Put them together and it makes him the all-time pro baseball hit king, a title he passed Pete Rose for in 2016. 24. Ichiro was showing signs of what he can do at the plate, hitting .371 at the time, but this was a sign of what the Mariners truly had. I get that question a lot, Ichiro said. At one MLB Japan All-Star Series in 2014, Small remembers U.S. manager John Farrell telling him the entire Japanese national lineup could have made an MLB roster. I saw this angle 20 years ago and have been looking for it ever since. Its tough to end things, and the way it ended, there's just no other way to do that. The biggest void Ichiro envisioned that hed face upon retiring was the passion he had for playing, and how hard itd be to hang up his glove. As part of these punishing workouts, Ichiro honed his distinctive swing. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Hes baseballs all-time hit king, was named to 10 straight American League All-Star teams, and is one of only two players ever to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. It is my greatest honor to have played for you as a Seattle Mariner.. Over his first season in Seattle, the then-27-year-old erased any doubts about his transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB. Now, of course, there's two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani. His 133 hits at the break marked a club record, and his league-leading 3.4 million votes made him an All-Star starter as a rookie. http://www.courtsidetweets.comRookie Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners shows off his cannon in right field by throwing out Terrence Long of the Oakland A. Even after Hideo Nomo broke international barriers and found success with the Dodgers in 1995, only a few MLB teams had scouts on the ground in Japan. Much like Ichiro during his breakout campaign, Ohtani is redefining the parameters of the game, gunning for the American League MVP, and representing his country with pride in front of awe-inspired fans. It also helped that the Mariners and Orix had a working agreement in which Seattle shared commercial and marketing ideas in exchange for info about NPB players. "His whole day, his whole night, everything he thought about, was about the next day's game and being prepared for it, from the way he works out to the routine that he's on. At 45 years old, Ichiro could still chuck it. Every time I faced him, our team would shift and theyd leave the gap between left and center, and that was easy money for him, says Santana, who now plays for the Royals and allowed the third most hits to Ichiro of any pitcher. **, Press J to jump to the feed. Drayer: 10 months of preparation led up to Ichiros last two games, Ichiro came off the field one final time as a Seattle Mariners player on Thursday. While I was playing at NPB and watching Ichiro playing well in the major leagues, my motivation became strong [to] play at the top level, Fukudome says through an interpreter. SEATTLE (AP) Ichiro Suzuki's otherworldly talents made an early impression on Dave Niehaus, the Hall of Fame voice of the Seattle Mariners. This was most apparent during the 2001 All-Star Game in Seattle, when he told National League manager Bobby Valentine, Were going to kick your ass shortly after being introduced as the ALs leadoff hitter. One by one, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect. He swatted away those stigmas with an AL MVP Award, 242 hits and a Gold Glove Award in his rookie season. Thus, over the next few years, Colborn found it easy to court Ichiro, bringing him jerseys of Griffey Jr., his favorite player. By that time, it didnt look like this was this giant gamble., Over the next decade, as Ichiro extended his career in New York and Miami, the level of Japanese baseball continued to rise. Terrance Long was over halfway from second to third when Ichiro picked up that ball. Feb 17, 2012 - Dave Niehaus. He stops the ball with the greatest of ease. Bump & Stacy make their picks. Ichiro didnt start playing in America until he was 27. Related:Groz Remembers: Ichiros Star Wars throw in 2001. Enfranchised in 1977, the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League.Safeco Field, now T-Mobile Park has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July 1999.From their 1977 inception until June 1999, the club's home park was the Kingdome. A Throw That Made a Phenomenon. Seattle won 40 games over the first two months of that season, leaning on free-agent additions like Boone and key veterans like Edgar Martinez. Niehaus was the voice of the Mariners from their first game on April 6, 1977, through the end of the 2010 season with his golden Midwestern voice punctuated by his trademark "My oh My!" and "It will fly away!" calls. 1500 PAs). With a late-season surge that rivaled some of the greatest in baseball history, the Mariners came from three games below .500 and a 13-game deficit in early August to secure a tie for the AL West with the California Angelsleading to a one-game playoff to determine the outright divisional champion.. Mariners fever was already in full bloom among the fans with . Looking back at Ichiros 2001, Colborn says one other memory stands out. The first Japanese-born position player to make the majors also filled the Mariners celebrity void left by Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Randy Johnson, all of whom had recently departed Seattle. Utter disbelief. