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Ichiro Suzuki News & Rumors

Ichiro out of Mariners' leadoff spot this season?
"For 11 seasons in Seattle, Ichiro hitting out of the leadoff spot has been a Mariner fixture. That's where he's been for 1,722 of his 1,749 games. But that may be about to change. Mariners manager Eric Wedge said Thursday at the club's annual pre-spring training luncheon that he is "leaning" toward hitting Ichiro in another position in the batting order. Wedge cautioned that this potentially significant development is not final. But at the end of last year's disappointing season by Ichiro, in which he hit a career low .272 — his first time under .300 since 1993 — the manager had cautioned that it was no guarantee Ichiro would return to the leadoff spot. Wedge has had more time to think"
Ichiro's parting words: It's "hard to imagine" changing his batting style
"The Mariners' season is in the books, and Ichiro's worst professional season is over. He finished at .272, with 184 hits. It's Ichiro's first season with fewer than 200 hits since he joined the Mariners in 2001, and his first season under .300 since he hit .188 for Orix in 43 games in 1993, as a 19-year-old. The next year he hit .385 and set the Japanese hit record with 210 in 130 games. Here are his averages, in order, since the .300 streak started in 1994: .385, .342, .356, .345, .358, .343, .387, .350 (first year in Seattle), .321, .312, .372, .303, .322, .351, .310, .352, .315, and.....272. It's pretty striking when you list it like that, isn't it? Which might explain why Ichiro, when"
Ichiro discusses end to 2011 season while his manager calls on players to raise the bar
"Ichiro finally held court with the media after refuting prior interview requests down the stretch in this, his most difficult of seasons. His Mariners had just dropped a 2-0 decision to the Oakland A's to finish the year being shut out in back-to-back games. Overall, the M's lost 95 games. Last year, they'd dropped 98 heading into their final series of the season, so there isn't much separating the two from a win-loss perspective. Mariners manager Eric Wedge held court with his players pre-game and told them he wants that bar raised higher -- saying he expects players to deal with heightened expectations that include "working to win our division" next season. Ichiro has dealt with"
After a subpar year, Ichiro comes under scrutiny
"For his first decade in Seattle, Ichiro was the least of the Mariners' concerns, often the brightest note in otherwise dismal seasons and a shining light in an initial great one. His production was as constant as the winter drizzle in the Puget Sound. Oh, there were occasional grumbles about some of his unconventional methods, and complaints that he was commanding too large a percentage of the M's payroll. But you always knew where Ichiro would be at the end of the year: with an average above .300 (often well above), 200 or more hits (way more, usually, including a major-league-record 262 in 2004), a Gold Glove, and unchallenged status as one of the game's elite players, someone headed to"
Ichiro, Mariners stop Slowey's no-hit bid
"Michael Pineda flashed a wide smile as he spoke about the end of his rookie season for the Seattle Mariners. His future appears just as bright as the look on his face. Ichiro Suzuki stopped Kevin Slowey's no-hitter with a two-out infield single in the sixth inning and added an RBI double in the seventh, spurring the Mariners to a 5-4 victory Wednesday in Minnesota, the 11th straight defeat for the Twins. Pineda, in his final appearance, gave up six hits, two walks and two runs while striking out two over four innings. He threw 81 pitches. Manager Eric Wedge decided not to push him further on a cool night when he wasn't at his best. Because the 22-year-old Dominican has never thrown more"
Ichiro would have to replicate hottest stretch of career to reach 200
"It's looking increasingly like Ichiro will fail to reach 200 hits for the first time in his 11-year Mariners career, adding to a string of unwelcome firsts -- first season under .300, first season not on the All-Star team, and, most likely, first season without a Gold Glove award. After getting two hits Monday in the makeup game in Cleveland -- one of Ichiro's favorite road destinations, as we all know -- he now sits at 175 hits. The math is simple: Nine games to get 25 hits, or 2.77 per game.That's a heap of hitting, but for Ichiro, not unprecedented."
