The percolating Hot Stove

Well, it's Christmas time and all I have left on my shopping list is my Dad's present. During these months, my beloved sport of baseball doesn't stop, instead, the always-exciting, sometimes nerve-wracking Hot Stove season of Transactions starts. My team, the Mariners, have already traded reliever Josh Lueke to the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher John Jaso and signed other players to minor league contracts. The big rumors with the Mariners, however, is that they are seeking and hopefully to sign free agent first baseman and power hitter Prince Fielder. Naturally, this would be awesome. However, recently, people seem to suggest that if Fielder signs, that means Ichiro will leave the team post 2012. I am a huge Ichiro fan, having seen him many times since 2002. While I know good things can't last forever, I feel like Ichiro is going to bounce back from his average 2011 season and can keep playing baseball for quite some time. As the Mariners bring forth their prospects like Mike Carp and Dustin Ackley as well as young talent traded for like Justin Smoak, Casper Wells and Trayvon Robinson, I would love it if Ichiro would be part of that team. Seeing Ichiro on the same team as all the exciting young Mariners would be a dream come true, which makes me scared when people talk about his contract being "off the books."  So, here's hoping for the signing of Prince Fielder and the continued reign of Ichiro Suzuki as the Mariners star player.