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Revision as of 22:57, 7 August 2016

For the automotive engineer, see Ichiro Suzuki (engineer).

Ichiro Suzuki
Suzuki with the Marlins in 2015
Miami Marlins – No. 51
outfielder
Born: (1973-10-22) October 22, 1973 (age 51)
Aichi, Japan
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Professional debut
NPB: July 11, 1992, for the Orix BlueWave
MLB: April 2, 2001, for the Seattle Mariners
NPB statistics
Batting average.353
Hits1,278
Home runs118
Runs batted in529
Runs658
Stolen bases199
MLB statistics
(through August 7, 2016)
Batting average.314
Hits2,000
Home runs113
Runs batted in750
Runs1,377
Stolen bases507
Teams
Career highlights and awards
NPB

MLB

MLB records

Baseball achievements

  • 4,278 hits combined in NPB/MLB

Ichiro Suzuki (鈴木 一朗, Suzuki Ichirō, born October 22, 1973), often referred to mononymously as Ichiro (イチロー, Ichirō), is a Japanese professional baseball right fielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has spent the bulk of his career with two teams: the Orix Blue Wave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan, where he began his professional career, and the Seattle Mariners of MLB in the United States. After playing for the Mariners, he played two and a half seasons in MLB with the New York Yankees. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including MLB's single-season record for hits with 262. He had 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player in history. Between his major league career in both Japan and the United States, Ichiro has the most hits by any player in top tier professional leagues.

In his combined playing time in NPB and MLB, Ichiro received 17 consecutive selections both as an All-Star and Gold Glove winner, won nine league batting titles and been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) four times. While playing in NPB, he won seven consecutive batting titles and three consecutive Pacific League MVP Awards. In 2001, Ichiro became the first Japanese-born position player to be posted and signed to an MLB club.[1] He led the American League (AL) in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP.

Ichiro is the first MLB player to enter the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He is a ten-time MLB All-Star and won the 2007 All-Star Game MVP Award for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever inside-the-park home run. Ichiro won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in each of his first ten years in MLB, and has had an American League record seven hitting streaks of 20 or more games, with a high of 27. Ichiro also leads all active players in singles with 2,440 and stolen bases with 506.

Early life

Ichiro grew up in the town of Toyoyama, a relatively small town just outside Nagoya.[2][3][4] At the age of seven, Ichiro joined his first baseball team and asked his father, Nobuyuki Suzuki (鈴木宣之), to teach him to be a better player. The two began a daily routine which included throwing 50 pitches, fielding 50 infield balls and 50 outfield balls, and hitting 500 pitches, 250 from a pitching machine and 250 from his father.[5]

Ichiro in right field in 2002.
Medal record
Representing Japan
Men's Baseball
World Baseball Classic
Gold medal – first place 2006 San Diego Team
Gold medal – first place 2009 Los Angeles Team

As a little leaguer in Toyoyama,[6] Ichiro had the word "concentration" (集中, shūchū) written on his glove. By age 12, he had dedicated himself to pursuing a career in professional baseball, and their training sessions were no longer for leisure, and less enjoyable.The elder Suzuki claimed, "Baseball was fun for both of us", but Ichiro later said, "It might have been fun for him, but for me it was a lot like Star of the Giants," a popular Japanese manga and anime series about a young baseball prospect's difficult road to success, with rigorous training demanded by the father. According to Ichiro, "It bordered on hazing and I suffered a lot."[7]

When Ichiro joined his high school baseball team, his father told the coach, "No matter how good Ichiro is, don't ever praise him. We have to make him spiritually strong."[8] When he was ready to enter high school, Ichiro was selected by a school with a prestigious baseball program, Nagoya's Aikodai Meiden (ja:愛工大名電) High School. Ichiro was primarily used as a pitcher instead of as an outfielder, owing to his exceptionally strong arm. His cumulative high school batting average was .505, with 19 home runs. He built strength and stamina by hurling car tires and hitting Wiffle balls with a heavy shovel, among other regimens. These exercises helped develop his wrists and hips, adding power and endurance to his thin frame. Despite his outstanding numbers in high school, Ichiro was not drafted until the fourth and final round of the professional draft in November 1991, because many teams were discouraged by his small size of 5 ft 9+1⁄2 in (177 cm) and 124 pounds (56 kg).[9] (Years later, Ichiro told an interviewer, "I'm not a big guy and hopefully kids could look at me and see that I'm not muscular and not physically imposing, that I'm just a regular guy. So if somebody with a regular body can get into the record books, kids can look at that. That would make me happy.")[10]

Career in Japan

Ichiro made his Pacific League debut in 1992 at the age of 18, but he spent most of his first two seasons in the farm system because his then-manager, Shōzō Doi, refused to accept Ichiro's unorthodox swing. The swing was nicknamed 'pendulum' (振り子打法, Furiko Dahō) because of the pendulum-like motion of his leg, which shifts his weight forward as he swung the bat, and goes against conventional hitting theory. Even though he hit a home run off Hideo Nomo, who later won a National league Rookie of the Year Award as a Dodger, Ichiro was sent back to the farm system on that very day. In 1994 he benefited from the arrival of a new manager, Akira Ōgi, who played him every day in the second spot of the lineup. He was eventually moved to the leadoff spot for the Blue Wave, where his immediate productivity dissolved any misgivings about his unconventional swing. He set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits, the first player ever to top 200 hits in a single season. (Three players have since done so. Ichiro's record was eventually surpassed in 2010 by former major leaguer Matt Murton, who had 214 hits in a 144-game season. Also, in 2015, current Saitama Seibu Lions Outfielder Shogo Akiyama had 216 hits in a 143-game season. Ichiro's 210 hits had come in a 130-game season.)

