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Mariners’ Suzuki gets 2,000th hit

Sep 6, 5:05 pm EDT

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Ichiro Suzuki(notes) took Gio Gonzalez’s(notes) first offering for a ball. He drilled the second pitch down the right field line for a double and his 2,000th career hit.

The Mariners’ outfielder, who accumulated 1,278 hits in Japan, became the second fastest to 2,000 hits, recording it in his 1,402 major-league game. Al Simmons did it in game 1,390.

Even before the ball fell in front of the Seattle bullpen, fans stood to cheer the Japanese baseball icon, who led off a game with a hit for the 436th time.

“The game is international and even though there were players from Japan before him, he’s the one you think about first,” A’s manager Bob Geren said following Saturday night’s win over the Mariners. “He’s big over there and he’s made our game bigger here. There’s a big turnout wherever he goes and that’s good for the game.”

Suzuki has 128 hits in Oakland, his favorite road park. His 227 hits against the A’s is his second most behind the 239 he’s earned against the Texas Rangers.

Suzuki, the 259th player to reach the milestone, needs five hits for 200 on the season, which would break the record he shares with Willie Keeler for consecutive seasons (9) with as many hits.

“He’s really done a lot for the game,” A’s second baseman Mark Ellis(notes) said. “He has a big following not just from Japanese fans, but from American fans too. They love Ichiro and love his style. He’s definitely fun to watch.”

Updated Sep 6, 5:05 pm EDT
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  1. <i>chocojr</i>
    84. Posted by chocojr Mon Sep 7 9:42pm EDT

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    hey pete0822,

    i agree with you, NPB stats shouldn't count in the MLB. just the same as ABA in the NBA or CFL in the NFL as you said. However, you can't have the best of both worlds. You can't knock Ichiro for being a seasoned veteran by the time he was a rookie in the Majors AND discount his stats at the same time. Your reasoning is faulty because if you discount his Japanese stats, then he is a rookie. Granted, the MLB and NPB are different leagues, and if Barry Bonds went over there right now, he would have a grand total of 0 career HRs.

    most of the posts here have good points. i like what tom had to say and Jonny sideburns backs ichiro up as well. I can understand how he'd come off as a selfish guy who only cares about stats, but if you are perennially a loser, maybe this might be his motivation to keep going season after season come july when the Mariners are out of the playoff race. he sticks to it and keeps on hitting. mad props for his mental game.

    rocky started talking about his selfishness and about how he doesnt perform like other leadoff hitters and doesnt steal as many bases as the best in the league. i would like to point out that ichiro was never a leadoff hitter in japan, thus he had more RBIs. a few years ago, if i remember correctly, he had the 2nd most Intentional walks after Barry. and he bats LEAD OFF. the people that hit in front and behind him are not spectacular. i believe that if he batted further down the line up, he could have more RBIs, and possibly more doubles instead of infield singles

    Ichiro still has one of the games best battting averages whit runners in scoring position and for anyone watchingn this year's WBC final vs. Korea, you would know that this guy truly is Clutch. would like to also reference one dude who posted way back when, i forgot what that person's screen name was, but ichiro HAS played in the playoffs and won a series.

    Thank you
  2. Peter
    83. Posted by Peter Mon Sep 7 3:46pm EDT

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    hey TJ wake up mlb is mlb not the Jap league. do ABA stats count in nba, or cfl in the nfl??? no
    wake up and get a life or a jap blow up doll
  3. Peter
    82. Posted by Peter Mon Sep 7 3:42pm EDT

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    Ichero this Ichero that. Best pure hitter in last 25 years hands down was Tony Gwynn. Oh and as far as having the record for most hits by a rookie. sorry tight eye, that record is shoeless Joes. You dont play professionally in Japan then come here and break a rookie record. If you had any class you would renounce the record to its rightful holder Joe Jackson
  4. t bone
    81. Posted by t bone Mon Sep 7 2:48pm EDT

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    Hey Rocky, not only do you share the title characters name but his intelligence level too. Seattle's problems have more to do with bad pitching and bad high priced additions like Beltre than Ichiro. Why would any professional hitter not hit the second pitch if it was a good one to hit??? Is there a guarantee the the fifth or sixth on will be as good? You are clearly a great baseball mind, lets sacrifice 2 or 3 hits a game to add 6 or 7 pitches, during the whole game, to the starters total. The reason teams like the Yankees, Sox and Angels can work counts is because they have stacked lineups where the seventh, eighth and sometimes ninth hitter can do damage on a regular basis. Seattle does not have that luxury.
  5. Jim g KILLER COOP
    80. Posted by Jim g KILLER COOP Mon Sep 7 1:37pm EDT

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    Ichiro changes the mental thinking of the pitcher. Do I want to pitch to him or not. He`s just a pure hitting machine with fantastic defense with the glove and arm. He has a above average speed just a great ball player that knows how to play the game the way it should be played. He also doesn`t strike out very often. Just a joy to watch him play a first time ballot hall of famer!
  6. jujubee
    79. Posted by jujubee Mon Sep 7 1:32pm EDT

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    rocky, ichiro loves you, too. smoochy-smooch.
  7. <i>rocky63215</i>
    78. Posted by rocky63215 Mon Sep 7 1:09pm EDT

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    No one cares about his numbers in Japan!
  8. <i>rocky63215</i>
    77. Posted by rocky63215 Mon Sep 7 1:09pm EDT

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    Carl Crawford for his career his 162 game average is 55
    Ichiro's 162 game average is 39

    So 16 more stolen bases for Crawford.

