Ichiro did this starting at 28. That is mindblowing.
As for not sacrificing himself to help the team? Why would that matter if the ownership was actively trying to keep the team from winning too much in the first place?
It is actually amazing as a Mariner fan (*back when I cared at all about the Mariners) that I got to see some of the best baseball players in history. Repeatedly.
We had Griffey, Alex (though he was a complete d*ck in real life), and Randy Johnson. Some of the greatest players ever in their respective positions. Then Ichiro, another clear cut HOF player that could do things that normal players could not.
Being a Mariner fan is pretty close to being a Browns fan, but the difference is you see individual greatness repeatedly - even if the team never does a damn thing.
Ichiro was clearly great. And getting 3000 not on a cheap hit, but a triple.
Imagine if he had started his playing career in the MLB - what his numbers would be?