Jay Buhner: Signing Ichiro to big new contract would make me “vomit”

Former Mariners great Jay Buhner is raising eyebrows after his frank comments about the possibility of the M's re-signing Ichiro to a pricey new contract.

BY JOSH KERNS

Jul 18, 2012, 6:06 AM Updated: 11:18 am

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While Ichiro remains the Mariners’ biggest name, the team
faces a tough decision after this season. His contract
expires at the end of the year and the M’s have to decide
whether to bring him back. And if so, for how much.

If that number is $35 million or $40 million for a three-year deal, that would make former M’s great
Jay Buhner sick.

“I’d vomit,” Buhner said in an interview with 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Salk” on Tuesday. “I mean, really. No offense. No offense. We’ve got to get this organization turned around. You can’t be spending all the money on one guy.”

While Buhner says Ichiro isn’t necessarily the cause of
all the Mariners’ struggles, the team has to do way more than try to build around the aging star.

“They need help desperately,” Buhner said. “They need
some veteran leadership in the clubhouse. Wedgie (manager
Eric Wedge) can’t keep growing the beard, growing the
mustache, shaving it off, that’s not the answer.”

Buhner did go on to say he “loves” Wedge as a manager, but he just doesn’t have the parts to build a winner.

“Quite frankly, he’s exposed,” Buhner said.

Buhner went on to add the team needs help both on the
field and in the clubhouse.

“Look at the revolving door that’s been going on around
there,” Buhner said. “What, seven managers in the last 10
years? GMs. What are you supposed to buy into?”

Buhner admitted many of his criticisms have raised plenty
of eyebrows from Mariners brass, who are likely wondering
why the former star has such a “chip on his shoulder”
about the team.

“That’s what you need,” Buhner said. “You need some
people in there with a chip on their shoulder. Some people in there that are proud to wear the Seattle Mariner uniform. And I’m not seeing that as much anymore, [not seeing] guys that are going in hard breaking up [a double play]. I mean, just play with an attitude, man, that’s what I want to see. Guys that are enjoying what they’re doing, playing with an attitude and getting better. Just get better. Show me some signs.”

Salk asked Buhner how a player can play with “pride” when
he’s losing so often. While Buhner said players have to learn to motivate themselves, especially during the so-called “dog days,” the team could use some veteran leadership that it doesn’t have now.

“Somebody to go kick a kid in the butt, or pat him on the
back. And that’s what we had a lot of when I was coming
up,” Buhner said.