Ichiro to remain everyday leadoff batter, says Wedge
"Ichiro may be locked in the biggest struggle of his career, but he will continue to lead off and play every day, manager Eric Wedge said Monday in Cleveland. "I know it's been a fight for him, but he's tried to handle it as best he can," Wedge said. "We're going to continue to give him opportunities at the top of the lineup as we play this out." Earlier, when talking about giving Kyle Seager the night off, Wedge had talked about "the balancing act of getting everyone in there." Part of the manager's balancing act is finding playing time for his young outfielders, a challenge that will get harder when Justin Smoak comes off the disabled list. But Wedge said sitting Ichiro to facilitate that"
With Figgins on DL, is Ichiro the bad guy?
"After 10 astonishing seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki has proven mortal in 2011, and whether it's a blip on the radar or the end of an era, it's produced a fascinating transition. Not just for Ichiro, but for his fans - and those who've never respected his game. Sitting on 49 wins, the Mariners are likely headed for another 100-loss season that would be their third in the past four years. Seattle fans have found targets to boo most of the season: Milton Bradley, Jack Cust, Chone Figgins. And they have booed, indeed. Now that Bradley and Cust are gone and Figgins is out of sight on the DL, Mariners fans are searching for their next-best option. It is the nature of sport"
How Ichiro proved to Lou Piniella he belonged that spring of 2001
"Ichiro Suzuki, his eminence not yet announced by first name only, arrived at Peoria in the spring of 2001 as an enigma. The Mariners had gotten a brief glimpse of the Japanese star in spring training two years earlier, part of an exchange program with the Orix Blue Wave. But his stay was abbreviated because of food poisoning, and no one knew quite what to expect. Now he was a full-fledged member of the Mariners, having signed a three-year, $14-million deal (on top of a $13.125 million posting fee the Mariners paid Orix to win negotiating rights with the seven-time Japanese batting champion). Manager Lou Piniella was nervous, players were skeptical, and Ichiro (as he would soon be known"
With Suzuki, there's less than meets the eye
"It was April 2001, and I had gone to Oakland Coliseum to see what the big deal was with the new Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. In the eighth inning, I found out. On a single to right field by Athletics catcher Ramon Hernandez, Terrence Long attempted to go from first to third. When Suzuki came up with the ball, he steadied himself and fired the ball to third on a low, hard line drive that shot like a laser out of his arm. The ball landed perfectly in third baseman David Bell's glove, and Long was out by a wide margin. It was a jaw-dropping event, a play you tell your grandchildren about years later. And if I ever have a grandchild, I plan to do just that."
Ichiro, the mortal, will try to answer critics in season's second half
"Ichiro, the mortal, is an oddly fascinating character. He's intriguing in the same way that Superman was when he decided to only be Clark Kent for a while. It seems that we purposely make the narrative of a star athlete's career mimic a superhero's: superhuman ascent, underappreciated excellence, crisis of identity, dramatic rebirth. Ichiro fits neatly into that script now, and even though this movie has been made many times, the suspense never ceases. Because the expectation is that it will end in triumph. But what if it doesn't? No, no. It has to end the other way. The expected way. The right way. Ichiro, the mortal, just exists to make us appreciate the superstar when he returns. His"
Is he now Aging Suzuki?