Ichiro's .385 batting average was a Pacific League record and won the young outfielder the first of a record seven consecutive batting titles. Ichiro also hit 13 home runs and had 29 stolen bases, helping him to earn his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards.

It was during the 1994 season that he began to use his given name, "Ichiro", instead of his family name, "Suzuki", on the back of his uniform. Suzuki is the second most common family name in Japan, and his manager introduced the idea as a publicity stunt to help create a new image for what had been a relatively weak team, as well as a way to distinguish their rising star. Initially, Ichiro disliked the practice and was embarrassed by it; however, "Ichiro" was a household name by the end of the season and he was flooded with endorsement offers.

In 1995 Ichiro led the Blue Wave to its first Pacific League pennant in 12 years. In addition to his second batting title, he led the league with 80 RBI, 25 home runs, and 49 stolen bases. By this time the Japanese press had begun calling him the "Hit Manufacturing Machine" (安打製造機, Anda Seizōki). The following year with Ichiro winning his third straight MVP award the team defeated the Central League champion, Yomiuri Giants, in the Japan Series. Following the 1996 season playing in an exhibition series against a visiting team of Major League All-Stars kindled Ichiro's desire to travel to the United States to play in the Major Leagues.

In November 1998 Ichiro participated in a seven-game exhibition series between Japanese and American all-stars. Ichiro batted .380 and collected seven stolen bases in the series, winning praise from several of his MLB counterparts including Sammy Sosa and Jamie Moyer (who would become his teammate with the Mariners).

In 2000 Ichiro was still a year away from being eligible for free agency, but the Blue Wave was no longer among Japan's best teams. Because the team would probably not be able to afford to keep him, and would lose him without compensation in another year, Orix allowed him to negotiate with Major League clubs. Ichiro used the posting system, and the Seattle Mariners won the right to negotiate with him with a bid of approximately $13 million.[11] In November, Ichiro signed a three-year, $14 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. In his nine seasons in Japan, Ichiro had 1,278 hits, a .353 career batting average, and won seven Golden Glove Awards. Ichiro's time in the Japanese baseball leagues matured him as a player and a person, and he often credits it to his current success.

Career in the United States

Seattle Mariners (2001–2012)

2001: postseason appearance

Due to an agreement between Japanese baseball and MLB, Ichiro was not allowed to play in the United States before 2001.[12] His move to the US was viewed with some interest because he was among the first Japanese position players to play for an MLB team. In the same way that many Japanese teams had considered the 18-year-old Ichiro too small to draft in 1992, many Americans believed he would prove too frail to succeed against Major League pitching or endure the longer 162-game season. Ichiro made an auspicious debut with Seattle, and in the Mariners' eighth game revealed his tremendous throwing arm by gunning down Oakland's Terrence Long, who had tried to advance from first to third on a teammate's single to right field. That play would be dubbed "The Throw" by Japanese media covering Ichiro's progress.[13]

Ichiro rounding the bases on September 22, 2007

After expressing no preference as to a uniform number, Ichiro was issued #51 by the Mariners. He was initially hesitant because it had previously been worn by pitching star Randy Johnson. To avoid insulting Johnson, Ichiro sent a personal message to the pitcher promising not to "bring shame" to the uniform. His trepidation was unfounded, as he had a remarkable 2001 season, accumulating a rookie-record 242 hits, the most by any MLB player since 1930. His perennial Gold Glove fielding led Safeco's right field to be dubbed "Area 51".

With a .350 batting average and 56 stolen bases, Ichiro was the first player to lead his league in both categories since Jackie Robinson in 1949. The season included hitting streaks of 25 and 23 games, an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and intense media attention on both sides of the Pacific. Fans from Japan were taking $2,000 baseball tours, sometimes flying in and out of the U.S. just to watch Ichiro's games. More than 150 Japanese reporters and photographers were given media access. Safeco Field's sushi stands began selling "Ichirolls".[14]

Aided by Major League Baseball's decision to allow All-Star voting in Japan, Ichiro was the first rookie to lead all players in voting for the All-Star Game. That winter, he won the American League Most Valuable Player and the Rookie of the Year awards, becoming only the second player in MLB history (after Fred Lynn) to receive both honors in the same season. Ichiro is also the only player in major league history to have won an MVP, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove Award, Silver Slugger Award, all while starting in the All-Star Game in the same season.