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Ichiro is the first member added since 2015, and he joined an exclusive group that includes nine other members (in order of induction): Alvin Davis, Dave Niehaus, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson, Ken Griffey Jr., Lou Piniella and Jamie Moyer, with all in attendance except Johnson and Piniella. There was never a point in my career that I could have said that this was going to happen, so Im definitely grateful, Ichiro said Friday, through interpreter Allen Turner, who was his translator when he arrived in 2001. Niehaus died at his home in suburban Bellevue, according to his family. Seattles franchise icon was beginning a 16-minute speech -- which he gave in English -- in conjunction with being enshrined in the Mariners Hall of Fame. That was the difference. During Suzuki's first month in the majors in 2001, Niehaus narrated a throw by Suzuki from right field that nailed Terrence Long at third base. Hes going to beat you., McLaren laughs when thinking about how opponents shifted to account for Ichiros spray chart. His last was Ichiro Suzuki's fly out to end the Mariners' final game this year on Oct. 3. From Diego Segui's first pitch on April 6, 1977, through the end of the 2010 season, Niehaus called 5,284 of the Mariners' 5,385 games. Im anonymous here.. Oh Ichiro it's why we love you. That included his preparation and personality, which often caught Seattle teammates off guard. Its just an absurdly impressive throw. Ichiro walks off into history in sayonara at Tokyo Dome. A year later, Colborns extensive scouting reports and personal relationship with Ichiro convinced Pat Gillick, the Mariners new GM, to make a strong play for him after the 2000 season. 2023 Bonneville International. . All rights reserved. Everything was like clockworkhed get his massage, hit off the tee, light weights, stretch, snack. The former Orix pitching coach had taken the same job with the Dodgers that year, and embraced his friend in the dugout when the Mariners visited Los Angeles for a three-game series in July. Suzuki was unlike anything the majors had seen when he left Japan for Seattle, and he's become one of the most important figures in baseball history and not just because of his 3,089 hits, 10 Gold Gloves, numerous All-Star Games, single-season hit record and MVP award. The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season, but all of that came after this laser beam. Do you know who had the second highest? Two weeks into his rookie season, that would no longer be the case. Mr. Niehaus was more than just an announcer, he was family to the Mariners players and management. America's Pastime. The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season . One by one, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect. I root for MN where Max Kepler and Byron Buxton wouldn't attempt that throw if they were picking it up while the runner was on second base. Baseball will forever be my soul, and my mission is to keep helping both players and fans appreciate this special game., Just a few legends hangin' out on #IchiroWeekend. All rights reserved. same result as his first game as a member of the Mariners, Groz Remembers: Ichiros Star Wars throw in 2001. Saturday, March 10, 2018 10:25pm. "I'm here to tell you, Ichiro threw something out of Star Wars down there at third base," Niehaus said. I remember it being almost in slow motion. The Japanese approach to hitting is such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the same, Whiting says. Aug 27, 2022. Apr 21, 2017. He's shifting to a new role as special assistant to the chairman. [But Ichiro] wasnt just going to sit back and cry because they lost. He was the lead play-by-play announcer for the American League's Seattle Mariners from their inaugural season in 1977 until his death after the 2010 season. Ichiro used an interpreter with the media, limiting potential discrepancies caused by the language barrier, but often surprised coaches, teammates, and opponents by starting conversations in English and talking smack. He had an ability to put the bat on the ball unlike anybody else, was one of the fastest players of his generation, could surprise you with his power at the plate, and was a human highlight film in right field whether it was due to his arm, glove, or otherworldly agility. That ball could have gone through David Bell another 10 to 15 feet. By the time Melvin arrived in Seattle in 2003, Suzuki was already established as a star. He says, I mean I can walk around without having people bug me, Colborn says. Naturally, in a matchup between Seattles current star and its former one, Ichiro singled off Randy Johnson in the bottom of the first. "If this team is going to go to the playoffs, they have to have Chris Carson running the football.". the Mariners did not say who would throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Julio Rodrguez had a brief moment that caused concern when he crashed into the wall in center field on Monday's Mariners spring trainng game. Probably heat of moment combining of phrases. Ichiro is the first member added since 2015, and he joined an exclusive group that includes nine other members (in order of induction): Alvin Davis, Dave Niehaus, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson, Ken Griffey Jr., Lou Piniella and Jamie Moyer, with all in attendance except Johnson and Piniella. After smacking two doubles to left field, he stepped to the plate in the seventh inning, surveyed the diamond with his right arm perpendicular to the ground, and whipped his hands through a low fastball to lift a home run into the bullpen beyond