    This year Ichiro has 24 stolen bases Crawford has 55 that's 31 more stolen bases. Rajai Davis who has played in less game than Ichiro has 31 that's seven more stolen bases.
  9. BigPerm
    76. Posted by BigPerm Mon Sep 7 1:03pm EDT

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    He's talking about combined hits, Japan and MLB, not just MLB dude.
  10. <i>rocky63215</i>
    75. Posted by rocky63215 Mon Sep 7 1:03pm EDT

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    Ichiro has never lead the league in runs. His career high is 56 stolen bases and that was done in 2001. Since then he's been in the 30's and sometimes 40's for stolen bases that's pedestrian numbers not above average especially with the speed Ichiro possesses.

    There was a sequence in which the Mariners were able to get a runner on first with no outs for Ichiro. Each time Ichiro could only get the runner to second base and the Mariners failed to score.

    The opposition in the game was the Oakland A's. Their leadoff hitter Adam Kennedy had the same situation and each time was able to move the runner further than Ichiro.

    Ichiro gets a lot of hits that don't even make the outfield. So, why can't he steal more than 60 bases? Why can't Ichiro lead the league in runs? Why can't Ichiro have a higher on-base percentage? Why can't Ichiro take pitches to help out his team? The answer again is because of his selfishness.

    He only cares asbout the hits and batting average. There's more to being a leadoff hitter than hitting a single.

    What made other leadoff hitters more effective than Ichiro was their ability to work the count because that's more benefical for a team than having the second pitch seen hit up the middle.

    Also, explain the fact that since Ichiro has missed over 10 games this year why the Mariners have a winning record without Ichiro in the lineup and when Ichiro's in the lineup the Mariners record is under .500.

    Ichiro is overrated he is not a throw back player. He's lazy! He's a loser! Just look at the facts the Mariners have done nothing since they built the team around Ichiro! Nothing! No playoffs and a couple winning seasons, but mostly subpar seasons or losing seasons.

    Give me a break under .500 since 2002 with Ichiro in the lineup. Without Ichiro in the lineup the Mariners are above .500! The Mariners need to get rid of their clubhouse cancer in Ichiro!
  11. <i>johnny_sideburns</i>
    74. Posted by johnny_sideburns Mon Sep 7 1:01pm EDT

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    \\When does Ichiro steal bases?//

    Pretty regularly...he's averaged over 35 steals per year since he's been playing in MLB. He led the league in his first year, in fact.

    \\he doesn't do enough to help his team win//

    Other than getting on base, scoring runs, and fielding his position well enough to win the Gold Glove every year, there's not much more for him to do other than pitch.

    You can say that he takes up a larger portion of the funds that the Mariners' front office will allow itself to spend on player salary...and in doing so he makes it more difficult for a small-market team like Seattle to sign big money free agents the way the Yankees and the Red Sox do...but they make up a pretty fair portion of the salary thay pay him from the cut they get back in revenue sharing based on how much Mariners' merchandise they sell with "Ichiro 51" on it, so if they choose to pocket that revenue rather than reinvest it in the team, well...you can't blame Ichiro for that.

    On the field Seattle has no one who does as much to help that team as Ichiro...he goes all-out every day to earn his pay; it's not his fault the M's are as categorically bad as they've been for most of his time here.
  12. <i>dcib21</i>
    73. Posted by dcib21 Mon Sep 7 12:56pm EDT

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    Hey k-man how do you think Ichiro is gonna catch pete rose in 3 years? He needs over 2,000 hit to do that! Thant's NOT happening!
  13. K-MAN
    72. Posted by K-MAN Mon Sep 7 11:36am EDT

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    move over pete!
    ichrio will catch you during the 2012 season.
  14. Ripcity09
    71. Posted by Ripcity09 Mon Sep 7 11:23am EDT

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    The man represents what real baseball looks like. He is one of the greatest players I have ever seen. I think he gets overlooked too often because he doesn't hit for power. Power is overrated. First ballot!
  15. tom
    70. Posted by tom Mon Sep 7 11:11am EDT

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    i have been a baseball fan since 1955. i have seen yogi, the mick, don drysdale, roberto clemente, willy mays, etc. play. i have watched games in wrigley field, old candle stick park, yankee stadium, and the dodgers in brooklyn. have watched washington senators games. ive been around for a while. one thing i see in ichiro is that he is a 'throw-back' type player. he is out of the 30's, 40's, and 50's mold. he has a soul felt love and respect for the GAME. he plays and lives fair. he respects the players, the coaches, the umpires, and plays the game the way the old timers used to. he leaves it on the field every night. he plays every play like it was the world series riding on the outcome. he views every at bat from the perspective that he WILL get on base and its up to the defense to get him out. there is not a pitch that he cant hit. there is not a ball that he cant drive out of any park in the league (if you have ever seen him in batting practice you know that he can and does drive the ball out on a consistant basis). and he will do anything to help his team and put them in the best position to win. he is the last of his kind. a legend. and a first ballot hall of famer, japanese stats or not. he is one of the ultra-greats and we are lucky to have pleasure to watch him play whether or not we root for him. phenominal player.
  16. mrbiggsy
    69. Posted by mrbiggsy Mon Sep 7 11:02am EDT

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    Hey RockHead:

    The guy averages 100 runs a year. Teams win by scoring runs. He changes baserunners plans because of his arm. He saves runs because they don't take the extra base against him. He is an above average base stealer. The defense doesn't know where the ball is going to be hit so they cheat their position. He gets the other team to think about him instead of their game. Seattle just needs more supporting players.

    You are obviously a knucklehead who was dropped on his dome as an infant.
  17. tom
    68. Posted by tom Mon Sep 7 10:56am EDT

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    i have been a baseball fan since 1955. i have seen yogi, the mick, don drysdale, roberto clemente, willy mays, etc. play. i have watched games in wrigley field, old candle stick park, yankee stadium, and the dodgers in brooklyn. have watched washington senators games. ive been around for a while. one thing i see in ichiro is that he is a 'throw-back' type player. he is out of the 30's, 40's, and 50's mold. he has a soul felt love and respect for the GAME. he plays and lives fair. he respects the players, the coaches, the umpires, and plays the game the way the old timers used to. he leaves it on the field every night. he plays every play like it was the world series riding on the outcome. he views every at bat from the perspective that he WILL get on base and its up to the defense to get him out. there is not a pitch that he cant hit. there is not a ball that he cant drive out of any park in the league (if you have ever seen him in batting practice you know that he can and does drive the ball out on a consistant basis). and he will do anything to help his team and put them in the best position to win. he is the last of his kind. a legend. and a first ballot hall of famer, japanese stats or not. he is one of the ultra-greats and we are lucky to have pleasure to watch him play whether or not we root for him. phenominal player.
  18. <i>rocky63215</i>
    67. Posted by rocky63215 Mon Sep 7 10:24am EDT

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    Most overrated player in major legue history! So he can hit a single big deal. When does Ichiro steal bases? When does Ichiro walk? When does Ichiro do anything to help his team? The answer is never!

    Since becoming the player the Mariners wanted to build around after the 2001 season the Mariners have a losing record with Ichiro! A losing record! He's a loser, but since he puts up great individual stats he is loved by the media.

    The funny thing is he refuses to be a leader, he plays selfishly, he plays for only himself, he makes 18 million a year, he doesn't do enough to help his team win, and will never see a World Series or the playoffs, yet the media acts like he's the second coming of Babe Ruth.

    Yet, when Barry Bonds acted aloof from his teammates he got reamed by the media. Ichiro does it but the media could care less.

    We're talking about a player who refuses to communicate with his teammates, who refuses to be a leader, and refuses to do the little things like take pitches so his teammates could see how the pitcher is throwing.

    Give me a break, Ichiro is not that great!
  19. sean
    66. Posted by sean Mon Sep 7 9:48am EDT

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    #53...that would be George Sisler, Hall of Famer first baseman.
  20. TJ
    65. Posted by TJ Mon Sep 7 9:20am EDT

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    Good point that Ichiro should be considered the all time hits leader for MLB when he goes by 3000 hits here combined with the +1200 in Japan. Since these are hits and not HRs (in field dimensions the same as MLB)...they should be counted. What is scary is that every team should have someone who hits and runs like him..at least one. It can be taught, it can be learned. Then imagine if you have 3 or 4 like that...imagine the fun!
  21. cher
    64. Posted by cher Mon Sep 7 8:29am EDT

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    200+ hits, .300++ average, all star selection and a gold glove in each year he's played in the MLB - unparalleled indeed.
  22. rob
    63. Posted by rob Mon Sep 7 7:38am EDT

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    now he is almost half way to roses 4200. he mite get close if he plays to hes 50 years old. ooo by the way jap hits in a jap league dont count. sorry kobi- achis load up on the hot dogs.
  23. thumper
    62. Posted by thumper Mon Sep 7 5:32am EDT

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    I am proud to say I am a Ichiro fan. He is one of the best hitters of all time.
  24. J-shizzle
    61. Posted by J-shizzle Mon Sep 7 5:31am EDT

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    Greatest non-winner since Ernie Banks.
  25. Charles C
    60. Posted by Charles C Mon Sep 7 3:09am EDT

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    One of the best, if not the best, un-juiced hitter today with consistency
    you dont see another hitter hits as consistent as Ichiro
    classy guy, classy bat
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