Ichiro moves closer to Sisler's record with 5 hits

[Captain Japan]

Ichiro moves closer to Sisler's record with 5 hits

NEW YORK -- Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners produced five hits against the Anaheim Angels Tuesday, bolstering his drive for the Major League record of most hits in a single season.

His fifth hit during the game was his 243rd this year, 14 shy of the single season record set by George Sisler in 1920.

The question: should they keep pitching to Ichiro when an American icon's record is on the line????

For reference, see Randy Bass, Tuffy Rhodes, and Alex Cabrera.

"They didn't want me to get the record," Cabrera said. "The last 20 at-bats of the season, I think I only saw one strike. All records are for the Japanese. All my teammates wanted me to break the record. A lot of the players on other teams wanted me to break it, too

In 1985, Randy Bass hit 54 home runs and would have broken Oh's record but the closer he got to it, the fewer strikes he received. Last year Rhodes hit 55 home runs but got no further, either. This year it was Cabrera's turn.

[Taro Toporific]

The question: should they keep pitching to Ichiro when an American icon's record is on the line????

For reference, see Randy Bass, Tuffy Rhodes, and Alex Cabrera.

Nope. Fair is fair. They shouldn't keep pitching to Ichiro
They ought to walk him like Bass, Rhodes, Cabrera, et al.

I was in my local Farm Coop when they walked Ichiro yesterday and there was a gasp. The EVERYBODY turned, looked at me cheering the walk and the phrase repeated was, " aho ka. ":twisted:


*In Ehime-ben aho ka = asso ka but everybody was just teasing me about my overly standard Japanese and they meant aho is in baka.

[Cobra]

im not into baseball. infact I know FA about it. But this situation doesnt suprise me with the Japanese. DBLstandards all the way with them.
Fuck ichiro. looks like a retard anyhow.

[dingosatemybaby]

Fuck ichiro. looks like a retard anyhow.

Dingo thinks he may have found a new sig.

[gaijinzilla]

Of course they'll let Ichiro break the record. Baseball records are meant to be broken & they can be broken by any player in this day and age, it's the 21st century....except in Japan, where it's still the dark ages (that stat about 40% of school kids thinking the sun revolving around the earth proves this) hence they're meant to be broken ONLY by Japanese ball players.

Another thing, and this puzzles me, but how can someone using an avatar of Hitler comment upon Ichiro looking retarded?

[Cobra]

Of course they'll let Ichiro break the record. Baseball records are meant to be broken & they can be broken by any player in this day and age, it's the 21st century....except in Japan, where it's still the dark ages (that stat about 40% of school kids thinking the sun revolving around the earth proves this) hence they're meant to be broken ONLY by Japanese ball players.

Another thing, and this puzzles me, but how can someone using an avatar of Hitler comment upon Ichiro looking retarded?

easy. whats the problem? Hitler was a genius. love him or hate him he was that.

[yakinoumiso]

Of course they'll let Ichiro break the record. Baseball records are meant to be broken & they can be broken by any player in this day and age, it's the 21st century....

Yeah, unless you happen to be Barry Bonds. These days it seems like the guy picks up more intentional walks than actual pitches over the plate. I think the only reason they are pitching to Ichiro is because even if he hits, the Mariners still lose. Right now the Mariners are 30 1/2 games back.

[gaijinzilla]

Barry Bonds gets walked because his bat does more damage than Ichiro's singles. Although Ichiro did get intentionally walked a few times in a few of the Mariners latest games..

As for the rather silly notion that Hitler was a genius....why-- because he had the Autobahn constructed?

[Cobra]

As for the rather silly notion that Hitler was a genius....why-- because he had the Autobahn constructed?

yeah.

[gaijinzilla]

Thanks for the laughs!

[Pal_msy]

Ultimately, he put Germany back in a similar position they were after the great war. And with berlin bombed to the shithouse. good times...

[Watcher]

Hate to bump this up when it's so clearly heading off topic but Cobra, you are an idiot. There's no need to reply to this as I won't see it... you've spewed crap for too long (yet such a short time) and are Ignored (thanks for the feature Ultra )
And, Yes, he is a big floppy donkey dick

[maraboutslim]

Is this going to be another one of those Asterisk things where they say Sisler played when there were X fewer games?

