The Black Lodge

Official Seattle SuperStar

He's still here to play.

In commemoration of this relief I leave the translated lyrics of Ichiro's favorite batting song Superstar. (which is rather surreal...)

“The future is a face of ignorance, I’ll keep making it myself.”Maybe that’s what you think
It’s just that on a kind of loud morning, I lost my voice

But I remember your brightly shining eyes

If I were to meet them again, it would not make me happy
So this is the me of a feeble today
And yet I hate this

“Answers are infinite, I’ll keep making them myself.”
Dying leaves are, as usual, protecting the ground
Kicking, walking over that kind of earth is how I search for my voice

Each time I remember your decision to stand in solitude
I shake, enduring the tears
But this is the me of an inept today

Tomorrow, I want our hearts to face each other in the flame that burns you
As if when we met was something I could be proud of
The you inside the TV
is my superstar

- by Tokyo Jihen/Shiina Ringo

Labels: Contract, Ichiro, Seattle, superstar

Signings...

SEATTLE -- Going with the theme of the day, hopefully the Times didn't jinx the reported contract extension with Ichiro with their front page story in today's paper. In my opinion, this would be Bill Bavasi's first good move as the Mariners GM. Even if the speculative price is $20 million per year, it's worth it considering the box office draw, market appeal both here and in Asia. It's a no-brainer. And something Seattle should have done in the offseason.

The story is starting to get national media attention, and with good reason. If Ichiro becomes a free-agent next Winter, Seattle will have lost to free-agency their fourth HOF in his prime, following Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr. and Álex Rodríguez out of town.

If Ichiro indeed re-ups with the M's, it'll be a great day. And it might buy Bavasi another year or two as MLB's worst GM... but hey, we'll take the bad with the good, eh!?! At least we have Kevin Durant in the Northwest for the next three years...

UPTON PARK -- From the Irony Department, another reported signing is the transfer of Craig Bellamy to West Ham United in a club-record £7.5million move. Bellamy joins a West Ham club that barely escaped regulation this past season after two shady signings of now notorious Argentinians. I think Bellamy thinks by signing with United, he gets to roll with the Green Street Hooligans firm, and saw the appeal in a guaranteed fight every week.