2001 had been an exceptionally successful regular season for the Seattle Mariners as a team, as they matched the 1906 Chicago Cubs' Major League record of 116 wins.[15] In his only postseason appearance with the Mariners, Ichiro continued his hot hitting into the playoffs, batting .600 in the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians. However, Seattle's stellar season ended against the New York Yankees in the ALCS, as Ichiro was held to a .222 average. Yankees manager Joe Torre had emphasized to his pitchers, "Do not let Ichiro beat you. He is the key to Seattle's offense." Informed of this assessment, Ichiro said, "If that is true, it would give me great joy. I don't believe he is right."[10]

2002

Ichiro finished his second year in American baseball with 208 total hits, making him the first Mariners player ever to hit two consecutive seasons with 200+ hits. He got off to a hot start in 2002, but a late-season slump drove his batting average down to .321, 29 points below his batting average as a rookie. He was the 6th player in MLB history to start a career with two 200-hit seasons. Ichiro finished the season second in the AL in hits, 4th in batting average, and 4th in steals. Ichiro led the major league All-Star balloting for the second straight year. Although the Mariners had a 93–69 record, that was good for only a third-place finish in the competitive AL West.

2003

2003 was much the same. Ichiro became just the third player in history to begin his career with three 200-hit seasons, by garnering 212 hits. He again finished in the top ten for hits, batting average, steals and runs, and, again, a late season slump brought his average down almost 40 points (to .312). Ichiro was elected to his third All Star game in the three years he had been in the league, and he was again the vote leader in both leagues. However, the second-place Mariners again fell short of the playoffs.

2004

The display of Ichiro Suzuki, located on the third floor of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which shows the Ichi-meter, record for hits in a season for Ichiro Suzuki in 2004.

Ichiro had his best offensive season to date in 2004, highlighted by his breaking of George Sisler's 84-year-old record for most hits (257) in a season. An increase in games played benefited Ichiro, as he accumulated only 251 hits through the first 154 games of the season. Ichiro recorded 50 hits in four different months of the year (September and October are combined by MLB for this computational purpose), becoming the first player ever to have four in a season. With 51 hits in August 2001, Ichiro joined Pete Rose as the only players with five 50-hit months in a career.[citation needed]

On May 21, 2004, Ichiro recorded his 2,000th professional hit. His 200th hit of 2004 came in just his 126th game. By the end of September, with just one 3-game series remaining, Ichiro's hit total stood at 256—one shy of Sisler. Ichiro singled off the Rangers' Ryan Drese on October 1 to tie Sisler's record. In the third inning, on a 3–2 count, Ichiro singled up the middle for his 258th hit of the year, which Ichiro later called "the greatest moment of my baseball career".[16][17] He was greeted by a swarm of teammates, and a standing ovation from the fans. Sisler's daughter, Francis Sisler Drochelman attended the game, and was greeted by Ichiro after his hit.[18] Ichiro finished the 2004 season with a record 262 hits, giving him the single-season records for both the United States and Japanese baseball.[citation needed]

In July 2009, while in St. Louis for his ninth All-Star appearance, Ichiro made a trip to Sisler's grave. He later told reporters, "There's not many chances to come to St. Louis. In 2004, it was the first time I crossed paths with him, and his family generously came all the way to Seattle. Above all, it was a chance. I wanted to do that for a grand upperclassman of the baseball world. I think it's only natural for someone to want to do that, to express my feelings in that way. I’m not sure if he's happy about it."[19]

Between 2001 and 2004, Ichiro had more hits (924) than anyone in history over any four-year period, breaking the record of 918 that Bill Terry accumulated between 1929 and 1932, however, Terry played in 34 fewer games than Ichiro during their respective four-year spans.[20] He would later surpass his own mark by recording 930 hits from 2004 to 2007. During one 56-game stretch in 2004, Ichiro batted over .450. By comparison, Joe DiMaggio batted .408 during his record-setting 56-game hitting streak. Ichiro batted over .400 against left-handed pitching in 2004.

2005

During the off-season, then-manager Bob Melvin's contract was not extended and the Mariners brought in Mike Hargrove as the new manager with a contract through 2007. Ironically, it was Hargrove who predicted that Ichiro would be no better than "a fourth outfielder on [an American] major league team" back when Ichiro was still in Japan.[21] Speculation started that Hargrove and Ichiro did not get along very well in the season.[22]

In 2005, Ichiro had his second worst year in his MLB career to date, collecting only 206 hits (the lowest total of his career to that point). However, he reached the plateau of a .300 batting average, 100+ runs, 30+ steals and 200+ hits for the fifth straight season. That allowed Ichiro to become the first player to collect 200 hits per season in each of his first five years in the Major Leagues. Only Willie Keeler, Wade Boggs, Chuck Klein, Al Simmons, and Charlie Gehringer had had five consecutive 200-hit seasons at any point in their careers. During the season he accumulated 1,000 career hits, reaching the career milestone faster than any other player in MLB history.[23] Ichiro hit a career-high 15 home runs. In the off-season, Ichiro played himself in Furuhata Ninzaburō, a Japanese Columbo-like TV drama that he loves. In the drama, he kills a person and is arrested.

Inaugural World Baseball Classic

Ichiro Suzuki at World Baseball Classic, March 2006

Ichiro played for the Japan national baseball team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March 2006. During the March 15 Japan-Korea game Ichiro was booed by a few spectators during every at-bat, reportedly in response to a previous statement that he wanted "to beat South Korea so badly, that the South Koreans won't want to play Japan for another 30 years."[24] That, however, was an incorrect translation mostly spread to the public through ESPN. Ichiro was variously quoted as saying "I want to win in a way that the opponent would think, 'we cannot catch up with Japan for the coming 30 years'. We should not merely win the games."[25] Japan would later beat Korea in the playoffs and win the tournament after defeating Cuba in the finals, 10–6.[26] For the tournament, Ichiro had twelve hits including a home run, seven runs, and four stolen bases.