Regarding Bonds: I was born a Dodger fan and (against all odds) have remained one even through the Fox ownership era and now with this new wacko owner. And though I now live 10min from the Giants stadium, I consider the Giants to be "the hated ones", just like Vic the Brick says. But damn, Barry Bonds is amazing.

There are a few things that really impress me about baseball. Barry Zito's curve ball on a good day. Eric Gagne often striking out the side on like 11 pitches. The speed at which Ichiro gets out of the box and across the first base bag turning routine groundouts into hits. But I suspect I will see things like those last three again from other players in the future. I doubt I'll ever see anything like Barry Bonds again.

[AssKissinger]

Bonds is a streroid poppin' monkey! Hammerin' Hank forever! Juiced Bonds Never!

GO!GO!ICHIRO!

Ichiro record tracker

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/ichiro_hits_tory/index.jsp (a little slow to update)

[Mulboyne]

4 more today.

If he does get the record, it will receive so much coverage in Japan that I wonder whether a foreign hitter will ever again be denied a chance to surpass Oh's record.

You have to think that at least part of the reason for keeping Japanese baseball records for local players has been an inferiority complex. A sense that "of course the gaijin can hit better than us but they are just hired muscle". With the success of Japanese players in the MLB, this becomes less of an issue and a record for Ichiro could be a turning point.

Then again, it might not.

[AssKissinger]

Oh's an FG his damn self. Half Taiwanese. Fuck the Japanese record. This is about real baseball. Oh's record isn't worth the gum stuck on the bottom Ichiro's cleats.

[twilightzone]

sport is sport. who care`s about the Japanese record. I think the American Baseball is better than that. I say if he can get it give it to him.

[mr. sparkle]

Yeah, unless you happen to be Barry Bonds. These days it seems like the guy picks up more intentional walks than actual pitches over the plate.

It's too bad, because if they'd actually pitch to Bonds, then he could catch Hank Aaron's record within one year. Now it'll take him two. He'll still be a Giant 'til 2006 so that will be a sweet record to break and also a tribute to his dad (who just passed away), a former Giants star.



BTW, it's a bloodbath here in the NL West and Wild Card standings right now.

The Giants only stand 1/2 game back from the division leading Dodgers with less than ten games left. The last few games are against San Diego (Wild Card rivals) and LA (NL West rivals). Not only that, but the Giants are barely hangin' onto a Wild Card lead in the National League over the Chicago Cubs, who are playing damn good ball right now. LA is waning and SF is peaking right now, so I predict that they'll steal the NL West.

I'm feeling very twitchy now.

Let's Go GIANTS.

[Marvin Feltcher]

Mulboyne, you're right about the blanket coverage. There are orgasms here with every hit he gets. NHK is going crazy with its cardboard cutouts. It had something like a Snakes and Ladders game tonight to explain his approach to the record.
Still, Ichiro is (and has always been) a phenomenonal hitter and he deserves whatever recognition he gets, especially as the less impressive Matsui (who's a much nicer guy, I must admit) still gets the lion's share of rewards here. (I just wonder whether Ichiro is still tying up young girls to his hotel bed and having his way with them?).

With the success of Japanese players in the MLB, this becomes less of an issue and a record for Ichiro could be a turning point

Here, I have to disagree. Look at the current strike now...everybody is lauding it, but what the players are really doing is fighting to maintain a decrepit system. It's just another act of Japanese baseball player gutlessness.

I say overhaul the entire system, join hands with Korea, Taiwan and Australia to form an Asian Baseball League that serves as a feeder to the Majors. Then, one day, we can have a true World Series (Apologies to Americans who think they've already got one).

[Caustic Saint]

(I just wonder whether Ichiro is still tying up young girls to his hotel bed and having his way with them?).

Is that the kind of thing that reflects negatively on a guy?

I say overhaul the entire system, join hands with Korea, Taiwan and Australia to form an Asian Baseball League that serves as a feeder to the Majors. Then, one day, we can have a true World Series (Apologies to Americans who think they've already got one).

Well, the Canadians get to try and play in it too.

[Marvin Feltcher]

Is that the kind of thing that reflects negatively on a guy?

