Soriano’s career on-base percentage of .328 pales next to Ichiro. But given he hits 30-40 home runs per year, Soriano’s career slugging percentage — total bases divided by plate appearances — of .512 far outpaces Ichiro's .439. For the combined total of on-base percentage plus slugging, Soriano outdoes Ichiro, .840 to .818.

This season, Ichiro is on pace to set his career high in slugging, .459. But Soriano, Hart, Granderson and Rollins are all over .500. Sizemore is close to that mark. Roberts, at .448, and Reyes, at .439, are right behind Ichiro, whose slugging percentage is up because his batting average is strong (.359) and his doubles pace puts him at around 25, which is good for him.

Ichiro's on-base plus slugging percentage this season, .869, is spectacular for him, but still puts him behind Granderson and Soriano (both at .884) and Hart (.876) and not too far above Sizemore (.860), Roberts (.848), Rollins (.847) and Reyes (.826).

Roberts is the oldest of that group, at 29. So presumably, these are all players whose total numbers could well outstrip Ichiro's.

If that makes Ichiro an $18 million-a-year player, then a whole lot of other players will be waiting for a similar, or better, payday. And that’s just among leadoff hitters.

No wonder Florida Marlins president David Samson told WAXY-AM radio in Miami that “[i]f Ichiro's worth 20 million a year, I am speechless by that contract ... . Because there's no chance that a top of the lineup, forget that, there's no chance anybody's worth that. And Ichiro who's led his team to zero? ...”

“Well, sign Ichiro to a 20 million a year for five years it's a joke, it's inexcusable, it's complete mismanagement. It can't be true.”

Oh, it is true. Strange, but true.

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