Notes: Ichiro right back in lineup - 棒球

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Notes: Ichiro right back in lineup
07/16/2007 10:22 PM ET
By Patrick Brown / MLB.com

SEATTLE -- The city of Seattle can exhale. Ichiro is OK.

Things didn't look so good Sunday after Mariners center fielder
Ichiro Suzuki took one of Justin Verlander's fastballs slightly
above his right knee, causing him to hobble around a bit before
exiting the game.

But Ichiro, Seattle's iron man who has played in 489 of 490 games
dating back to 2004, and 93 consecutive games prior to Monday's
series opener against the Orioles, was back in the leadoff spot
Monday.

He was set as the designated hitter, although manager John McLaren
said that was his call, because Ichiro wanted to play in center.

"I felt like with everything he's been through in the last week,
with the All-Star Game festivities, to the contract negotiations,
the press conference, him getting hit, I thought it was a good
time to let him DH and catch his breath," McLaren said. "It was
a scare for us yesterday, but he feels real good, so it's a big
relief for us to hear that news."

McLaren got a call from team trainer Rick Griffin, who dialed the
skipper just as he was getting his morning coffee around 10 a.m.

The ball missed Ichiro's kneecap and didn't hit any bone, making
it a pretty quick injury to get over.

Reserve Jason Ellison started in center in place of Ichiro on Monday.



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