 5:06 am Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Peninsula Daily News news sources
SAN FRANCISCO – Ichiro is closing in on a contract extension with the Seattle Mariners – and he showed his club why it would want to keep him around for the long haul.
Ichiro hit the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star game history Tuesday night, winning MVP honors and helping the American League to a 5-4 victory.
But his biggest hit might be coming later this week.
The Seattle Times reported on its Web site Tuesday that the contract extension could pay the two-time AL batting champion and 2001 AL MVP close to $100 million over five years.
“Much dinero,” said Ichiro’s AL teammate, Victor Martinez. “Lots of money.”
The 33-year-old Ichiro is in the final year of a $41 million, four-year contract.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, on its Web site, reported that a re-signing could come as early as Thursday, when the Mariners resume play against the Detroit Tigers at Safeco Field.
