The question was posed about Ichiro's contract status. I'll try to shed some light on the matter.

Ichiro can be a free agent at the end of the season. The Mariners – and this is GM Bill Bavasi and president Chuck Armstrong we're talking about – have said they want him to return. Ichiro's thoughts on the matter are less clear.

Ichiro's agent said recently he's prepared to listen to the Mariners' offer at an extension. He also down-played reports from Japan that Ichiro is prepared to move on at the end of the season.

Ichiro's true feelings about his future are a more closely guarded secret than the crown jewels. He has said he wants to win and his agreement to move to center field seems to indicate that he's serious about trying to give the Mariners the best chance to do that. (As a note, the move could be short-lived if Adam Jones develops and Jose Guillen flops. Stay tuned.)

Bavasi said at the team's kickoff luncheon that he wants to get something done but wouldn't say when or if it was a pressing priority. He's notoriously tight-lipped about deals and trades. When it comes to Ichiro, who has a different status than others because he's from Japan and he's an owner favorite, expect "news" about negotiations to be even harder to determine.

If something is going to get done I would think it would get done before the end of the season, probably even sooner. Ichiro's still a fantastic hitter and he takes incredible care of himself, so there's not much risk involved in signing him.

The wild card in all of this is Ichiro. Does he want to stick around Seattle if the Mariners are competitive? It would be hard to blame he if he didn't. But if he does want to stay, expect the Mariners to pay him what it takes to keep him.

FYI: Ichiro's last extension was a four-year, $44-million dollar deal signed in 2003.