"As you grow older - and I started growing older earlier than most people, sometime in junior high - you grasp onto a handful of things to feel safe and comfortable. I no longer have my boyhood exuberance for baseball, but I still enjoy cherry-picking the box scores, whether online or in the morning newspaper, looking for tidbits of joy. Over the last decade, Ichiro Suzuki has been my guaranteed daily morsel of joy. This year, that agate-type happiness is being threatened - perhaps by the ravages of time. In all 10 of his seasons with the Seattle Mariners since coming to Major League Baseball from Japan at age 27, Ichiro has batted over .300 and accumulated at least 200 hits. As we reach"
Ichiro and Figgins begin to un-slump, but sloppy defense dooms M's
"Ichiro and Chone Figgins have been the anonymous but obvious subjects of Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge's season-long proclamation that there are veterans on his team who need to perform better. The statements are sometimes vague — the veterans need to get it going. We're doing the same damn things over and over again. If the veterans could only pick it up … — but there is little secret as to the identity of the players for which those words are intended (though you can likely throw Jack Cust in there, too). Wedge has addressed Figgins and Ichiro by name on numerous occasions, speaking openly about their struggles to date, but typically groups them subtly into the category of"
Ichiro needs to accept new role with Mariners
"All of us wish that the great athletes could be eternal. That Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer could mount charges at this week's U.S. Open. That Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe could play at least one more Wimbledon final. We wish that Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird still were competing for NBA titles. That Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier were training for one more thrilla. That Hank Aaron still could hit against Sandy Koufax, and Joe Montana still could hit Jerry Rice over the middle. We wish the best could last forever. But in the battle between age and athlete, age always wins. Talent erodes. Skills diminish. Steps are lost. Speed dies. And so it is happening with Ichiro. The"
Ichiro prepares for what lies ahead after day off
"Ichiro was probably more surprised than anybody that he actually got a real day off. Mired in a six-week slump, his batting average down to .252, a 10-time All-Star, age 37, who's played in 1,651 of the last 1,684 regular-season Mariners games, watched part of Friday night's contest from the dugout as his team beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2. From about the third inning on, he went underneath the stands and hit off a tee, figuring he'd be called on late. But that never happened. Ichiro said he appreciated the full-time break as he prepares to tackle one of the bigger challenges of his career. "Every challenge is big and every accomplishment I overcame was big," Ichiro said, through interpreter"
Slump City: Population Ichiro
"A recent email from Mariners.com informed me of a most unusual circumstance involving Ichiro Suzuki. "Ichiro needs your help," the message began, and before continuing, I had to stop and savor that thought. Ichiro needs my help? The man is due to make a base salary of $17 million this season, and another $17 million next season. What predicament is so dire in his life that he needs my help? Did he snap a shoelace and can't figure out how to the push the frayed remainder of the lace into the eyelets of his shoe? (Moisten the tip, Ichiro. Works every time.) Has his vacuum cleaner bag filled up to the max and he's not in the mood to run to the vacuum cleaner store for more bags? (Here's a"
Ichiro designated for a day of rest
"The record will have to wait because Ichiro Suzuki could use a "day off." The Mariners' slumping right fielder was designated hitter for the second time this season on Monday as manager Eric Wedge tried to find a way to rest him. "It's not considered a real day off," Wedge said. "But it does help. Just getting him off his feet does help a little bit." Ichiro is mired in one of the worst batting slumps in his career. Even after getting two hits in Sunday's win, Ichiro had just 12 hits in his past 71 at-bats. A career .329 hitter, Ichiro was hitting .264 going into Monday's game. "I thought the two balls he hit yesterday looked like the Ichiro we are familiar with," Wedge said. "I felt"
Slumbering bats awake for Ichiro, Figgins
"For Ichiro and Chone Figgins, the two supremely struggling Mariners hitters, Sunday's 9-6 victory provided a glimmer of hope. Ichiro, whose average had fallen to .261 by virtue of a 10-for-66 (.152) slump since May 19, struck out looking at a Wade Davis curve in the first inning. But in the third, with two runners on board, he lined the ball into the gap in right-center and wound up with a two-run triple. Ichiro added a single in the eighth inning. Is this the start of a hot streak for the two-time batting champion, whose offensive problems have become a growing issue? "I hope so," said manager Eric Wedge. "You know he's going to come out of it. It's just a matter of when. He had that big"
With Ichiro at designated hitter, struggling Cust gets day off
