Can Felix & Ichiro's Reunion Revitalize a Desperate Franchise?

The two defining players of this generation of Mariners baseball are teammates once again.

For the first time since 2012, the Seattle Mariners’ roster boasts both Felix Hernandez and Ichiro. However, that undoubtedly means something a lot different now than it did then.

Felix Hernandez was a Cy Young candidate when Ichiro was traded. He’s not that anymore. That same season, Ichiro played 162 games and hit .283. He likely won’t do either of those anymore.

That said, Ichiro and Felix are the two faces of the Seattle Mariners since 2001, the greatest regular season in Major League Baseball history. And even if it doesn’t mean as much as it once did, the fact that they are teammates once again still has to count for something.

What it means in terms of on-field performance remains a bit of a mystery. Felix Hernandez isn’t an ace anymore, but have his struggles been more related to nagging injuries or the as-yet undefeated Father Time? He won’t turn 32 until the second week of the season, which means he has more mileage on his arm that most pitchers his age. In short, a fully healthy Felix could still potentially be a stellar Major League pitcher.

Ichiro’s case is slightly different. He had more than half as many games played as at-bats last season, meaning he’s essentially become a primary pinch hitter. The Mariners don’t seem to want him use him that way though; a designated pinch-hitter is a role more useful in National League lineups anyway, and Servais has announced that he does not plan to keep Ichiro on the bench. Yet whether Ichiro can justify receiving decent playing time remains to be seen: he is still yet to get a hit in Spring Training.

Aside from their on-field production though, having Felix and Ichiro back together adds something of incredible value for the team – even if intangibly. Beyond being debatably the most popular athlete in Seattle history, Ichiro is quite possibly the most universally-beloved baseball player ever. And since Ichiro's departure, Felix has taken his place as the team’s star player. With his own cheering section during home starts, it's safe to say that The King is the most popular Seattle athlete this decade that didn’t win Super Bowl 48.

As much as many fans would like to see the team’s winning justify an attendance bump, ownership will likely take it any way they can get it. And make no mistake, Ichiro starting in right field twice a week will put butts in the seats. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if, upon Ben Gamel’s return from injury, the Mariners set Ichiro’s playing time to specific days to help his legion of devoted fans plan out their visits.

And Felix, last time I checked, still has the King’s Court. It will likely soon be overtaken by the truly wonderful people of the Maple Grove, but if Felix can stay healthy, his section will draw fans to the often sparsely-populated seats near the left field foul pole.

Where the Mariners have the greatest opportunity with their two club legends, however, is if the duo can recreate some of their on-field magic of old. Sure, it’s unlikely Ichiro will hit .300 or fire a laser beam to third base for a putout ever again. And yes, opposing hitters probably don’t look at the calendar and panic about facing Felix anymore.

But lost in the whining about Ichiro as a nostalgia signing and the paranoia around Felix’s health is this: success from either of them could galvanize the team and fire up the fanbase.

It really wouldn’t take a whole hell of a lot.

Imagine the Safeco crowd that first time Ichiro hacks his way through a 14-pitch at-bat. It'll be loud and disruptive – because after so many years of limited happiness, Mariners fans crave any sort of optimism or even nostalgia they can cling onto.

The same goes for Felix screaming his head off after he gets out of trouble through a well-placed ground ball that ends the inning. The ‘K’ chants will continue, and there’s nothing quite like the Safeco atmosphere when The King mows through opposing hitters one after another. Even if that doesn’t happen as much as it used to, it happening even occasionally would be a welcome improvement from the struggles of the past two seasons.

And for the team’s success, a reliable, top-end starter and consistent offensive output from the outfield and/or bench could work wonders. Expecting victory every time Felix takes the ball or knowing Ichiro can come off the bench late in games to give the team a tough at-bat against a difficult right-handed reliever could help this team make the leap they’re so desperate to make from middling to wild card.

The likelihood of that leap happening varies from “maybe” to “probably not” based on who you ask. But there’s no doubt in my mind that if somehow it happens, it will be infinitely more special because the two greatest Mariners of the 21st century were along for the ride.

For more on the upcoming season, read: "An Optimist, a Pessimist, and a Realist Walk into Safeco Field."

#NerNostalgia #TeamOverview