2006

Ichiro's 2006 season got off to an unexpected start, with the outfielder hitting as low as .177 in the season's third week. He quickly rebounded, finishing the season with a .322 average (6th in the AL and 11th in the Majors). Ichiro's 224 hits led the majors, and he recorded 110 runs and 45 stolen bases. Remarkably, Ichiro was caught stealing only twice in 2006, for a 96% success rate. His 1,354 career U.S. hits topped Wade Boggs' record for the most hits in any six-year period.[27] In his sixth year in the majors, Ichiro collected his sixth Gold Glove Award, and a sixth All-Star Game selection. He also won a Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding MLB right fielder.[28]

Ichiro began wearing high stocking baseball pants in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.[29]

2007

In May and June, Ichiro hit in 25 consecutive games, breaking the previous Seattle Mariners record set by Joey Cora in 1997.[30][31] Ichiro broke Tim Raines' American League record by stealing 41 consecutive bases without being caught.[32] Ichiro extended the record to 45; the major league record of 50 belongs to Vince Coleman.[33]

On July 10, 2007, he became the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run in any MLB All-Star Game after an unpredictable hop off the right field wall of AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was the first inside-the-park home run of Ichiro's professional career.[34] Ichiro was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game and was named the Most Valuable Player in the American League's 5–4 victory.

2007 marked the end of Ichiro's second contract with the Mariners, and he initially told MLB.com that he would likely enter the free agent market, citing the team's lack of success in recent years. However, in July Ichiro signed a five-year contract extension with Seattle.[35] The deal was reported to be worth $90 million, consisting of a $17 million annual salary and $5 million signing bonus.[36] The Associated Press reported that Ichiro's contract extension defers $25 million of the $90 million at 5.5% interest until after his retirement, with payments through 2032. Other provisions in Ichiro's contract include a yearly housing allowance of more than $30,000, and four first-class round-trip tickets to Japan each year for his family. He is provided with either a new Jeep or Mercedes SUV, as well as a personal trainer and interpreter.

Ichiro Suzuki

On July 29, 2007, Ichiro collected his 1,500th U.S. hit, the third fastest to reach the MLB milestone behind Al Simmons and George Sisler.[37] Ichiro had 213 hits in 2008, his eighth straight 200-hit season. This tied the 107-year-old record set by Wee Willie Keeler. Typically, Ichiro was among baseball's leaders in reaching base on an error (14 times in 2008, more than any other batter in the AL), and in infield hits (his 56 were the most in the majors).[38][38] Ichiro has amassed more than 450 infield hits in his U.S. career. Detroit third baseman Brandon Inge told the New York Times, "I wish you could put a camera at third base to see how he hits the ball and see the way it deceives you. You can call some guys’ infield hits cheap, but not his. He has amazing technique."[39] In May 2008, Ichiro stole two bases, giving him a career total of 292, surpassing the previous Seattle Mariners team record of 290 set by second baseman Julio Cruz. Cruz, who now does Spanish-language broadcasts of Mariners games, was watching from the broadcast booth as Ichiro broke his record.[40][41]

2008

On July 29, 2008 Ichiro became the second-youngest player to amass 3,000 top-level professional hits (1,278 in Japan + 1,722 in the U.S.) after Ty Cobb. He also became just the second Japanese professional to get 3,000 hits. (Nippon Professional Baseball's record holder is Isao Harimoto, with 3,085 hits.)[42]

By 2008, it had emerged in the media that Ichiro was known within baseball for his tradition of exhorting the American League team with a profanity-laced pregame speech in the clubhouse prior to the MLB All-Star Game.[43] Asked if the speech had had any effect on the AL's decade-long winning streak, Ichiro deadpanned, "I’ve got to say over 90 percent." Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau describes the effect: "If you’ve never seen it, it's definitely something pretty funny. It's hard to explain, the effect it has on everyone. It's such a tense environment. Everyone's a little nervous for the game, and then he comes out. He doesn’t say a whole lot the whole time he's in there, and all of a sudden, the manager gets done with his speech, and he pops off." Boston's slugger David Ortiz says simply, "It's why we win."

2009 World Baseball Classic

Despite struggling uncharacteristically during most of the tournament, Ichiro provided the game-winning hit in the Championship game against South Korea. With two outs in the top of the tenth inning, he broke a 3–3 tie with a two-run single. This would prove to be the margin of victory in Japan's 5–3 defeat of South Korea. Ichiro ended the night 4-for-6, and is now 6-for-10 in WBC championship games.

2009

Ichiro began his 2009 season by going on the disabled list for the first time in his career. He had a bleeding ulcer, which team doctor Mitch Storey said may have been caused in part by the stress of playing in the World Baseball Classic.[44] After missing 8 games, Ichiro debuted on April 15 and went 2-for-5 against the Angels, including a grand slam for his 3,085th career hit. The home run matched Isao Harimoto's Japanese record for career hits, and Harimoto had been flown out to Seattle to witness the event.[45] Ichiro surpassed the record the following night.