Good Lord, no. It just popped into my head as I was typing and I subconsciously typed it down. I remember when that story broke (and was quickly shoved under the mat), I kept getting mail from somebody who said they knew the girl Ichiro had been with and that she had set him up, but when I tried to get in touch, they disappeared.

the Canadians get to try and play in it too.

They play in Canada. I don't think there're too many Canadians playing, though. Still, I think it should be called the North American Series instead of the World Series. It's not much use being the World Champions if you don't play against anybody else.

I still say create a world baseball league, sort of like a Champions League that spreads across the globe. Of course, the Americans will win everything at first, but gradually the other teams will get better, especially if the Americans market the game in the way only they can do. I think baseball would make a brilliant global sport.

[Marvin Feltcher]

Just thinking back to Ichiro, I don't think it would even enter the minds of the Major League pitchers to deprive him of the chance at the record simply because he's an FG. That simply isn't the way Americans work.

[Captain Japan]

Just thinking back to Ichiro, I don't think it would even enter the minds of the Major League pitchers to deprive him of the chance at the record simply because he's an FG. That simply isn't the way Americans work.

I think this is absolutely right. I just put the question up there because it is an interesting comparison.

[AssKissinger]

I think it should be called the North American Series instead of the World Series.

Sorry to dis you dude but that is the one of the most unoriginal comments out there. Living overseas it comes up every fucking October. It's a misnomer. Big fucking deal. World just means like super or whatever. It's just like Rugby fans saying 'NFL guys where pads, what a bunch of pussies.' I've only heard it like a billion trillion fucking times before. And it was dull the first fucking time.

[Marvin Feltcher]

the one of the most unoriginal comments out there. Living overseas it comes up every fucking October

I know, I know. Sorry about that. I'm not trying to piss on baseball, the majors or the way Americans run it. I love the game.
Actually, the point I was trying to make is that baseball's rulers should try to make it a global game like soccer. It's got everything that made soccer great...can be played pretty much anywhere, simple rules, plenty of excitement and, better than soccer, you keep going until you get a result.
How about this for an idea...An Asian league with teams from Japan, Korea and Taiwan, with players from countries like Australia and China (initially at least) serving as its feeders. Then you could have a Caribbean and Central/South American League with teams from Cuba (pleeease Fidel), Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, etc. Finally, a European League with Italy and, well, Italy. What's now MLB would become the world's governing body and the other leagues and the minors all serve as its feeders. There's no nationality clauses and you have promotion/relegation systems so that everything's linked in a pyramid style system. It'd be a logistical nightmare, but after a few initial hiccups, I'm sure it'd work, especially if the Americans ran it because nobody can run sports like them. Maybe the Southern Hemisphere could be used as winter leagues for the real competitions.
I'd love to see it -- a World Series where the Tokyo Turds, or whatever, (whose starting line-up is made up of 3 Japanese, 3 Americans, a Venezuelan, a Cuban, an Aussie, a Korean and an Italian) take on the, say, Atlanta Braves with 5 Americans, 3 Taiwanese, a Briton, a Chinese and a Russian. It'd be magical! Salsa at the Tokyo Dome for the first three games, the tomahawk chop and cossack dancing in Atlanta.
Baseball and probably basketball are the only other sports that could ever hope to compete with soccer, but basketball is always going to struggle because you've got to have certain conditions to play it.
Probably won't ever happen, but I'd love to see it come about.

[gaijinzilla]

Actually basketball has a better world-wide following than baseball. It isn't as expensive to play as baseball is, at the grassroots level, either. Just need a ball and a hoop, although two are prefered!

I don't think North Americans would go for the promotion/relegation deal. Just not a part of the sports culture, like it is in Europe.

