Ichiro keeps hits coming, year after year

[Forkboy]

Consistent greatness creating future Hall of Fame buzz

SEATTLE -- There are bats and balls, caps and wristbands worn by Ichiro Suzuki resting comfortably at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., waiting for the owner to arrive.

And make no mistake about it, the nine-time All-Star and likely nine-time Gold Glove Award winner has one foot in the door at baseball's shrine.
--
The numbers he has accumulated are mind-boggling.

Ichiro led the Major Leagues with 242 hits in his rookie season, has accumulated at least 206 hits each season since, topping out with a MLB-record 262 hits in 2004, when he broke the record Sisler had held for 80 years.

Ichiro has more hits -- 1,939 -- over a nine-year period than anyone in MLB history. He has 591 multihit games since 2001, which is 109 more than second-place Derek Jeter; more infield hits than anyone, 437 and counting; and, with 66 more hits this season would become the first player in MLB history to have nine consecutive 200-hit seasons, surpassing Wee Willie Keeler.

With 134 hits in 84 games and 70 games remaining, Ichiro is on pace to finish this season with 245 hits. The most hits compiled by someone 35 or older is 227 -- a mark set by Sam Rice in 1925 and Nap Lajoie in 1910. Among modern-day players, the standard was set by Paul Molitor, who had 225 hits at the age of 39 in 1996.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090720&content_id=5958220&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Talk about a no brainer. Ichiro should be inducted the afternoon he retires. Though he should be the 2nd Japanese baseball player in the Hall instead of the first. Sadaharu Oh should be there already. Anyways, check out some of these other stats of Ichiro's...

- In Japan playing for the Orix Blue Wave, he once went 216 at bats without a strikeout.

- Ichiro has played at least 157 games every year in MLB.

- Ichiro's 1.41 hits per game is higher than Tony Gwynn (1.28), Cap Anson (1.36), Rod Carew (1.24), Honus Wagner (1.23), Robin Yount (1.1), Ty Cobb (1.38), Tris Speaker (1.26), Pete Rose (1.19), and Nap Lajoie (1.31).

- He has won 15 Gold Gloves in his 17 year career (7 in Japan, 8 in MLB).

- In 1994 he scored in sixty-nine consecutive games between May 21 and August 26.

I've heard other stats that I can't remember now from Japan that were just mind boggling. The guy is amazing.

[Capt. America]

1. My favorite MLB player. I wear #51 due to him. First Japanese born HOF? Locked.

[Auggie]

2. I was listening to S.F. Giants announcer Jon Miller the other night

and he was reminding everyone that batters have about 1/4 of a second to decide to swing on a pitch after it's been thrown. That means in 1/4 second a batter has to decide if he's swinging at a fast ball, curve ball, slider, etc., and where it's going be as it crosses the plate.

Ichiro's success is indeed something to marvel over.

[LisaM]

3. But one thing about him

is that you won't see him hitting sac flies, sac bunts, etc. He's more interested in his own stats, in my opinion, than in helping others score runs.

[Forkboy]

5. "He's more interested in his own stats, in my opinion, than in helping others score runs. "

Couldn't disagree more.

[LisaM]

7. Well, I live in Seattle and I know people here who agree with me

Not that I care squat about what the Mariners do. But my SO and his friend were talking about this just a couple of weeks ago. He always looks good on paper.

[Upton]

8. You're right about one thing Lisa

there is a small hard core percentage in Seattle, existing both in the media and the public, that have blamed all the Mariners ills almost entirely on Ichiro...I think they're idiots but they do exist. I'm sorry to see you've fallen in with them.

[LisaM]

10. I don't blame their ills on Ichiro. I think he is symptomatic of some of their ills

They have consistently had a squad of egoists who are not the least bit fan friendly, and who just can't seem to get it done. Even during their peak years, they have only made it to the ALCS once.