Ichiro was named #30 on the Sporting News' 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, voted upon by a 100-person panel of experts and former stars. In May and June, Ichiro surpassed his own franchise record with a 27-game hitting streak.[46] Ichiro went on to record 44 hits in June 2009, his 20th career month with 40 or more hits. The previous players to have accomplished this were Stan Musial in the NL and Lou Gehrig in the AL.

On September 6 against the Oakland A's, Ichiro collected his 2,000th MLB hit on the second pitch of the game, a double along the first base foul line. He is the second-fastest player to reach the milestone, behind Al Simmons. On September 13 against the Texas Rangers, Ichiro collected his 200th hit of the season for the ninth consecutive year, setting an all-time major league record. Ichiro recorded 210 hits with Orix in 1994, thereby giving him a total of ten 200 hit seasons in his professional career.

Ichiro meeting President Barack Obama before the 2009 All-Star Game on July 14, 2009.

With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, September 18, Ichiro hit a walk-off, two-run home run against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, scoring Michael Saunders in one of the more memorable victories of the season. His homer made a winner out of Félix Hernández, who was in line for the loss despite having allowed only one run in 9 innings pitched.[47]

On September 26, 2009, Ichiro was ejected from a game for the first time in his professional career. Arguing that a strikeout pitch from Toronto's David Purcey had been outside, Ichiro used his bat to draw a line on the outer edge of the plate, and was immediately tossed by umpire Brian Runge. He was the only Mariner to be ejected from a game all season.[48][49] The ejection may have hurt Ichiro's chances regarding an esoteric record: the longest playing streak without going hitless in consecutive games. Ichiro's stretch was at 180 games, the longest in the majors since Doc Cramer went 191 consecutive games without back-to-back 0-fers in 1934–35. Ichiro went hitless in the following afternoon's game.

Ichiro again led the majors in hits in 2009, with 225.[50] In spite of hitting ground balls at a rate of 55 percent, he grounded into only one double play all season, in the April 15 opener.[51] He won his second Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding right fielder in MLB.[52]

2010

Ichiro's 32 career leadoff home runs rank ninth all time. Nevertheless, in 2009, Ichiro told The New York Times:

"Chicks who dig home runs aren’t the ones who appeal to me. I think there's sexiness in infield hits because they require technique. I’d rather impress the chicks with my technique than with my brute strength. Then, every now and then, just to show I can do that, too, I might flirt a little by hitting one out."[53]

After playing in the season opener against the Oakland Athletics, Ichiro became eligible for Hall of Fame consideration, by playing in his tenth MLB season.[54] On June 5, 2010, Ichiro scored his 1,000th career MLB run against the Angels on Franklin Gutierrez's RBI groundout. He is the third Mariner in history to reach that milestone. On September 1, 2010, Ichiro also collected his 2,200th hit, a leadoff infield single against Cleveland Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin.

Ichiro Suzuki on June 10, 2009.

During the August 2010 series against the New York Yankees, Ichiro traveled to the Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York, to pay his respects at the grave of Hall-of-Famer "Wee Willie" Keeler.[55]

On September 23, Ichiro hit a single to center field against Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shawn Hill to become the first MLB player in history to reach the 200 hit mark for 10 consecutive seasons. This feat also tied him with Pete Rose for the most career seasons of 200+ hits, and he surpassed Ty Cobb for most career seasons of 200+ hits in the AL. He finished the season with 214 hits, topping the MLB in that category. Ichiro also finished the season "ironman" style, playing in all 162 games. Only Ichiro and Matt Kemp did so for the 2010 season. This was Ichiro's 3rd season playing in all 162 games. Also, Ichiro was nominated for the This Year in Baseball Award.[56] Ichiro finished first or second in hits in all of his first 10 MLB seasons.

Ichiro won his tenth consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2010, tying Ken Griffey Jr., Andruw Jones and Al Kaline, and trailing only Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays (twelve each) for major league outfielders.[57][58] Ichiro also won his second consecutive and third overall Fielding Bible Award for his statistically based defensive excellence in right field.[59]

2011

Ichiro in 2011

On April 2, 2011 Ichiro broke the Seattle Mariners' all-time career hits record with his 2,248th hit in the 9th inning versus the Oakland Athletics, overtaking the team's previous leader Edgar Martínez.[60] 2011 marked the first time in Ichiro's 11 seasons that he failed to make the all star team. He batted under .300 (.277) before the all star break for the first time in his career. On July 10, manager Eric Wedge did not start Ichiro, ending his then-major league-best active streak of 255 consecutive starts. Ichiro followed with an 11-game hitting streak, but Wedge noted "it's not that easy to give that guy a day off" due to Ichiro's iconic stature.[61] On August 22, Ichiro hit his 35th career leadoff homer, tying him for 6th place with Bobby Bonds.[62] Ichiro finished the season batting a career-low .272 with 184 hits, the first time in his 11-year MLB career he did not record 200 hits. It was also his first season not playing in the All-Star game, as well as his first season not winning a Gold Glove.[63]