"Ichiro Suzuki got a much-deserved day off from the field Sunday, filling the role as the designated hitter. Manager Eric Wedge said he talked to Ichiro about it and knew he wanted to do it soon with the Mariners on a long stretch of games without a day off. "As we got into it, after talking to him a little bit, it might be the best thing to do to couple it with the off day (today)," he said. "It gets him off his legs for a couple of days here." With Ichiro at designated hitter, it meant that regular DH Jack Cust got a break from his struggles. He's hitting .171 (5-for-70) with one extra base hit - a double on April 8 against Cleveland - and has a slugging percentage of .186. That's the"
Ichiro sets new Mariners franchise record with 2,248th hit
"Ichiro has never really been about the distance on his hits. Tonight, he set a new franchise record with his 2,247th and 2,248th hits, surpassing by one the previous mark held by Edgar Martinez. More important to the short term, his second infield single of the ninth, against Oakland A's closer Brian Fuentes, helped the Mariners score three runs to key a 5-2 victory. Yes, that's right. Your Seattle Mariners are 2-0. Back to that in a moment. "I broke his record, when you look at the numbers that's a fact,'' Ichiro said of his former teammate Martinez. "But he's a hero back in Seattle. He's my hero as well. When you look at his existence, he's a lot bigger than I am -- being a great human"
Ichiro, M's latest donors in outpouring of help for Japan
"Donations from Seattle are pouring in to help Japan, from individual checks and company contributions to fundraising by online campaigns and sports teams, including the Seattle Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki. Northwest aid organizations have sent teams to the disaster area, and community groups have been spreading the word to help raise money through their networks. American donors have raised about $105 million for relief efforts so far, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. But among those good intentions, one question arose this week in philanthropy circles: Does the country actually need all this aid? Some groups are using emotional appeals to raise money for their organizations"
Ichiro donating to relief effort through Red Cross
"Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is donating 100 million yen, which equates to about $1.25 million, to the Japanese Red Cross for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, according to the Kyodo News Agency. Ichiro has yet to comment publicly on the situation in his homeland. Meanwhile, the Mariners are asking fans and front-office personnel to help out the Japanese relief funds as well, and have promised to match all donations made at Safeco Field during their opening six-game homestand next month."
Ichiro offers a few thoughts on Japan, Joe Torre stops by
"Ichiro stared at the TV for a long time. Normally, a person who is focused and on a disciplined plan from the moment he steps into the clubhouse, the Mariners right fielder broke from his daily ritual to watch live coverage of the destruction in home country of Japan. But he chose not openly comment about the devastation. His interpreter Antony Suzuki, who's wife is in Japan visiting, said Ichiro is choosing to decline to talk to the media both American and Japanese about what is happening because he simply doesn't know enough to say anything and he doesn't want to say anything that would be wrong without knowing. Ichiro relayed information through Suzuki that he has not been able to get"
Ichiro reveals himself in TV interview: Ordinary and extraordinary
"On the field, it's Ichiro's ability to express himself with his body that wows fans, with an unprecedented 10 consecutive seasons of 200 hits, not to mention spectacular defense recognized by 10 straight Gold Gloves, 17 in a row if his Japan years are included. But on the studio set with a very different challenger in 62-year-old wordsmith Shigesato Itoi, a celebrity in Japan as the longtime creator of popular commercial jingles and advertising blurbs, Ichiro dazzled television viewers as well as the host with a similar aplomb for expressing himself verbally. "Ichiro is a skilled conversationalist," Itoi concluded. "Just like a baseball player is supposed to be able to hit whatever ball is"
Ichiro spouts Zen wisdom
"The workout ended just before noon, and Ichiro Suzuki didn't address the media for another 21/2 hours - but Jack Cust waited. In a Seattle Mariners clubhouse that slowly emptied, Ichiro did his post-workout routine, keeping that 5-foot-11, 172-pound body limber and strong. Cust, all 6-foot-1, 250 pounds of him, waited. When Ichiro had dressed and called in the media, he was wearing tight jeans, rolled to mid-calf, a red belt that matched his baseball cap and high-top tennis shoes. With the interview in progress, Cust appeared. Dressed in baggy jeans - rolled to mid-shin - and ugly high-tops, he sat across from Ichiro and waited. A moment later, the perennial All-Star outfielder began"
Ichiro and Jack Cust: Fashion do's and don'ts
"Everyone in the Northwest knows what Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki looks like - at 5-foot-11, 172 pounds he's mostly bone, muscle and sinew, reed thin. Then there's Jack Cust, the new designated hitter who is 6-foot-1 and weighs 250 pounds. There are bones, muscle and sinew on Cust, too. They're just better hidden. So when Ichiro came into the clubhouse Saturday dressed in tight jeans rolled to mid-shin, Cust couldn't resist. He rolled his wide-legged jeans to mid-shin, a homage to his new teammate. There was a lot of laughter when Ichiro spotted Cust. Asked about the fashion statement, Ichiro said "I'm the good sample, he's the bad sample."
