The reason behind Ichiro's slump
[Moderator note: Never copy and paste articles in the full.]
(ESPN Insider link)
At Baseball Info Solutions (BIS), one of the things we track is Good Fielding Plays (GFPs). In simple terms, a GFP is a Web Gem, a play in which a fielder makes an extraordinary effort to record an unlikely out or to prevent an advancement of a runner (although it's worth noting that not all GFPs result in a batter losing a hit).
...
Through Aug. 24, Ichiro was the victim of a league-high 31 GFPs that, without the superb effort of a fielder, could have resulted in a hit.