“Ichiro is more than just a great hitter—he is perfect example of an artist who knows how to make adjustments at the plate to help his team win games… No one else in the game today is a better pure hitter. And no one is a better role model for the next generation of All-Star talent—in the US, Japan, Latin America… and wherever baseball is played, enjoyed and appreciated for its beauty and simplicity.” - Alex Rodriguez, 2005 and 2003 American League Most Valuable Player,
Product Description
Ichiro Suzuki is one of the world's best known baseball superstars--a five-time All-star, a rookie of the year and MVP award-winner, two-time batting chamption and four-time Gold Glove winner and current holder of the single-season hits record. Now, with his co-operation, Ichiro gives solid advice and instruction for young athletes around the world on how to play baseball. He offers unique views on hitting, bunting, playing the outfield, and lots more.
With instructional photos throughout, easy how-to advice, and drills suitable for everyone, this book covers all the fundamentals: *reading pitchers and pitches *situational hitting and basic offensive strategy *sacrifice bunting and bunting for a base hit *stealing the perfect base *fielding and throwing fundamentals *mental preparation for the game *drills to improve your running, hitting, and throwing
Whether you are young or old, professional or beginner, coach or parent, you will find the advice in this book an invaluable guide to improving your skills.
This review is from: Ichiro's Art of Playing Baseball: Learn How to Hit, Steal, and Field Like an All-Star (Paperback)
I am a youth baseball coach and a fan of the way Ichiro plays the game. Unfortunately, this book is a real disappointment.
Its 103 pages consist of lots of big pictures of Ichiro, large print, very little text, and even less text about how to play baseball, let alone how to play like Ichiro.
The first 14 pages consist of pure fluff: a perfunctory timeline of Japanese baseball followed by an "Introduction to Ichiro" which is really only several pages about Ichiro's favorite music, sunglasses (the one's he endorses), food, clothing -- you get the picture.
The last 15 pages are devoted to "The Cult of Ichiro," Ichiro's statistics and an index.
Chapter 1, "Hitting with the Optic Nerve" consists of six half-pages of text and many photos of Ichiro standing or sitting around (i.e., not demonstrating any baseball skill). The lesson of Chapter 1 is simply that you must see the baseball in order to hit it.
Chapters 2 through 5 provide what little instruction the book contains. Chapter 2, "Analyzing Ichiro's Swing," and Chapter 3, "The Essential Elements of Hitting," contain clear photos of Ichiro swinging the bat but the text is vague. Chapter 4, "Flawless Fielding Made Simple," consists of uninstructive photos of Ichiro running to field a ball -- I don't think anyone can really learn anything from Chapter 4. Chapter 5, "Stealing Wins with Steals," does have some tips about running the bases but is very basic.
As I wrote at the outset, I am a fan of Ichiro's style of play. Unfortunately, this book does not provide much insight. Coaches, parents, and players can learn more about Ichiro by watching ESPN, and can learn more about baseball from almost any of the many other baseball instruction books already on the market.
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This review is from: Ichiro's Art of Playing Baseball: Learn How to Hit, Steal, and Field Like an All-Star (Paperback)
I don't usually feel compelled to write a highly negative review, and particularly when the remainder copy of the book I bought (at a Seattle bookstore) cost only $3.99. But -- if such a thing is possible -- I actually feel I wasted my money, and I write this to encourage you not to waste yours.
Ichiro is an absolutely marvelous hitter, and a quirky, one-of-a-kind personality (for instance, a Mariners trainer once told me that Ichiro eats precisely the same number of chicken wings each day -- I think it was 13 of them). Unfortunately, this book does nothing to convey the slightest insight either into his personality or his game. The chapters have promising titles, but there is simply nothing inside - no instructive photos, no illuminating text, nothing.
Any baseball book you could find -- including one as far back as Ted Williams's "Science of Hitting" -- would be better than this one. It's a shame that this book tells us nothing about one of the most skilled hitters in baseball.
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