New teammate starts off getting Ichiro laughing
"For one brief, hilarious moment, it was just like old times for Ichiro. There, seated in the locker across from his, once occupied by Ken Griffey Jr., new teammate Jack Cust did his best to make the longest-serving Mariners player laugh. Cust had his jeans rolled up high above his ankles, meant to imitate the type of "out there" fashion statements Ichiro has been making for years. "Is that intentional, Jack?" a giggling Ichiro asked Cust, through interpreter Antony Suzuki. "Yeah," Cust replied. "Ichiro wears his pants like this. That's the style. Too bad I don't have the belt to match." Ichiro, wearing a thin, red leather belt over his own jeans, nodded his head in amusement. Cust soon"
Ichiro ties record by winning 10th Gold Glove
"Reputation arguably played a key role in Mariners outfielders achieving a record-tying feat and a first-time honor with their gloves. Ichiro equaled an American League record for outfielders Tuesday by winning his 10th Gold Glove, while teammate Franklin Gutierrez took home the award for the first time. It marked the 11th time the Mariners have achieved multiple wins and the fourth time two Seattle outfielders have captured the honor. Controversy has dogged the awards for years, with critics arguing that the coaches and managers who vote are going largely off reputation and offense and not actual defensive play. An argument can certainly be made that Ichiro was not among the top three"
AL Gold Gloves handed out
"Alex Rodriguez is the only member of the Yankees infield who did not earn a Gold Glove on Tuesday. Derek Jeter won his fifth Gold Glove at shortstop, Robinson Cano his first at second base and Mark Teixeira his fourth at first base. Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki has won his 10th straight. Also honored were Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and outfielder Carl Crawford, Twins catcher Joe Mauer, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle and Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez."
Felix, Ichiro … nothing else
"Much as he tried to avoid doing so, Ichiro Suzuki couldn't help but think of the 2008 season as he reached another historic hits milestone Thursday. The Seattle Mariners that year lost 101 games, and when Felix Hernandez pitched a two-hitter – and lost 1-0 on Jose Bautista's 50th home run – the 2010 Mariners had 94 losses and 10 games to play. As relentless a hitting machine as ever put on a uniform, Ichiro added two more against the Blue Jays, reached the 200-hit mark for the 10th consecutive year and then glanced to his own dugout. He wasn't sure what he'd see there. "This year was tough because of the season we've had, and I couldn't help remembering 2008," Ichiro said. "The team is not"
Ichiro reaches 200 hits for 10th straight season
"Ichiro and Felix Hernandez did their things Thursday. The problem for the Mariners in their 1-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays was that so did Jose Bautista. So while Ichiro had two hits by the fifth inning to reach 200 hits for a 10th consecutive year and Hernandez pitched a complete-game two-hitter, Bautista had the final say. And he said it early. The major leagues' home-run leader hit his 50th of the season in the first inning on a 2-1 fastball, and that was the end of the scoring. The Blue Jays won the rubber match of the three-game series before a Rogers Centre crowd of 12,590. Still, it was a day of achievement for the Mariners in defeat. There was Ichiro's unmatched feat, there was"
Ichiro stands alone with 10th straight 200-hit season
"In this most brutal of Mariners seasons, Ichiro is that rarest of commodities — a player actually doing his job. While the team crashes and burns around him, he just keeps pounding out his hits, the usual mixture of exquisitely placed line drives and maddeningly slow rollers that can't quite be converted into outs. For the 10th straight year, Ichiro has reached 200 hits, a standard of excellence that can be written down in ink each February. Heck, you can etch it on a plaque and send it to Cooperstown. His metronome-steady output has reached the iconic status of a Seattle archetype — the rain, the coffee, the flying fish at the Pike Place Market, and Ichiro's 200 hits. With his"
