Great week to be Ichiro Suzuki.

The Seattle leadoff man signed a $90 million, five-year contract extension yesterday, three days after he was the unanimous MVP of the All-Star game.

The deal ensures Seattle, enjoying its best season in four years, will not lose its franchise cornerstone to free agency this fall. Instead, the Mariners will keep the seven-time All-Star and perennial Gold Glove outfielder under contract until age 39.

"Now, I have the opportunity to be on one team for a long time. And I am grateful for that," Suzuki said at a press conference announcing the richest contract in Mariners history.

"I'm going to do my best to play 10 more years here."

Suzuki, the first player in major league history with 200 hits in each of his first six seasons, led the majors with 128 hits going into last night's game against Detroit. He was batting .355 with five home runs and 39 RBIs, and had stolen 23 bases.

"We're signing here a Hall of Fame-type player," general manager Bill Bavasi said.

As Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said, "He is our icon."

The contract contains a $5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $17 million for each season from 2008 to 2012, with part of the money deferred. Because of the deferred money, the average annual value is discounted to about $16.5 million.