Ichiro approaching 3,000 hits

[metsbats]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb


Accomplished between Japan and US of course.

Nevertheless he's amazing. I was fortunate enough see Ichiro play in person for the first time at a Mets vs Mariners game last month.

David

[ahuff]

He is an amazing player. However, I think the article says it well when it says it won't receive much hype here. If Americans thought that stats in Japan meant anything, then Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes would be a star!!!!

[trsent]

He is an amazing player. However, I think the article says it well when it says it won't receive much hype here. If Americans thought that stats in Japan meant anything, then Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes would be a star!!!!

Opening Day 1994 he was the biggest star in Major League Baseball.

After that three home run day against Dwight Gooden, he hit five more home runs in part time play the rest of the season. He was the first National League player to hit three home runs on opening day.

[ahuff]

Opening Day 1994 he was the biggest star in Major League Baseball.

After that three home run day against Dwight Gooden, he hit five more home runs in part time play the rest of the season. He was the first National League player to hit three home runs on opening day.

Your point is????

I said he was a great player. But do we really care what he did in Japan. No. The reason we don't care is this: There have been some great Japanese players, but very few translate into the American game. There have been some very marginal American players that have had great Japanese careers. That was my point.

[ahuff]

Never mind. I didn't realize that you were discussing Tuffy Rhodes. Forgive me. My wife even said that my eyes look glassy today, so I guess the brain isn't working too good. My last post proved that.

[TNTtoys]

Your point is????

I said he was a great player. But do we really care what he did in Japan. No. The reason we don't care is this: There have been some great Japanese players, but very few translate into the American game. There have been some very marginal American players that have had great Japanese careers. That was my point.

I think that this is relative. Sometimes we do care and sometimes we don't. Depends on what it is we're reporting on.

Home Runs is a stat that I particularly don't care about. With shorter parks in Japan, the home run is far more common than here. The age-old example is Sadaharu Oh. The guy hit 868 home runs, lifetime... but if he had played here, would he have had more than Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron? Most would say categorically "no."
Hideki Matsui came to MLB, known as the most feared home run hitter overseas. He even brought with him the formidable nickname "Godzilla!" How many home runs did he hit in his first year in the states? 16. And he played in 163 games that season.

But... hits are another story. I for one am interested in the number of hits a player has, especially when you're talking about a player the caliber of Ichiro Suzuki. The guy broke an 84-year old record that looked to withstand the test of time. Not only did he have the new standard for MLB, he previously set the all-time hit record in the Japan Pacific league... 210 hits in 130 games. Incidentally, it was his only 200 hit season in Japan; which is a relatively unheard of feat given the shorter length of their season. Personally, I feel that if Ichiro had started his career in the USA, he would have FAR MORE hits than 3,000 by now, and at some point in his career would be challenging Rose and Cobb.

[orioles03]

is it possible for him to get 4000 hits? he still has 4 years left on his contract! only 34 years old

[joelsabi]

im hoping he can attain 3000 mlb hits when all is done.

[Fnazxc0114]

i might be wrong but i am sure i read somewhere that the level of play in japan was at the AA level at best.