Ichiro reaches 200 hits for record 10th straight season
"Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki singled up the middle in the fifth inning of Thursday's game against Toronto for his 200th hit of 2010, marking the 10th straight season the Japanese star has reached the milestone. Suzuki, who had 198 hits entering the series finale, laced a double to left in the third, then stepped up to the plate in the fifth and lined a first-pitch fastball from Shawn Hill to center. An appreciative Suzuki then took off his helmet and held it high, acknowledging the applauding crowd."
Ichiro ties record with 10th 200-hit season
"Ichiro Suzuki stroked a fifth-inning single to center to collect his 200th hit Thursday, tying a Major League record by reaching the milestone for the 10th time in his career. Ichiro is the first player to record 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons to extend his own record. The milestone hit came against Blue Jays starter Shawn Hill. The Blue Jays went on win the game, 1-0, over the Mariners. The Mariners dugout, along with the fans at Rogers Centre gave the Japanese native a standing ovation. Following roughly 30 second of applause, Ichiro removed his cap and acknowledged the crowd. The ball, fielded by center-fielder Vernon Wells, was promptly retrieved by a Mariners staff member. Ichiro"
Ichiro reaches 200 hits for 10th straight time
"Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki reached the 200-hits mark for the 10th straight year Thursday with a fifth inning single to center against Toronto Blue Jays starter Shawn Hill. Ichiro, 36, who entered the game with 198 hits, struck out in the first inning and doubled in the third inning. He grounded out to pitcher in the seventh inning. He is the only player in major league history to get 200 hits in 10 straight seasons, and now holds the American League record for most 200-hit seasons. He surpasses Ty Cobb, who had nine in 24 seasons for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics. Pete Rose reached the mark 10 times – but not consecutively – in 24 National League seasons for the"
Mariners' Ichiro is chasing bittersweet record
"The Mariners' season of monumental disappointment might actually yield one of Ichiro's most impressive records yet: He could become the first player in history to twice produce 200 hits in a 100-loss season. Ichiro tied the bittersweet mark with 213 hits in the Mariners' 101-loss season of 2008. He became the eighth player overall and first since Beau Bell of the 1937 St. Louis Browns to enjoy the exhilaration of 200 hits while enduring the agony of 100 losses. Since Bell's hapless Browns went 46-108, a total of 88 teams have suffered a triple-digit loss season, some with elite hitters in the lineup, such as Tony Gwynn (1993 Padres), Eddie Murray ('93 Mets and '88 Orioles) and Julio Franco"
'Big Elephant' still owes Ichiro dinner
"In his 10 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki has had nine batting coaches - but only one who won batting titles three times in a row with him. Alonzo Powell spent six years playing in Japan, where he was a five-time All-Star and won the Central League batting title in 1994, 1995 and 1996. The batting title in the Pacific League each of those years? Ichiro. "He likes to remind me he won seven in a row, and I only won three," Powell said. Powell has nothing but fond memories of his years in Japan, although he acknowledges there was a transition on and off the field. "Everybody had a great breaking pitch. The good thing for me was I was a pretty good breaking-ball hitter,""
Are Mariners bringing Ichiro down?
