Seattle Mariners: 5 Bold Predictions for Ichiro in 2012

Coming off unquestionably his worst season in the MLB in 2011, Ichiro will look to bounce back in the 2012 season, which begins in less than a month. 

In an attempt to bolster the Seattle Mariners' poor offense and also get more production from Ichiro, manager Eric Wedge recently announced that Ichiro will open the season hitting third in the Mariners lineup.

With that in mind, this article takes a look at five bold predictions for Ichiro in the 2012 season.

Over .300 Batting Average

Ichiro’s 2011 average of .272 was his first season below the .300 line and .54 points below his current career average of .326.  Even though Ichiro’s disappointing 2011 season can be attributed to his age—he will be 38 years old at the start of the 2012 season—it isn’t unreasonable to expect another .300 batting average in 2012.

Another reason to believe that Ichiro will bounce back in 2012 is that he altered his batting stance this offseason.  After failing to drive the ball with much authority last season, the Mariners and Ichiro are certainly hoping for better results this coming season.

Career High in RBI

While the move to the number three spot in the batting order will more than likely reduce the number of plate appearances that Ichiro will see in 2012, it should theoretically lead to more RBI opportunities for the 10 time MLB All-Star. 

Although the Mariners offense in front of Ichiro isn’t an elite bunch—Chone Figgins is the current leadoff hitter—Ichiro should still surpass his career high in RBI.  Ichiro's career high of 69 RBI is certainly a reachable number if Ichiro stays locked in the three spot in the batting order throughout the season. 

If Ichiro can rebound to a level reasonably close to his previous MLB levels, he should easily establish a new season high for RBI in 2012.

Career High in HR

Ichiro has long been rumored to have amazing power that is only displayed during the pre-game batting practices.  Former Mariner manager Lou Piniella even declared that Ichiro would win the HR derby if he were ever to participate in the All-Star weekend event.

With a new stance that appears to be more conventional, could Ichiro emerge as a more potent power hitter in the 2012 season?  It’s unlikely that Ichiro ever reaches the 20 HR plateau, but topping his previous career high of 13 homers is certainly attainable for Ichiro.

More Walks

Taking a free pass has never been a part of Ichiro’s hitting repertoire, but with the struggles of last season, Ichiro could look to become a more selective hitter this season.  As previously mentioned, Ichiro struggled with driving the ball last season. A remedy to this would be laying off pitches outside of the strike zone.

Also with a dearth of feared hitters surrounding Ichiro in the lineup, teams could choose to pitch around Ichiro, which would lead to more walks.

Return to the All-Star Game

Last year marked the first All-Star game that Ichiro missed during his time in the MLB.  Hopefully for Seattle Mariners fans, it will prove to be an anomaly, as Ichiro will look to return to the All-Star festivities this season in Kansas City.

If Ichiro can bounce back offensively and continue to provide the occasional defensive highlight from right field, he could once again could represent the Mariners for the American League team.  Taking things a step further, this article ends with the statement that Ichiro will be the All-Star game MVP in 2012.