Your thoughts on Ichiro possibly batting 3rd this year?

The man! The myth. The legend. Ichiro has been M's leadoff hitter for 1,722 games.

We all know he shouldn't be any longer. (Most anyways)

Wedge is dropping hints to anyone that will listen that Ichiro could be on his way out of the lead-off spot.

Wedge said he hasn't decided yet who would hit first if Ichiro doesn't, nor where Ichiro would land in the batting order. But he has some ideas about both decisions. He said Dustin Ackley and Chone Figgins are "the first two that come to mind" when it comes to leadoff, with Franklin Gutierrez a possibility.

At the end of last year's disappointing season after he hit a career low .272 — his first time under .300 since 1993 — the manager had cautioned that it was no guarantee Ichiro would return to the leadoff spot.

Quote:

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"I haven't made any firm decisions. I've made it very clear over the course of the winter I'm thinking about it. I'm even further down the road to where I'm leaning in that direction to have Ichi hit somewhere else.

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Oh god, please no. Have him at #2 or somewhere in the 7-9 area. Let someone else get a shot in there. Ichiro is declining, his game is going to be changing. He is not going to beat out the majority of infield hits, but he can still hit those bloopers and slap shots through the infield holes. Would be perfect to move runners along on the bases.