"Ichiro Suzuki batted .246 last month, one of the worst in his career, and his only response was to suggest: "It is what you see." So, what did manager Don Wakamatsu see from his leadoff hitter in July? "First of all, he'd be the last guy to tell you he was tired, but we've had off days and I don't think that's what happened," Wakamatsu said. "I see pitchers focus on him a little more, pitch him tougher." Why? "You look at our lineup, the middle of the order doesn't intimidate you," Wakamatsu said. "On every team, there is a hitter or two you pitch most carefully because you don't want that guy to beat you. "With us, that's Ichiro." What has Ichiro done to adjust? Apparently, he's done"
Ichiro: Another 200 Hit Season?
"Ichiro Suzuki is trying to reach 200 hits for his 10th consecutive season, but is still 73 hits short after slumping since the All-Star break. He has only nine hits in 52 at-bats since the break while hitting .173 in that span. Only one of his 22 hits this month, a double on July 15, has been for extra bases. He was hitting .360 on May 15, but his batting average has dropped to .307 after an 0-for-4 game on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. It takes roughly 34 hits a month to have a 200-hit season, but Ichiro only has 22 hits this month with four games remaining. Another interesting stat is that he has only four multi-hit games in July. He had 12 in April, 13 in May and 11 in June."
Ichiro hitless, but not speechless
"Ichiro's briefest All-Star appearance in a decade of Mid-Summer Classics wasn't without its moments. In three innings before being replaced in the lineup by hometown favorite Torii Hunter of the Angels, Ichiro made a nice running, back-handed catch in the first inning to rob Albert Pujols of a bid for extra bases. "It felt great, obviously, when you make a play like that," Ichiro said through interpreter Antony Suzuki. "It was also different because usually when you make that kind of catch here, Angel Stadium, all the fans boo and say bad stuff to you. But here, at the All-Star Game, they were all happy I made that catch. That was different." In two plate appearances in the AL's 3-1"
Slam-dunk for Ichiro, Lee
"Perhaps it was Felix Hernandez who best summed up teammate Ichiro Suzuki's 10th straight selection to the American League All-Star team. "Ahh, Ichi's always going to make it," Hernandez said with a smile. It does seem that way. On Sunday, Ichiro was named as a starting outfielder for the American Leauge All-Stars, having been voted in by the fans. "It never gets old," Ichiro said through translator Antony Suzuki. "Of course, not at least at this moment." Meanwhile, Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee, who picked up his eighth win of the season on Sunday, found out he was also voted onto the team by a different set of voters - his peers - shortly before game time. "Any time you're even mentioned"
Mariners' Cliff Lee, Ichiro named to American League All-Star squad
"When Cliff Lee was summoned into manager Don Wakamatsu's office before Sunday's game, it might have set some hearts aflutter, considering the trade rumors surrounding the pitcher. But Lee wasn't worried. "I am pitching today," he said. "Surely they wouldn't trade me two hours before I pitch." No, the news Wakamatsu relayed was that Lee had made the American League All-Star team for the second time in his career. Ichiro also made the AL team, voted by the fans as a starting outfielder for the ninth time in his 10 seasons in Seattle. Felix Hernandez, an All-Star last year, was bypassed. Lee was chosen as one of five starting pitchers in a vote of American League players. "Wak called me into"
Ichiro, Lee named to AL All-Star team
"In a bit of a surprise, the Seattle Mariners had only two players named to the American League All-Star team. Yes, they are in last place in the American League West, but it seemed as though Seattle might get three players on the team this year. Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki and pitcher Cliff Lee were obvious choices to make the team, however Felix Hernandez was somewhat surprisingly left off the 13-man pitching staff. "I'm very proud of both Cliff and Ichiro. I think they are both deserving and will do a tremendous job representing the Mariners and the American League," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "Both guys work very hard, every day, on preparing to be successful. It is great to see that"
Geren boosts Suzuki for All-Star Game
