Ichiro’s fall is not as precarious as you think

How can such a great player suddenly struggle like this? (Getty Images) Whenever you watch the Mariners, you always hear about Ichiro. Normally it’s how incredibly well he’s hitting, fielding, and stealing bases. These days, it’s all about the fall of Ichiro. Ichiro has hit just .271 thus far in 2011 with just a .303 OBP. This is from a player who entered 2011 with a .331 career batting average and a .376 career OBP. What in the world has happened to Ichiro? Everyone’s first inclination would be to say that Ichiro is just old now. He’ll turn 38 after the season, and very few players have been able to play at high level at that age. Ichiro had a great career, but maybe it’s coming to a close. But the people saying that are at least partly wrong. Ichiro is getting older, but his struggles this season are not due purely to age. He has also been dealing with a problem that has avoided him his entire career- a lack of luck. For his career, Ichiro h...