Seattle Mariners Mix-Up: Don Wakamatsu Must Switch Lineup, Bat Ichiro Second

Since becoming the skipper of the Seattle Mariners after the 2008 season, Don Wakamatsu has been praised around the league for his outstanding achievements in such a short amount of time.

Upon being named manager, Wakamatsu had to lead a team fresh off a brutally disappointing 101-loss season, and a clubhouse that had as much as fun as Lil’ Wayne at the NationalOldtime Fiddle Festival.

Based around his revamped family-orientated clubhouse, Wakamatsu guided the Mariners to the biggest turnaround in the league last season, finishing with a respectable 85-77 record.

In his two seasons as the manager, it seems like Wakamatsu has laid down the cards perfectly and made all the right moves…until now.

His decision to keep Ichiro at leadoff, with newly acquired 2B Chone Figgins in the two hole, doesn’t really make much sense at all. Although Ichiro has become a staple atop the M’s lineup over the past nine seasons, in order to keep progressing Wakamatsu must switch him with Figgins.

The Mariners are very lucky to even be in this position; they have two of the best leadoff hitters in the entire league on their same team.  But it is vital for the Mariners to choose the right one to be their leadoff hitter, and it boils down to the tendencies and strengths of each player.

Figgins is a versatile small-ball player that has much more patience at the plate and is a bigger threat on the base paths. In 2009, Figgins led the AL in walks (101), and he has averaged 46 stolen bases the past five seasons.

In his nine MLB seasons, Ichiro has gotten 200 hits in each one, an MLB record. However, while he may get a lot of hits, Ichiro doesn’t draw a lot of walks. He has only recorded two seasons with more than 50 bases on balls. Ichiro is still pretty lethal on the basepaths, averaging 36 stolen bases the past five seasons.

Basically, both of these players will reach base, probably more than any other duo in the league. But if the Mariners want optimum results from their two speedy stars, Figgins needs to hit first, with Ichiro second.

As Wakamatsu has stated, Ichiro will start the season batting first. This means there will be many situations with Ichiro leading off with a single, then Figgins following with a walk. Now it’s runners on first and second with no outs.

On the contrary, if Figgins leads off with a single or walk, then Ichiro can follow up with a single. This means it is first and third with no outs. Having a walk-single is much better than a single-walk, because it advances the first runner.

Using both of their strengths, Figgins’ speed and Ichiro’s hit placement, the Mariners can start off many games with a hit and run, and be in great position to ignite a rally early in the game.

Last season Figgins reached base 285 times, second in the American League. Combine Figgins’ knack for reaching base with Ichiro’s ability to exhale base hits, and the Mariners have an amazing one-two punch atop the lineup.

Considering “ichi” means “one” in Japanese, if Wakamatsu makes the right move, batting first will be Chone Figgins, and second will be “Ni”ro Suzuki.