"Who's the A's All-Star? Manager Bob Geren, when asked for candidates, listed four and put the most emphasis on Kurt Suzuki. "I think Suzuki is an All-Star," Geren said. "I think he should've been last year without a doubt." Closer Andrew Bailey was Oakland's representative last year and could be again in 2010. Last year, American League manager Joe Maddon carried only two catchers (Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez) on his roster. The National League had three. Maddon's reasoning: All-Star catchers can re-enter in case of an injury. In many circles, Suzuki is considered the second-best catcher in the league (considering both offense and defense) behind Mauer. This year's manager is New York's"
A half-inning at a time, Ichiro rests
"Ichiro Suzuki got his first "day off" of the season on Thursday. But he was still batting leadoff in the Mariners' lineup. As has been the case in season's past, Ichiro's idea of an off day is to be the designated hitter. "He wants to play every day," Wakamatsu said. "But we talked the last couple of weeks when we could do it. And it just got to a point where we felt we should do it right now to rest his legs." Wakamatsu has been able to pull Ichiro out of some blowout games in the later innings to get him a little rest. Would Ichiro ever come to Wakamatsu and tell him he needed a rest? "Not a chance," Wakamatsu said, laughing. "I ask him constantly to let me know, but he'll never do"
Ichiro Suzuki's grounder in the 10th inning finishes Twins
"Long after the starters stopped dueling, the bullpens carried on the fight, holding on tightly to the 1-1 tie that Kevin Slowey and Cliff Lee handed over. Into the 10th inning the tie remained, until Jose Mijares took over for the Twins and familiar chants of "I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO!" broke out Wednesday night at Safeco Field. With two outs and runners on first and second, Ichiro Suzuki took two mighty cuts, each between two balls. He fouled off Mijares' next six pitches before slapping a grounder up the middle. Second baseman Matt Tolbert dived, made the stop and flipped the ball to J.J. Hardy. Replays seemed to show Hardy caught the ball in time for the out, but second base umpire Dale Scott"
A lineup - and Ichiro and Figgy need work
"One game into the new season, Chone Figgins is on pace to steal 324 bases, Ichiro Suzuki 162 - and they need to fix a few things. No. 1, Ichiro needs to let Figgins know when he's about to take off - and opening night was the perfect example. Ichiro stole second base and, with Figgins at the plate and a 3-1 count, Ichiro lit out for third, where he was called out on a close play. Would it have made any difference if Figgy knew Ichiro was going? "If Ichiro lets Figgins know, Figgins can square around at the plate and force the third baseman to make a choice - charge the plate or play back," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "Most third baseman are going to come in, and if they don't and Figgins"
Ichiro eligible for Hall consideration
"Even if Ichiro Suzuki does not play another game in his Major League career, he became eligible for the Hall of Fame on Monday night. The first-inning at-bat he had against the Athletics -- a popup to third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff -- gave Ichiro 10 years in the Major Leagues. So whenever he retires, even if it's on Tuesday, he will have qualified for HOF consideration. Once a player retires, he must wait five years to be considered for HOF candidacy. Several voters already are on record as saying Ichiro is on the cusp of being a Hall of Famer, citing his MLB record nine consecutive seasons with at least 200 hits. He also holds the single-season hit record -- 262 in 2004."
Is Ichiro Suzuki the Greatest Contact Hitter Who Ever Lived?
"When Ichiro Suzuki entered the league back in '01 he was far from unknown, underappreciated, or underrated. In fact if anything for a guy who had never played a MLB game, there might have been a better argument he was overrated. Since then Ichiro has slowly but steadily fallen out of the spotlight and has become virtually untalked about all around baseball. My question is, why? He has nine MLB seasons and has already broken 2,000 career hits, and he has a career .333 batting average, which in this era is every bit as good as Ty Cobb's career .366 average, which was in an era where baseball and pitching wasn't nearly where it is today. Also since then baseball has become a traveling mans"