Ichiro Thread

[scottmitchell74]

I've taken a closer look at Ichiro: he's a bit underrated I think. He was an absolute marvel.

Including Japan, through age-36: (17 full seasons)

10398 - 3522 - 1750 - 469 - 94 - 208 - 1087 - 582 sb - 841 bb - .342 - .388 - .462 - .850

Wow! That speaks nothing of his defense.

He utterly destroyed NPB and then proved his ability in the MLB.

For reference, Pete Rose's first 17 seas17s:

10824 - 3372 - 1747 - 612 - 116 - 154 - 1013 - 155 sb - 1180 bb - .312 - .381 - .432 - .814


Remarkably similar!

Two man who just burned for baseball. Amazing.

Ichiro hit an absolute wall at 37 and following while Rose had more legit seasons. Conversely, Ichiro flew out of the gate while Rose was a bit slower revving up.

I think how Ichiro hung on I think obscures his beginning.


Ichiro held the MLB AND Japanese single season hit record at one time.

[scottmitchell74]

..........

[scottmitchell74]

I enjoyed Ichiro's career.

I'm quite sure he'd have passed Rose if he started in the MLB at 21. He didn't though, so he didn't.

Watching 262 unfold in the papers every day was so much fun. A record that never seemed likely to be broken was.

I didn't like that was was Rookie of the Year. I know, I know...but he just wasn't really a rookie. Not really. He was a first-timer to the MLB...but no Rookie. I don't like that he took that unique honorific from Freddy Baseball of being the only ROY and MVP.

Concerning 262: The 101 runs that produced...with his speed...seems absurdly low. What?

Concerning Runs: 111-111-101-111-110-111 is pretty cool. Just a randomly weird/cool stat line. "Take me to your leader."

What could have been:

3604

14832

13553

2078

4367

573

119

235

1309

708

150

1031

1413

.322

.373

.434

.807

5883

151

114

59

75

279

I mean it was...but if it would have been all MLB.

[philliesfiend55]

The breakdown of Ichiro's 3,000 hits by team:

Seattle Mariners 2,533 hits (11 1/2 seasons); New York Yankees 311 hits; (2 1/2) seasons, 156 hits (1 2/3 seasons).

In a sense he'll always be a Mariner, but it's been a joy to see him make slow, but steady progress and ultimately achieve his goal for us fans in Florida. I tune in to Marlins games each night to see how he'd doing. That was an attraction for me even last year, before things started to come together for the Marlins as a team this year.

[Floyd Gondolli]

おめでとう、イチロー！

[jjpm74]

Congrats to Ichiro on his 4257th career hit!

[Edgartohof]

Missed this the other day, but congrats to Ichiro on his 500th Stolen Base!

He is currently sitting 53 hits away from 3000 and has been decent in his limited role so far this season and should be able to reach that mark this year!

Ichiro has the 2nd most hits from age 27 on (when he joined the league), behind only Pete Rose.

He currently has 4225 professional hits, just behind Pete's 4256, also a number he should surpass this year.

[NJYankeeFan]

But Ichiro isn't that bad. He's hitting close to .300 and is amazingly fast and good defensively for a man his age.

His defense is so so at this point. Batting average really is not a good stat. He does not walk and has no power. He has a very empty average.

[White Knight]

No. I am fair about players who should have retired years ago.

I enjoy watching the older guys that still perform. Mo and Andy fit that bill.

I grew up halfway between Philly and NY so followed the Yanks and the Phils. I hated watching Carlton and Rose in their last years. I hated the way Torre overused Bernie at the end.

But Ichiro isn't that bad. He's hitting close to .300 and is amazingly fast and good defensively for a man his age.

[NJYankeeFan]

You are harsh on any older player, and you should like them. You're around Ichiro's age (me too). Watching him makes me feel young.

No. I am fair about players who should have retired years ago.

I enjoy watching the older guys that still perform. Mo and Andy fit that bill.

I grew up halfway between Philly and NY so followed the Yanks and the Phils. I hated watching Carlton and Rose in their last years. I hated the way Torre overused Bernie at the end.

[White Knight]

Even Stephen Drew can have a good game. Suzuki is still terrible.

You are harsh on any older player, and you should like them. You're around Ichiro's age (me too). Watching him makes me feel young.

[NJYankeeFan]

Hey, NJ Yankee Fan: Ichiro just went 4 for 8 against your Yankees. That hardly fits the description of a player that according to you "should have retired five years ago".

Even Stephen Drew can have a good game. Suzuki is still terrible.

[philliesfiend55]

Anybody that would love to have him can. He is terrible. He should have retired 5 years ago.

Hey, NJ Yankee Fan: Ichiro just went 4 for 8 against your Yankees. That hardly fits the description of a player that according to you "should have retired five years ago".

[Phantom Dreamer]

Ichiro plays for the Marlins now, not the Mariners. You should probably post about his current situation in either the Marlins forum or the Current Events forum. He hasn't played for the Mariners since July of 2012.

[philliesfiend55]

2 Games played now and Zero starts for Ichiro with the Marlins. Was this a bad decision on his part to sign with them or was Miami the only team that showed any interest him this past winter. In his place, I'd have held out for an American league team where he could get additional at bats as a DH.
His chances of reaching 3,000 hits even if he plays in 2016 are beginning to dim.