2012

On June 19, 2012, Ichiro led off a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a single to center field, the 2,500th hit of his MLB career. Ichiro reached the milestone in the fourth-fewest games in major league history, after Al Simmons, Ty Cobb, and George Sisler.[64] In a 13-inning road loss to the Oakland A's on July 8, Ichiro was placed second in the batting order and responded by going 2 for 6 to bring his season batting average to .261 heading into the All-Star break.[65] In the previous night's game, Ichiro recorded two hits to break a career-worst 0 for 23 hitless streak.[66] Ichiro had also been tried at the three-spot in the batting order[67] during a season for which he earned $18 million. Former teammate Jay Buhner stated he felt Ichiro was the recipient of too much blame for the Mariners' difficulties but "at the same time, they need help desperately." Buhner stated that if Ichiro were awarded a three-year contract extension for somewhere between $35 million and $40 million, "I'd vomit. I mean, really, no offense. No offense, we've got to get this organization turned around. You can't be spending all the money on one guy."[68]

With a contract extension with the Mariners unknown, Ichiro stated, "It's going to go both ways. It can't just come from the player. It's got to come from the team, too. If the team is saying they need you, you're necessary, then it becomes a piece. But if it's just coming from the player, it's not going to happen."[69] Ichiro's agent, Tony Attanasio, said, "He knows that the club has to grow. He knows they have to play the younger guys and get them more playing time. The only way he knows to do that is to move on. He doesn't want to stop playing. He wants to continue."[70]

New York Yankees (2012–2014)

Rest of 2012: second postseason appearance

Ichiro as a Yankee, on deck in July 2012.

Ichiro approached the Mariners to ask for a trade at midseason in 2012, as he felt guilty for taking a roster spot from a younger player while his team was in a rebuilding process. His first choice was to play for the New York Yankees. The Mariners traded him to the Yankees for minor league pitchers D. J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar on July 23. Seattle also received cash in the trade. Ichiro left Seattle hitting .261 with a .288 on-base percentage (OBP), four home runs, 28 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 95 games. His first game as a Yankee was played the night of the trade, at Safeco Field against the Mariners.[71][72][73][74] Before the trade was consummated, Ichiro agreed to the Yankees' conditions, which stated that they would play Ichiro primarily in left field, bat him at the bottom of the lineup, and occasionally sit him against left-handed pitching.[75] Ichiro would go on to hit safely in his first 12 games as a Yankee, tying a record set by Don Slaught.[76]

Ichiro hit his first home run as a Yankee, and the 100th of his career, on July 30 against the Baltimore Orioles.[77] For the week ending September 23, Ichiro was named AL Player of the Week after hitting .600 (15-for-25) with three doubles, two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored and six stolen bases in six games. He led all MLB players in batting average, hits, steals and OBP (.630).[78] In 67 games with New York, Ichiro batted .322 with a .340 OBP, 28 runs, five home runs and 27 RBIs. With his improved performance, the Yankees at times batted him second and also started him against left-handers.[74]

Ichiro performed well in his first playoff appearance since the beginning of his career. Against the Baltimore Orioles in the 2012 ALDS, Ichiro ran home on a ball hit by Robinson Canó. Despite the ball beating him to the plate, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters had difficulty tagging Ichiro, who evaded multiple tag attempts by jumping over and around Wieters. In Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS, Ichiro hit his first career postseason home run; however, the Yankees lost the series to the Detroit Tigers in only 4 games.

On December 19, 2012, Ichiro finalized a $13 million deal for two years with the Yankees.[79]

2013

On June 25, 2013, Ichiro hit a walk-off home run against Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Earlier in the game, three of his teammates had led off the fourth, fifth and sixth innings with home runs, so all of the Yankees' runs in the game were provided by solo home runs.

On August 21, 2013, Ichiro collected his 4,000th professional career hit with a single off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey; becoming the seventh player in professional baseball history known to have reached the mark after Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Julio Franco, Hank Aaron, Jigger Statz, and Stan Musial. Jake Beckley and Sam Crawford may also have hit 4,000, but data for some of their minor league seasons is missing.[80][81]

2014

On July 10, 2014, Ichiro collected his 2,800th MLB hit off of Cleveland Indians pitcher Scott Atchison in the top of the eighth inning at Progressive Field. On August 9, 2014, Ichiro hit a single in a game, again against the Indians, to pass George Sisler on the all-time hit list with his 2,811th hit. Ichiro had previously broken Sisler's single season hit record in 2004.

Miami Marlins (2015–present)

On January 23, 2015, Ichiro agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Miami Marlins.[82] The Marlins originally planned for him to be their fourth outfielder, but he finished the season with 439 plate appearances due to team injuries—primarily Giancarlo Stanton, who suffered a season-ending injury on June 26.[12][83] On April 25, Ichiro scored his 1,310th major league run, which, combined with the 658 runs he scored in Japan, surpassed the record for runs scored by a Japanese player set by Sadaharu Oh.[84] On June 18, he was batting .294 after playing in 64 of the Marlins' 68 games, but his average fell to .229 by season's end.[12] On August 14 at Busch Stadium, Ichiro singled off St. Louis Cardinals starter John Lackey to earn his 4,192nd top-level hit, passing Ty Cobb.[85] On July 29, Ichiro recorded his 2,900th major league hit against Washington Nationals pitcher Doug Fister.[86] On August 18, Ichiro had his first four-hit game since 2013.[87] On August 31, against the Atlanta Braves, Ichiro scored his 2,000th professional run when combining his runs scored in MLB (1,342) and in Japan's NPB (658).[88] On September 5, Ichiro recorded his 100th right field assist in the major leagues.[89] In the season finale against the Philadelphia Phillies on October 4, he made his major league pitching debut, completing the final inning and allowing one run and two hits in a 7–2 loss.[90]

