They try to fit him in the mold of typical batters and  get on his case to take more pitches.
While this is an entirely reasonable approach for normal batters, it's not something you stupidly try to force down the throat of a unique batter who's coming off an incredible season (2004). That is, unless you're Hargrove and have some kind of ego problem which is more important than maximizing the potential of all your players/team.

Anyway Ichiro's #P/PA jumps up from 3.51 in 2004 to 3.73 in 2006 (going through 3.58 in 2005). I think this is the reason for the increased number of called strikes that you pointed out. A more passive approach was required of him, and I think this is one factor why his numbers went down from 2004 after Hargrove got here.

Another factor is that the batters like Beltre flopped big behind him and the offense as a whole was weak, so I think he also tried to switch to a power stroke in 2005 for the sake of the team (also I think he always gets a lot of BS about not hitting for more power. If it ain't broke don't fix it!).

(It has to be mentioned that in his rookie year #P/PA was 3.39 and increased and stabilized around 3.48, 3.50, 3.51 in 2002-2004).

I'm hoping that this year Hargrove lays off the BS, and with a better line-up behind him, Ichiro will return back to the 2004-type hitting machine.

2.  Contact% or Swing% vs. HR/PA or HR/OF -- HR% has a positive correlation with K% at the major league level (which is why K's are not as "bad" as people who hate Adam Dunn and Pat Burrell think, but they are definitely bad for minor leaguers).  But why is this true -- are those guys more selective with the balls they swing at, or just whiffing all the time?

3.  K-looking vs. K-swinging vs. wOBA/OPS, etc. -- Is it better to K-looking vs. K-swinging?  Do guys who K-looking more have higher walk rates but lower EBH% rates?

HOME RUNS:  PHI - GREG DOBBS (2) OFF JOEL PINEIRO IN THE 5TH

But what's really telling is this one:  

1st%

21% 2001
23% 2002
25% 2003
25% 2004
20% 2005
15% 2006

Ichiro's taking strike one way more often than he used to.

But he did manage to reduce the number of times he struck out looking, despite taking more called strikes.  He's being aggressive late in the count rather than early, and it appears to be hurting him.