Unfortunately, it looks like thirty-two year old Ikeyama's best years are behind him. While he has 265 career home runs and several golden gloves at shortstop, recent injuries have taken their toll.

Over the last four years, he's spent a season's worth of games on the DL. While his home run total dropped from 30 in 1992 to seven in 1996, his batting average has continued to slip every year. Because of his declining prowess at shortstop, the .265 career hitter was moved to third base after the 1996 season.

But healthy for most of the 1997 season, Ikeyama rebounded. Though he batted around .200 in April and May, the rejuvenated third sacker finished the season with a .276 average and 19 home runs. While also collecting 79 RBIs, Ikeyama demonstrated that he still knows how to run, compiling eleven stolen bases, three triples and one "running" (inside-the-park) home run.

During the 1997 Japan Series, he hit .312 with five RBIs and one stolen base.

Like second baseman Hatsuhiko Tsuji, Ikeyama has a pretty good sense of humor. He's been known to hang around the gaijin players, practicing his fractured English on them. His wife and him have also hosted foreign players at their home.

A video clip a few years back revealed Ikeyama's brand of sly humor. Kazushige Nagashima, a half-talent who only got to play professionally because he was the Giants manager's son, was sitting on a field before practice, changing his shoes.

Ikeyama wandered over, crouched down, and looked at Nagashima's cleats. "Hmm... these are nice shoes. I wonder why you can't run fast in them." Then picking up juniors' mit, "Hmmm... this is a good glove... I wonder why you drop so many balls."