On October 6, 2015, Ichiro and the Marlins agreed on a one-year, $2 million contract for the 2016 season. The deal also comes with a $2 million club option for 2017.[91] He stole his 500th career MLB base on April 29, 2016, against the Milwaukee Brewers, and led off the game with a single against Zach Davies to move ahead of Frank Robinson into 33rd place on the all-time hit list, also the 2,944th of his career. That milestone stolen base made him one of eight players in MLB history with at least 500 stolen bases and 2,900 hits.[92] On June 15, Ichiro recorded his 4,257 career hit, breaking Pete Rose's all-time record for hits in top tier professional baseball.[93] Rose commented that "I’m not trying to take anything away from Ichiro, he’s had a Hall of Fame career, but the next thing you know you’ll be counting his high school hits".[94] This was in response to the Japanese media labeling Ichiro as the "Hit King", claiming that Ichiro should be considered to be the all-time hits leader when his hits in Japan are included.[94]

On August 7, 2016, Ichiro collected the 3,000th hit of his MLB career.[95]

Playing style

Ichiro taking a lead from first base

Sportswriter Bruce Jenkins, writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, described Ichiro's distinctive style of play:

"There's nobody like Ichiro in either league—now or ever. He exists strictly within his own world, playing a game 100 percent unfamiliar to everyone else. The game has known plenty of 'slap' hitters, but none who sacrifice so much natural ability for the sake of the art... Ichiro, a man of wondrous strength, puts on impressive power-hitting displays almost nightly in batting practice. And he'll go deep occasionally in games, looking very much like someone who could do it again, often... [but] the man lives for hits, little tiny ones, and the glory of standing atop the world in that category. Every spring, scouts or media types write him off, swearing that opposing pitchers have found the key, and they are embarrassingly wrong."[96]

While he is known for his hitting ability, he does not draw many walks. In 2004, when he set the single-season record for hits, his low walk total (49) led to him being on base a total of 315 times. It was the 58th-most times a player has reached base in a season and short of the major league record of 379 set by Babe Ruth in 1923.[97]

Ichiro has a home run batting stroke that he displays in batting practice, but not in games.[61][97] The New York Times criticized his inability to improve his power when his Mariner teams were often low-scoring while noting that he also did not steal bases as frequently as Rickey Henderson or Tim Raines.[97] Ichiro, however, once commented, "If I'm allowed to hit .220, I could probably hit 40 [home runs], but nobody wants that."[61]

Ichiro has long been interested to pitch professionally. He has a 88 mph fast ball, and a slider in the mid 80 mph range.[98] On the final day of the 2015 season on October 4, he pitched one complete inning at the end of the game, allowing one run and two hits.[90]

Personality and influence

Ichiro is noted for his work ethic in arriving early for his team's games, and for his calisthenic stretching exercises to stay limber even during the middle of the game. Continuing in Seattle the custom he began in Japan, he used his given name ( written in Romaji ) on the back of his uniform instead of his family name, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to do so since Vida Blue; the custom was not continued following his trade to the Yankees in 2012, as the Yankees do not include players' names on their jerseys. However, upon joining the Marlins in 2015, he resumed using his given name on the back of his uniform.

In addition to being a ten-time Gold Glove winner, Ichiro is a ten-time All-Star selection from 2001 to 2010. His success has been credited with opening the door for other Japanese players like former Yomiuri Giants slugger Hideki Matsui, former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks catcher Kenji Johjima, former teammate So Taguchi, and former Seibu Lions infielder Kazuo Matsui to enter the Major Leagues. Ichiro's career is followed closely in Japan, with national television news programs covering each of his at-bats, and with special tour packages arranged for Japanese fans to visit the United States to attend his games.

Ichiro's agent Tony Attanasio described his client's status: "When you mail Ichiro something from the States, you only have to use that name on the address and he gets it [in Japan]. He's that big."[10]

Ichiro performs in TV commercials in Japan for ENEOS.[99] His likeness is used as the basis of the character "Kyoshiro" in the anime and manga Major.[citation needed]

When he first came to the U.S., he especially enjoyed trips to Kansas City to talk with Buck O'Neil, a former Negro Leagues star who went on to become MLB's first black coach. When O'Neil died in 2006, Ichiro sent a very large memorial wreath to the funeral service. The following year, he visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum while on a road trip to Kansas City, and made what, as of 2016, remains the largest contribution ever made to the museum by an active MLB player.[100]

Personal life

Ichiro and his wife Yumiko at the 2009 Red Carpet All-Star Parade

The Japanese name "Ichiro" is often written 一郎, meaning "first son". Ichiro's name, however, is written with a different character, 一朗, so that his name roughly means "brightest, most cheerful". He has an elder brother, Kazuyasu Suzuki, who is a fashion designer.