the right-field wall. A laser beam, barely 10 feet off the ground, reached third baseman David Bell on the fly with Long a good five feet from the bag. So on March 20, 2001, following an early lunch with bench coach John McLaren, Piniella headed to batting practice at the Mariners complex and called over Ted Heid, Seattles Pacific Rim scout and Ichiros temporary interpreter. Suzuki carried the burden of an entire country in coming to America, and his success created opportunity for the countless others who have followed. The Mariners and Athletics were locked in a scoreless affair until the eighth inning, when Ichiro led off with a pinch-hit single to left field, sparking a three-run rally. Visit MLB.com: http://mlb.mlb.comSubscribe to MLB.TV: mlb.tvDownload MLB.com At Bat: http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/atbatGet tickets: http://mlb.mlb.com/ticketsOfficial MLB Merchandise: http://mlb.mlb.com/shop Join the conversation!Twitter: http://twitter.com/mlbFacebook: http://facebook.com/mlbInstagram: http://instagram.com/mlbGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/+MLBTumblr: http://drawntomlb.com/Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/MLBAM Theyd let me sit in the lower field-level seats behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and their media people. When he returned, it got to the point where the American scouts were like a pest., Using Ichiros and Matsuis success as a blueprint, more Japanese position players began testing their skills overseas, from So Taguchi and Kaz Matsui to Tadahito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Rounding third and heading for home. Ichiro took this to a whole new level with this quote when asked what he will do once he is done playing baseball: There were a few moments where a rookie Ichiro's growing stardom expanded past the reaches of the Pacific Northwest. You knew the work ethic was there. Ichiro also showed off his power by smacking balls into the seats before moving to right field and unleashing rocket throws to the infield. In 2008, the National Baseball Hall of Fame awarded Niehaus the Ford C. Frick Award, the highest honor for American baseball broadcasters. Follow AzQuotes on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. But hes never wanted to be an imposing figure. By high school, he had also developed a contorted batting stance in which he picked up his front leg and moved it like a long, slow pendulum back toward the catcher, as T.R. Yet his influence and importance shouldn't be understated. And nobody has seen one since. Did Buhner throw that ball?. I was looking to take it on the hop and it never hopped.. The version on MLB's YouTube channel doesn't have it, and it's too bad. The manager gave me a big wet kiss. His breakthrough offered a glimpse of the sports past and future, all while distinguishing him as a singularly timeless talent. SEATTLE -- It began like an outdoor concert for an iconic rock star, and in many ways, Ichiro Suzuki carries that reputation in these parts. 0 Followers. By the end of the regular season, he led the league in batting average (.350), hits (242), and stolen bases (56), becoming just the second player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Niehaus was a constant. Ichiro would come up to bat and Mr. Niehaus could tell you the funniest story about him. However, No. Mike Trout Mines just as gold as yours, Boone says. WALLA WALLA - As I listened to a Mariners pregame radio broadcast over my headphones recently as I jogged up Tieton Street, I was reminded of Does anyone know what exactly the broadcaster says here? Ichiro, you ever turn on the ball?, Later that day, in a 7-4 loss to the Athletics, Ichiro took his managers hint. There were a whole slew of guys that were maybe All-Stars in Japan but just not as outstanding a player [as Ichiro], but they found that there could be a role in MLB for those types of players., In 2008, Hendry engaged in a bidding war for star outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, a member of the Chunichi Dragons who had seen Ichiros success and was inspired to play abroad. He's saying the throw was a beautiful peg. Ichiro Suzuki Baseball player. Ichiro, whose arm could throw lasers "like something out of 'Star Wars,'" as late Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus famously said, retires as the active leader in outfield assists (123). #IchiroWeekend pic.twitter.com/Upl1XeSY48, Ichiro Girl reuniting with Ichiro is the most wholesome thing weve ever seen pic.twitter.com/vrM41SHLaB. And Ichiro catapulted a team that was projected to finish third in its division to 116 wins and an unlikely place in MLB history. So here's the audio. As a result, he substituted power for placement, lining, blooping, and grounding the ballhis body already a step out of the boxbefore beating out what appeared to be routine plays. ! Ichiro shouted, after which he allowed the eager audience to roar back and take in the moment. He was just this unique individual, the result of a very unusual set of circumstances.. Whats up, Seattle? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 4/11/01: Ichiro Suzuki nails Terrence Long trying to go first-to-third on a single to right field. and the 0-1 pitch on the way to Edgar Martnez swung on and LINED DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE FOR A BASE HIT! David Arnold Niehaus (February 19, 1935 - November 10, 2010) was an American sportscaster. Honestly, I was scared. 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