I know the Japanese are really trying to put forward the idea of having a World Cup of baseball. I wouldn't mind seeing a type of competition like soccer's Champions League, having a tournament reserved for the winner of the World Series, Nippon Series, Mexican League, Cuba, etc instead of national teams getting involved. Although I guess the Koreans would have problems fielding any teams due to the scandal that has broken out over there (players dodging the draft---military draft that is)

[AssKissinger]

Well baseball will always have to share the world stage with cricket so it's unlikely to ever be as popular as soccer. Same with football and rugby. Basketball, frankly, just isn't that good of a game. At least not with how the clock is managed now. It has great potential but needs a massive reworking of the rules. Baseball is in my opinion the world's greatest sport although it's true I don't understand cricket at all. Soccer's main problem is almost every play turns out the same way. The offense gets driven to the side and there's no chance of a goal. I mean scores may be cheap in the NBA and NFL but nil to nil is just boring BULLSHIT. Baseball just has the perfect balance. And I love the way the game starts and stops naturally with no clock. It's a great game. One thing to think about, concerning your ideas about globalizing the game is that it's not too unrealistic to imagine supersonic jets that skip into orbit making it possible to travel from NY to Tokyo in two or three hours. That way cities around the world could have MLB teams. The time zones would be insane but everyone would have to deal with it.

basketball is always going to struggle because you've got to have certain conditions to play it.

I don't get what you mean about that.

[Marvin Feltcher]

Well baseball will always have to share the world stage with cricket so it's unlikely to ever be as popular as soccer.

Disagree. I doubt there are many people who love cricket as much as I do, but there are too many limitations...it takes too long to finish a game, is too slow and needs too much equipment are the three big killers for its spread. Baseball is quick and easy, like soccer.

nil to nil is just boring BULLSHIT

Not always. Sometimes you can get two incredibly unmatched teams and watching the weak one hold out whatever the better team throws up against it can be brilliant. One of the best games of soccer I ever saw was a 0-0 match between Holland and Italy, I think it was.

Baseball just has the perfect balance. And I love the way the game starts and stops naturally with no clock. It's a great game.

I agree entirely. And, if played properly, your game is over in two hours or so. It has everything -- power, skill, delicacy, poise and athleticism. You can't really ask for more. Another good thing about baseball is, it doesn't matter as much what sort of body you've got. There's a role in the team for people of all shapes and sizes. That's pretty much unique among popular sports, too.
But, almost as much as anything else, baseball also has the added benefit of having a leather ball whack against a chunk of wood, which I guess for many guys is one of the most romantic sounds in the world.

it's not too unrealistic to imagine supersonic jets that skip into orbit making it possible to travel from NY to Tokyo in two or three hours. That way cities around the world could have MLB teams.

Agree again. It may not happen in our lifetimes (certainly not mine), but I could see it happening. And, of all the American sports, I think baseball is the only one that has got a hope of spreading globally.

I don't get what you mean about that.

Sorry, wasn't too clear was I. What I meant was that, like soccer, you can basically play baseball anywhere. Kids on Brazilian streets use rolled up cardboard as balls for soccer games. You could pretty much have a game of baseball using sticks and stones. It's easy to improvise. You can't do that with most games.
With basketball, you've gotta have a ball that bounces or you're pretty well fucked. And you pretty much need flat land otherwise there's not much point in whether the ball bounces or not.
Besides in basketball, soccer, football, rugby, Aussie Rules...just about any profesional sport, you've gotta be a giant who can perform Herculean feats all at the speed of an Olympic athlete. Baseball gives a little bit of leeway in that area.

I don't think North Americans would go for the promotion/relegation deal. Just not a part of the sports culture, like it is in Europe.

Maybe not now, but the Americans aren't dumb. It's almost a national trait to strive to be the best, so I think they'd adapt to the idea really quickly, especially if it involved the national pastime. I think the Americans would love taking on and beating the best the rest of the world has to offer. They'd be fucked if the Aussies started taking baseball seriously, though!

[maraboutslim]

basketball is always going to struggle because you've got to have certain conditions to play it.

I don't get what you mean about that.

I think he means that the force of gravity must be strong enough that the ball doesn't want to float away into outer space but is capable of going down to the floor when pushed down by the hand of the dribbler, but not so strong that the ball fails to bounce back up into the dribblers hand. Where are we going to find conditions like that?

[Ketou]

I wonder if Aussies ever will take baseball seriously. Though the amatuer Aussie team beating the pro Japanese team at the olympics may spur some interest.

I think he means that the force of gravity must be strong enough that the ball doesn't want to float away into outer space but is capable of going down to the floor when pushed down by the hand of the dribbler, but not so strong that the ball fails to bounce back up into the dribblers hand. Where are we going to find conditions like that?

Or maybe that you just can't play it in the rain!!