So, how did The Magazine become the first major publication to get Ichiro Suzuki to pose for a cover shot? Aw, it was a piece of cake. Just took a little negotiating.

Actually, I'm lying.

Thanks go to Ichiro's Mariners teammates for playing well enough to force the team concept on us; Ichiro never had a problem posing with his boys.

But before we were able to carve out 30 minutes of Ichiro's time for the photo shoot last week in Arlington, Texas, I had to promise Hide Sueyoshi -- the Mariners assistant director of international scouting and Ichiro's part-time translator -- that we would not crop Bret Boone, Mike Cameron and Edgar Martinez out of the shot and run Ichiro solo. Seriously, the man was concerned.

"This would be a problem," Hide said.

"It won't happen," I said. "It's all about team, and there's no I-C-H-I-R-O in team."

So, with that settled, knowing that Ichiro was a team-first kind of guy, we proceeded without an obstacle. Well almost.

"Please take your hat off, Ichiro," our photo editor, Nik Kleinberg said. Hide translated.

"Aaaah, no," Ichiro said, shaking his head.

"A hat will put a big shadow across your face," Kleinberg said. Hide translated.

"No," Ichiro said, shaking his head.

Silence. Hide said something in Japanese.

"Aaaah," Ichiro said, shaking his head and then turning his Mariners cap around backwards. Kleinberg and photographer Peter Heisler nodded their heads. A compromise was reached, but I was still left to wonder ... why did Ichiro insist on wearing his cap?

"He says some things must remain secret," Hide said. "And he's having a bad hair day."

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail jeff.bradley@espnmag.com. Jeff's cover story on the Mariners appears in the July 23 issue of ESPN The Magazine.