Editing Ichiro Suzuki (section)

====2012====

On 19 June 2012, Suzuki led off a game against the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] with a single to center field, the 2,500th hit of his MLB career. Suzuki reached the milestone in the fourth-fewest games in major league history, after [[Al Simmons]], [[Ty Cobb]], and [[George Sisler]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Bloom|first=Barry M.|title=Ichiro back in lineup, collects 2,500th hit|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120619&content_id=33592268&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb%20%20%20,after|work=mlb.com|publisher=MLB Advanced Media, L.P.|access-date=20 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617204733/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120619&content_id=33592268&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb%20%20%20,after|archive-date=17 June 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 13-inning road loss to the Oakland A's on 8 July, Suzuki was placed second in the batting order and responded by going 2 for 6 to bring his season batting average to .261 heading into the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box#gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box|title=July 8, 2012 Box score vs. A's|work=MLB.com|access-date=8 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201211046/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box#gid=2012_07_08_seamlb_oakmlb_1&mode=box|archive-date=1 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In the previous night's game, Suzuki recorded two hits to break a career-worst 0-for-23 hitless streak.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-mariners-2-1-13-000853863--mlb.html|title=A's top Mariners in 13 to end 1st half at .500|last=Dubow|first=Josh|agency=AP|work=Yahoo! Sports|date=8 July 2012|access-date=8 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712014750/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-mariners-2-1-13-000853863--mlb.html|archive-date=12 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki had also been tried at the three-spot in the batting order<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2018743207_stone22.html|title=Ichiro's legacy muddied what should be a clear-cut contract decision|last=Stone|first=Larry|date=21 July 2012|access-date=22 July 2012|newspaper=Seattle Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725063657/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/larrystone/2018743207_stone22.html|archive-date=25 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> during a season for which he earned $18 million. Former teammate [[Jay Buhner]] stated he felt Suzuki was the recipient of too much blame for the Mariners' difficulties but "at the same time, they need help desperately." Buhner stated that if Suzuki were awarded a three-year contract extension for somewhere between $35 million and $40 million, "I'd vomit. I mean, really, no offense. No offense, we've got to get this organization turned around. You can't be spending all the money on one guy."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2018709473_mariners_notes18.html|newspaper=The Seattle Times|title=Jay Buhner says 'I'd vomit' if Ichiro was offered big contract extension|date=17 July 2012|access-date=22 July 2012|last=Baker|first=Geoff|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721054952/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2018709473_mariners_notes18.html|archive-date=21 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

With a contract extension with the Mariners unknown, Suzuki stated, "It's going to go both ways. It can't just come from the player. It's got to come from the team, too. If the team is saying they need you, you're necessary, then it becomes a piece. But if it's just coming from the player, it's not going to happen."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-draws-from-lessons-learned-from-friend-buck-o-neil-as-he-ponders-future-with-mariners.html|title=Ichiro draws lessons learned from friend Buck O'Neil as he ponders future with Mariners|date=19 July 2012|access-date=22 July 2012|last=Passan|first=Jeff|work=Yahoo! Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722002055/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-draws-from-lessons-learned-from-friend-buck-o-neil-as-he-ponders-future-with-mariners.html|archive-date=22 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, said, "He knows that the club has to grow. He knows they have to play the younger guys and get them more playing time. The only way he knows to do that is to move on. He doesn't want to stop playing. He wants to continue."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2018755284_ichirotrade24.html|title=Ichiro traded to Yankees for minor-league prospects|date=23 July 2012|access-date=23 July 2012|newspaper=The Seattle Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213053231/http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2018755284_ichirotrade24.html|archive-date=13 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>