Ichiro Suzuki, 41, is getting ready to start his 15th season in Major League Baseball with the Marlins.
The veteran signed a one-year contract with the club back in January. Before he found his home for the 2015 MLB season, Suzuki spent nearly three months in free agency limbo waiting for a team to express interest. He explained what those months felt like to the Wall Street Journal.
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“That must be what it feels like to be a puppy at a pet shop,” Ichiro said. “Amongst all the cute little puppies jumping and tumbling for prospective owners, there’s one who’s a little older, a little more mature, who keeps getting passed over for the more adorable ones. When someone finally comes along and points a finger at him, an undying loyalty is born.”
The Marlins will be Suzuki's third baseball team in his career. He became famous during his days with the Mariners where he spent the first 11 years of his career and made 10 All-Star appearances. He then had a short stint with the Yankees, where he played last season.
Despite being an older veteran, Suzuki still appeared in 143 games for New York in 2014, hitting .284 and stealing 15 bases.