Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki, often known simply as Ichiro (born October 22, 1973, in Kasugai, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Seattle Mariners.

Ichiro moved to the United States in 2001 after playing nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. When the Blue Wave posted him after the 2000 season, Ichiro's rights were won by the Seattle Mariners and he signed a contract with them. He became the first Japanese-born everyday position player in the major leagues.

In 2001, Ichiro finished first in both batting average and stolen bases, the first player to accomplish this feat since Jackie Robinson. He set several MLB records in 2004, including a single-season Major League record with 262 hits. He has won a Gold Glove award in each of his first eight years in the majors as an outfielder.

Ichiro is the first MLB player to join Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He was also selected the 2007 All Star Game MVP, going three for three and hitting the event's first ever inside-the-park home run. Through the 2008 season, Ichiro has the second-highest career batting average among active players. At .331, he trails only Albert Pujols (.334) of the St. Louis Cardinals.

2001 Rookie Season

On November 9, 2000, Ichiro was acquired by the Seattle Mariners for a contract worth roughly $14 million. Ichiro's move to the United States was viewed with great interest because he was the first Japanese position player to play regularly for a Major League Baseball team. Up to that point, only pitchers from Japan had been playing in the United States and, in the same way that many Japanese teams had considered the 18-year-old Ichiro too small to draft in 1992, many in the US believed he was too frail to succeed against Major League pitching or endure the longer 162-game season. Ichiro made an auspicious debut his first week in the MLB, and revealed his tremendous throwing arm, by gunning down at third base the Oakland Athletics' Terrence Long, who had tried to advance from first to third after a teammate's base hit to right field. That play would be later remembered as "The Throw".

Ichiro wears the number 51 which he was issued by the Mariners as he had no preference for a number when he joined the club. He was initially hesitant when he was issued the number. To avoid insulting its former owner, Randy Johnson, Ichiro forwarded a personal message to the Big Unit promising not to "bring shame" to the uniform. Not only did he prove he belonged, Ichiro had a remarkable 2001 season, accumulating 242 hits (the most by any player since 1930 as well as a rookie record) and leading the league with a .350 batting average and 56 stolen bases, the latter being the most in the AL since Kenny Lofton's AL rookie record of 66 in 1992.


2002 and 2003 Seasons

Although Ichiro had somewhat of a drop-off from his rookie season, he still produced yet another spectacular season. He finished the year with 208 total hits, making him the first Mariners player ever to hit two consecutive seasons with 200+ hits, let alone being the first two years of their career (He was also the 6th person to start their career off with two 200 hits seasons). Ichiro also established the highest hit total of any major league player in their first two seasons (450) and finished the season among the top five in the league in hits (2nd), batting average (4th), and steals (4th). Ichiro was also elected to his second consecutive All-Star Game in 2002. He led the major league All-Star balloting for the second straight year. Despite a 93-69 record, the Mariners finished at a disappointing third place and missed the playoffs.

In 2003, Ichiro became just the third player in history to begin their career with three 200+ hits season. He again established himself as one of the league's best players by finishing in the top ten in the league in hits, batting average, steals and runs. Also, Ichiro completed his third straight year of a .300+ batting average, 100+ runs, 200+hits and 30+ steals season, a trend that still continues in his career today. Ichiro again was elected to his third All Star game in 2003, where he was again the vote leader in the majors. However, the Mariners again fell short of the playoffs, placing 2nd in the AL West.


Record-Setting 2004 Season

In 2004, Ichiro had his best season to date, breaking even more hitting records and setting up career-bests in most of his statistics. Perhaps the biggest moment in 2004, however, was when Ichiro broke the record of total hits in a season, previously held by George Sisler. Ichiro recorded 50 hits in four months of the year, becoming the first player to do so since Pete Rose. Also, he recored his 2000th hit (US and Japan combined) on May 21st. Ichiro was on a tear thorughout most of the season, becomming one of the fastest player to amass 200 hits in a season (He did in 126 games). By September 30th, where the Mariners were at their last homestand and series of the year, Ichiro stood at 256 total hits, two more hits within the league record. By then the Mariners were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs so the anticipation over Ichiro breaking the record was more popular in the local media than in the national media. The last series of the season was immediately sold out in Seattle.


2005 Season

In 2005, Ichiro collected over 200 hits for the 5th straight season after going 4 for 5 against the Oakland A's. He became the first player ever to collect 200 hits per season over his first five years in the Major Leagues and just the sixth to do so five consecutive times at any point in his career joining Willie Keeler, Wade Boggs, Chuck Klein, Al Simmons, and Charlie Gehringer. He also hit an MLB career-high 15 home runs.


