“If Ichiro wanted to hit 30 homers, he could do that.”
—AJ Pierzynski, Giants catcher

“ The game is just different for this man. He sees spaces on the field and guides the ball where he wants it to go, just like he’s playing slow-pitch softball.”
— Paul Molitor, Mariners Hitting Coach

“ Nobody in baseball can get a hit in as many ways as he can.”
— Teammate Bret Boone

“He’s a cool guy. You can tell he has confidence in his ability.”
—Former teammate Ken Griffey, Jr.

“He’s a Generation Xer—he’s into fashion and is a clean-living guy—he plays hard-nosed but with flair. He’s going to be an energizer not only for Seattle, but for the game of baseball.”
—Scout Tom McNamara

“I love the guy. He’s cool. He’s got a cool hairstyle. Cool clothes. Cool car. Besides, anybody that just goes by one name has got to be cool. Man, he’s Ichiro. That says it all, doesn’t it?”
—Cubs manager Dusty Baker

“He’s going to be a great player in the major leagues for a long time. He knows his game. He knows his strengths. And he exploits them. It’s like every time he gets on base, he’s going to score.”
—Yankee first baseman Jason Giambi

“He’s a fiesty little sucker. But he’s smooth about his game. That’s what makes him very good.”
—Teammate Mike Cameron

“When you see a guy like this, you can laugh and feel sorry for everyone else.”
—Teammate Jamie Moyer