Ichiro married Yumiko Fukushima (福島弓子, Fukushima Yumiko), a former TBS TV announcer,[101] on December 3, 1999, at a small church in Santa Monica, California. They have no children. They have a pet dog (Shiba Inu) named "Ikkyu",[102] a combination of "Ichi" (一) of "Ichiro" and "Yumi" (弓) of "Yumiko", which can be vocalized "kyu" as well. The couple resided in Issaquah, Washington during the season while he played in Seattle, and now live during the season in Miami Beach.[100]

On March 18, 2011, Ichiro donated ¥100 million ($1.25 million) to the Japanese Red Cross for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.[103]

Since November 2000, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Ichiro's father, has run the Ichiro exhibition room named "I-fain" in Toyoyama, Ichiro's hometown. It exhibits a wide variety of Ichiro memorabilia, including personal items from his childhood and up-to-date baseball gear.[2][6]

Ichiro is the honored chairman of the Ichiro Cup, a 6-month long boys' league tournament with more than 200 teams, held in Toyoyama and surrounding cities and towns since 1996. Ichiro watches the final game and attends its awards ceremony every year.[104][105]

American League records

  • Most at-bats by rookie, season: 692 (157 games in 2001)
  • Most at-bats by lefthander, season: 704 (161 games in 2004)
  • Most seasons leading the league in at-bats: 8 (2001, 2004–2008, 2010–2011)
  • Most consecutive seasons leading the league in at-bats: 5 (2004–2008)
  • Most hits, season: 262 (2004)
  • Most hits by rookie, season: 242 (2001)
  • Most hits by lefthander, season: 262 (2004)
  • Most consecutive seasons leading the league in hits: 5 (2006–2010)
  • Most games with one or more hits, season: 135 (2001)
  • Most seasons with 200 or more hits: 10 (2001–2010)
  • Most consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits: 10 (2001–2010)
  • Most hits, two consecutive seasons: 474 (212 in 2003, 262 in 2004)
    • tied with Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers, 248 in 1911, 226 in 1912)
  • Most games with five or more hits, season: 4 (July 29 (13 inn.), August 3, September 4, September 21, 2004)
    • tied with Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers, May 7, July 7, July 12, July 17, 1922)
  • Most batting streaks of 20 or more games, career: 7 (2001 (2), 2004, 2004–05, 2006, 2007, 2009)
    • tied with Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers, 1911, 1912, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1926, Philadelphia Athletics, 1927)
  • Most singles, season: 225 (2004)
  • Most singles by rookie, season: 192 (2001)
  • Most singles by lefthander, season: 225 (2004)
  • Most seasons leading the league in singles: 10 (2001–2010)
  • Most consecutive seasons leading the league in singles: 10 (2001–2010)
  • Fewest grounding into double plays by rookie, season [min. 150 games]: 3 (2001)
  • Most seasons leading the league in fewest grounding into double plays [min. 150 games]: 4 (2001, 2003, 2005–2006)
  • Most consecutive stolen bases with no caught stealing, career: 45 (April 29, 2006—May 19, 2007)
  • Only inside-the-park home run in MLB All-Star Game history: July 10, 2007, 1 on, off Chris Young, 5th inning, AT&T Park, San Francisco
set with teammates

See also

References

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Further reading

  • Allen, Jim. Ichiro Magic. New York: Kodansha America, 2001. ISBN 978-4-7700-2871-6
  • Christopher, Matt, and Glenn Stout. At the Plate With... Ichiro. New York: Little, Brown, 2003. ISBN 0-316-13679-4.
  • Dougherty, Terri. Ichiro Suzuki. ?: Checkerboard Books, 2003. ISBN 1-59197-483-6.
  • Johnson, Daniel (2006). Japanese Baseball: A Statistical Handbook. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-2841-4.
  • Komatsu, Narumi, and Philip Gabriel. Ichiro on Ichiro: Conversations with Narumi Komatsu. Seattle: Sasquatch Books, 2004. ISBN 1-57061-431-8.
  • Leigh, David S. Ichiro Suzuki. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2004. ISBN 0-8225-1792-2.
  • Levin, Judith. Ichiro Suzuki. New York: Chelsea House Publications, 2007. ISBN 0-7910-9440-5.
  • Rappoport, Ken. Super Sports Star Ichiro Suzuki. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow Elementary, 2004. ISBN 0-7660-2137-8.
  • Rosenthal, Jim. Ichiro's Art of Playing Baseball: Learn How to Hit, Steal, and Field Like an All-Star. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2006. ISBN 0-312-35831-8.
  • Savage, Jeff. Ichiro Suzuki. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 2003. ISBN 0-8225-1344-7.
  • Shields, David. "Baseball Is Just Baseball": The Understated Ichiro: An Unauthorized Collection Compiled by David Shields. Seattle: TNI Books, 2001. ISBN 0-9678703-1-3.
  • Stewart, Mark. Ichiro Suzuki: Best in the West. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7613-2616-2.
  • Whiting, Robert. The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime. Warner Books, 2004; retitled for the 2005 paperback to The Samurai Way of Baseball: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime. ISBN 0-446-53192-8, ISBN 0-446-69403-7.
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Nippon Professional Baseball career statistics from JapaneseBaseball.com

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