2007: The Year in Ichiro

Ichiro wrapped another killer season yesterday, his seventh Major League campaign, all with the Mariners. He led the Majors with 238 hits (his third-highest career total) and had the Majors's second highest batting average (.351, his second- highest career total). He also racked up a 25-game hitting streak (a Mariner record), won the All-Star Game MVP, and stroked his 1,500th career hit. He also scored 100-plus runs and stole 30-plus bases for the seventh consecutive season, and will likely earn his seventh consecutive Gold Glove award... Damn he's smoove.

Looking ahead to next year, it seems a good bet that he'll tie Wee Willie Keeler's Major League record of eight consecutive 200-hit seasons, and then break it in 2009. And, thanks to the contract extension he signed in July, he'll be a Mariner through 2012!