Thursday was the first time he was around to comment on what has happened since last season ended.
That includes quotes this spring from former closer J.J. Putz, among others, that as good as he was,
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2008932217_mari27.html

Ichiro: Time to act like "professionals''
Plenty has happened since we last saw Ichiro, starting with these comments by J.J. Putz last month in an interview with Larry Stone. After that, there was this Stone interview about the topic
of Ichiro with former manager Jim Riggleman.
And then, as well, Adrian Beltre's comments about last year's team, in which he suggested some players
weren't doing the little things needed to win. There are other examples, like Carlos Silva's rant last summer in
which he spoke out against unidentifed players.

After a few more easier questions were lobbed his way. I finally decided to ask him what we had to ask: about all that's been said since last October.

I quoted from Putz's comments, saying that while he felt Ichiro put up fantastic numbers each year,
there was more he could do to help win games. I then mentioned Riggleman's comments the day after that,
when he spoke of gathering a handful of players in the clubhouse that he felt were unhappy with Ichiro and trying to get them
to address their beefs.

Griffey was hovering nearby while the whole session was going down just opposite his locker.
The rest of the clubhouse was nearly empty. Griffey kept repeating: "That's last year'' as the questions were being asked.
I couldn't make out all he was saying, but he was clearly trying to deflect some of the questioning towards more positive topics.
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