The year they got all those wins I went to one of the first-round playoff games and they just didn't seem to have any connection with the crowd or even each other and they stunk in the game. In the years I've been watching them, I've seen a handful of players who seem to generate any emotion at all - Buhner, Cameron, Griffey (now), Dan Wilson, maybe a few others. Ichiro has played here for years and he still speaks through a translator and doesn't seem to do diddly for the community (I'm sure he does something but I sure don't know what it is).

When he first got here, it was very exciting - the stands were overflowing with tourists from Japan who were practically beside themselves, bars around town were naming drinks after him, etc. I never even saw him acknowledge any of the accolades.

While he's been here, the team has rarely been above mediocre (except the 116-win year, where, as I said, they did nothing in the playoffs). You watch and let me know the next time you see him sacrifice a hit to move someone else up. I understand that he's leadoff, but he bats with people on base all the time. I'll tell you another thing I don't like about him - he's histrionic. If a ball even brushes him, he drops to the ground like he's been shot. I was sitting in the outfield, second row, right in between him and Cameron once, and they had a collision that wouldn't have rattled me. Ichiro lay in a huddle while the crowd all held their breath; once everyone's concern was sufficiently aroused, up he popped. My SO thought I was being heartless because I scoffed at his dramatics, but he wasn't hurt in the least.

Now, everyone looks for different things in players, and that's their right. I prefer the players who think that the fans are important, who can exhibit a little toughness, and worry more about getting a win than personal stats.

I will admit there is more team chemistry THIS year - partly fuelled by a more mature Griffey - but that's not saying much.

Not everyone here in Seattle agrees with me on Ichiro. But, there are more than a few who do.

[Upton]

12. I understand some of your concerns

at least about the team...management has made some very poor decisions since 2001. Speaking of which, you must have gone to game 1 of that ALDS...that was the only game they lost at home and they looked bad because C.C. Sabathia shut them down, but he's done that to a lot of teams over the years.

If you remember the Mariners were on the verge of losing that series, playing in Cleveland up against Sabathia again, down 2-1 in games and 1-0 in game 4 with 2 outs in the 7th, when Ichiro got the game tying base hit which opened the floodgates, led to a win and an eventual series win in game 5 in Seattle.

The Mariners were the toast of the Puget Sound in those days....everybody loved them, Edgar, Boone, Bell, Cameron, Moyer and of course Ichiro. I'm not sure what you're talking about when you say "they just didn't seem to have any connection with the crowd", particularly back in those days.

I make it up to Safeco occasionally, even saw Bonds and the Giants there in 2006 (Barry homered), and I for sure get a lot of exposure to the M's on FSNW..and I think Ichiro is the greatest hitter I've ever seen.

[LisaM]

14. I wish Ichiro played for your team!

Actually since I don't like the Ms, really, I don't care that he does play for them.

The crowd got behind the team in the years around 1995 and so. Did the team respond in kind? Not in my mind. I went to Randy Johnson's first game back. Crowd went nuts for him. He was such a jerk he wouldn't even come out and tip his hat.

When they won the division in 2001, the only person who acknowledged the fans in the celebration was Cameron. They are not a team that interacts with the fans much.

Ichiro is possibly the most conceited human being I have ever seen. He was billed as the second coming of Elvis, and he thinks he is. When he first showed up, the players had to advise him (seriously!) that it wasn't okay to make easy catches with his glove behind his back. Apparently that plays in Japan, but it doesn't go over here. They told him he'd quickly get a brushback pitch if he tried that crap in the US. I can't bear the guy, as you can tell.

[Forkboy]

9. Then living there isn't helping.

:shrug:

[Auggie]

6. I believe the wise choice is to let Ichiro swing away

I love sacrifices, but I like base hits more.

[opiate69]

11. Exactly..

You don't ask a guy who's had over 200 hits per season for the last decade to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Well, unless you're completely clueless about baseball anyway.

[Forkboy]

13. He said in an interview once that he could hit 40 home runs but bat .250.

But that wasn't what the team wanted him for. He does exactly what they ask of him.

[Onceuponalife]

4. Absolutely amazing player. I love this guy.

262 hits in a season is just sick. Even my idol Pete Rose never did that.