Mariners’ Suzuki gets 2,000th hit

Sep 6, 5:05 pm EDT

  • Print

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.”

It's game time — sign up for Fantasy Football '09 today!
Updated Sep 6, 5:05 pm EDT
digg del.icio.us
more
MLB

70 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. tom
    70. Posted by tom Mon Sep 7 11:11am EDT

    Report Abuse

    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.
  2. mrbiggsy
    69. Posted by mrbiggsy Mon Sep 7 11:02am EDT

    Report Abuse

    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.
  3. tom
    68. Posted by tom Mon Sep 7 10:56am EDT

    Report Abuse

    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.
  4. <i>rocky63215</i>
    67. Posted by rocky63215 Mon Sep 7 10:24am EDT

    Report Abuse

    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!
  5. sean
    66. Posted by sean Mon Sep 7 9:48am EDT

    Report Abuse

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

    Report Abuse

    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!
  7. cher
    64. Posted by cher Mon Sep 7 8:29am EDT

    Report Abuse

    200+ hits, .300++ average, all star selection and a gold glove in each year he's played in the MLB - unparalleled indeed.
  8. <i>rob99rst</i>
    63. Posted by rob99rst Mon Sep 7 7:38am EDT

    Report Abuse

    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.
  9. thumper
    62. Posted by thumper Mon Sep 7 5:32am EDT

    Report Abuse

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

    Report Abuse

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

    Report Abuse

    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
  12. MT
    59. Posted by MT Mon Sep 7 2:41am EDT

    Report Abuse

    The guy is a hitting machine and a defensive hustler. Congratz Ichiro!!
  13. TONY J
    58. Posted by TONY J Mon Sep 7 2:33am EDT

    Report Abuse

    He's also won a Gold Glove every year he's been in the league.
  14. butch
    57. Posted by butch Mon Sep 7 2:18am EDT

    Report Abuse

    i've been a philly fan since 1964 and have never rooted for another team....the only jersey or t-shirt that is'nt from a philly player is Ichiro...now thats respect!!!!
  15. dont worry about it
    56. Posted by dont worry about it Mon Sep 7 2:08am EDT

    Report Abuse

    ichiro is my favorite player, and his abilities on the baseball field are unparalleled. Sheffield talked @#$% about how he could hit singles all the time or watever, as he tried to downplay his accomplishments, but you simply cannot. He is a top 3 hitter in the game today and one of the greatest right fielders of all time. his multi-continent success cannot be overlooked. see you in the hall suzuki
  16. Valentin
    55. Posted by Valentin Mon Sep 7 12:55am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Let`s see 4000 hits! Ichiro! Ganbatte Ikimashio!
  17. Stash
    54. Posted by Stash Mon Sep 7 12:39am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Do not forget the respect Ichiro has for the game. While in St. Louis for the all star game, Ichiro laid flowers at George Kisler's gravesite. Ichiro broke Kisler's record.
  18. Stash
    53. Posted by Stash Mon Sep 7 12:39am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Do not forget the respect Ichiro has for the game. While in St. Louis for the all star game, Ichiro laid flowers at George Kisler's gravesite. Ichiro broke Kisler's record.
  19. <i>pomjazzkode</i>
    52. Posted by pomjazzkode Mon Sep 7 12:29am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hats off to Ichiro and his juice-free milestone!
  20. <i>thrillmcmillen</i>
    51. Posted by thrillmcmillen Mon Sep 7 12:14am EDT

    Report Abuse

    a diehard fan of the mariners want to thank all you ichiro followers, you other people do you really no what your talking about? no matter were he played that is a lot of hits. do not see your major league stats anywhere, can not be jealous because you got no talent. plus rasist people should just go away gets real old are you idiots or what were all in this together go mariners and well done ichiro you are the s***
  21. <i>johnny_sideburns</i>
    50. Posted by johnny_sideburns Mon Sep 7 12:11am EDT

    Report Abuse

    What makes Ichiro's accomplishments so impressive is that they don't allow for discrimination the way Sadaharu Oh's home run records do...rightly or wrongly, US-based fans and media never gave Oh the respect he deserved for breaking Aaron's home run record because of the dimensions of the Japanese ballparks.

    But you can't do that with a guy whose specialty is putting the ball in play and running safely to first base; the ball still needs to be hit when it is pitched and the basepath in the United States (and Canada, if you must) is the same distance of 90 feet as it is in Japan.

    By the time Ichiro has his 3,000th MLB hit, he will have passed Pete Rose for "baseball's" all-time hits leader when his Japan League totals are added to the mix. Rose will still be considered MLB's all-time hits leader, but Ichiro will have had more hits as a professional ballplayer. And Ichiro will live to see his own enshrinement in the Hall Of Fame...sadly Pete Rose won't.
  22. CMU04BSBA
    49. Posted by CMU04BSBA Sun Sep 6 11:56pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ichiro could retire now and go into the Baseball HOF. What's he done in nine MLB seasons is remarkable.
  23. cuffablimp
    48. Posted by cuffablimp Sun Sep 6 11:32pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The man's incredible and expect another 30 or more before the year's over.
  24. Jimmy S
    47. Posted by Jimmy S Sun Sep 6 11:31pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    DAM IMAGINE if ICHRIO played in the US from his hirst season he would of passed PETE ROSE and maybe have between 4,500-5,000 hits!!!
  25. lyle
    46. Posted by lyle Sun Sep 6 10:54pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey wezal.#37you are not very smart why don't you try to read or even try to do first grade math and you will feel like a fool. Have someone read it for you as if you were 6 years old so you can understand 2,000 hits in 1,402 MAJOR LEAGUE GAMES (OH yeah) The problem with racist people they are never smarter than the people they try to make fun of-right wezal
Sign in to post a comment, or sign up for a free account

Video Spotlight

More Videos »

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

- Site Map

Copyright © 2009 2009 STATS LLC and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the STATS/AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of STATS LLC and The Associated Press.