2006 Season

In 2006, Ichiro continued his all-star play. After a slow start, which included hitting near the Mendoza Line (a .200 batting average) during the month of April, he rebounded and finished the season hitting .322 (6th in the AL and 11th in the Majors), accumulating 224 hits (leading the Majors), 41 infield hits (leading the majors), 110 runs, and 45 stolen bases (3rd in the AL and 7th in the Majors). Ichiro stole the second most bases of his career (56 in 2001). Ichiro was voted onto the 2006 American League All-Star team by the fans. He started in the outfield for the AL in Pittsburgh, but went 0-3. It was Ichiro's sixth All-Star selection in his six years in the major leagues, and his fifth start (only in 2005 did he not start). He also had two singles in the game in his first two at bats against Mark Redman. These singles helped him extend his own record of most consecutive 200-hit seasons to begin a career to six. He broke Wade Boggs' record of most hits in a six-year period in MLB. Ichiro also won his sixth straight American League Gold Glove Award, claiming the honor each year since he entered MLB.


2007 Season

On June 1, 2007, Ichiro hit in his 25th consecutive game, breaking the previous team record set by Joey Cora in 1997. Breaking Tim Raines' 1995 record of 40 consecutive steals, Ichiro stole his 41st consecutive base on May 3. He went on to set a new American League record of 45 consecutive stolen bases without being caught stealing. Because of another excellent start to begin the season, Ichiro was rewarded with another All-Star start by baseball fans. On July 10, 2007, he became the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run in an MLB All-Star Game after an unpredictable hop off the right field wall of AT&T Park in San Francisco. It was also his first inside-the-park home run in his professional career. 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.

Early in the season, as Ichiro's contract with the Mariners was expiring, he had told MLB.com that he wouldn't likely sign another contract with Seattle until free agency, citing the team's lack of success in recent years and would instead test the free agent market. However, this was proven false as Ichiro signed a contract extension with the Seattle Mariners for an additional five years, a contract lasting until 2012 on July 13. The deal is reported to be worth $90 million, consisting of a $17 million annual salary and $5 million signing bonus, although part of Ichiro's annual salary will be deferred with interest. The Associated Press reported the contract extension Ichiro signed will defer $25 million of the $90 million and the team will not have to fully pay him until at least 2032. The deal will pay Ichiro $12 million salary each year and will defer $5.5 million per season at 5.5 percent. The deferred money will be paid to Ichiro in annual installments, every January 30, beginning the year after he retires. Because of the deferred money, Ichiro's contract will be discounted to $16.1 million. Other provisions in Ichiro's contract include a $32,000 yearly housing allowance that will rise by $1,000 each year and four first-class round trip tickets to Japan each year for his family. He will also be provided with either a new Jeep or Mercedes SUV by the team, as well as a personal trainer and interpreter. On July 29, against the Oakland A's, Ichiro collected his 1,500th major league hit. He is the third fastest to reach this milestone behind Al Simmons and George Sisler.


2008 Season

Ichiro got off to a rather slow start in 2008, hitting only .259 in April (30 for 116). However, he got back on track during the mid-point of the season and on September 17, 2008, he recorded his 200th hit against Ron Mahay of the Kansas City Royals. Ichiro has now become the first player ever to start his career with 8 straight 200-hit seasons, and just the second ever to have a streak of 8 consecutive 200-hit seasons at any point in their career, tying the record set by Wee Willie Keeler.


2009 Season

After he returned to the Mariner training camp, he was suffering from fatigue and missed three games. After being examined by a doctor, he was found to have a bleeding ulcer. Seattle Mariners Manager Don Wakamatsu placed Ichiro on the 15-day disabled list. Ichiro was reactivated on April 15, 1 day after the Mariners home opener. In his first game of the 2009 season, Ichiro went 2-for-5 against the Angels, his final hit of the night being a grand slam for his 3,085th career hit, tying him with Isao Harimoto (who had been flown out to witness the event) who holds the record of most career hits in Japanese baseball league. Ichiro surpassed the record in total number of hits from both Japan and America the following night in his second at bat.

In 2009 he was named # 30 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.

9 Straight 200 Hit Seasons

No player in major league history has racked up more consecutive 200-hit seasons than Ichiro, whose infield single against the Texas Rangers in the second inning on September 13, 2009 made it a clean nine for nine.  Ichiro broke a century old record and now has hit for at least 200 hits in 9 consecutive seasons - breaking "Wee" Willie Keeler, who did it from 1894-1901 for the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise.