Ichiro moves closer to Sisler's record with 5 hits

[Marvin Feltcher]

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'd love it to happen, but it might take a bit of time yet. I think it's a bit harsh on Japan to say the Aussies were an amateur team at Athens, though. They've all played pro baseball, some with fairly decent records, like Dave Nilsson and Graeme Lloyd. There are still way more Aussies on Major League team rosters than there are Japanese, too (though most are playing in the minors).
I was a bit disappointed at the treatment the win got in the papers back home. But I certainly made sure every Japanese I know heard about both games. I still have a picture of the Nagashima shirt hung up on the dugout stuck on my desk just to rub it in

[Marvin Feltcher]

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'd love it to happen, but it might take a bit of time yet. I think it's a bit harsh on Japan to say the Aussies were an amateur team at Athens, though. They've all played pro baseball, some with fairly decent records, like Dave Nilsson and Graeme Lloyd. There are still way more Aussies on Major League team rosters than there are Japanese, too (though most are playing in the minors).
I was a bit disappointed at the treatment the wins got in the papers back home. But I certainly made sure every Japanese I know heard about both games. I still have a picture of the Nagashima shirt hung up on the dugout stuck on my desk just to rub it in

[Blah Pete]

Hate to divert the original topis but since we have some FGs on hand that are know something about Aussie baseball there are some questions I have

What is the status of baseball down under? There are enough plaqyers in N. America that they can't all have been raised overseas (parents were diplomatics, uni proffessors, etc.).
The competition to make the roster in the N. America is tough with all the competion from baseball crazy countries like Dominican Republic and, Japan, Korea. So the Aussies must be be getting some decent level coaching and competition somewhere.

Back to the original topic. I think if Ichiro breaks the record and isn't intentionally walked (ala Randy Bass) it will make J-Ball look amateur and just one more step to becoming an extension to the AAA league. I would hope that it may awaken a few to see that it doesn't matter who breaks the record. Records are made to be broken.

The idea of a World Cup of beaseball is nice bit when you get down to actual specifics it probably will never happen. Reasons ot won't:

1. Pro season too long already. Can't stretch into winter in N. Americe or N.E. Asia (forget dome stadiums)
Pros will not go to S. America or S. Hemishpere for tournament in off season.
No changes to MLB season will be allowed as owners don't want to risk losing $$$$$
2. Pro league over-protection of players, especially pitchers.
3. MLB wants to mange the show. IBF (International Baseball Federation) also wants to run the show. IBF ran the Athens tournament. MLB had more $$ and organization ability. IBF is borderline amateur.
3. Athens tourney showed that the status of international umpiring is not up to the level for a World Cup. Did anyone see the Canada-Cube game and hear the J-announcers complain about the umpiring and shifting strike zone?

I don't think that there will be any major international competition until the Olympic baseball tournamnent is raised and counties will actually pull players from the MLB much like they do in soccer for WC qualifiers.
It would be nice to see a World Cup type competion though.

[Marvin Feltcher]

What is the status of baseball down under?

It's a very minor sport. I grew up in one of the biggest baseball strongholds in the country, but games didn't even rate a write-up in the local free newspaper that would devote 1/2 a page to Under 12 cricket scores. There are pockets of strength, but even in those most people still play traditional sports like cricket.
There is a semi-professional national league, but games are only played on summer weekends and the entire schedule is about 30 games. No player would be able to survive on their baseball income alone. I'd say the standard is well below AAA. Probably closer to U.S. high school level, but with more power and less base speed. (Didn't you see how many lardasses we had on our team?) The entire league is owned by former Minnesota Twin All Star (and current Atlanta Braves minor leaguer) Dave Nilsson.
Then there is the Claxton Shield in which the mainland states, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory compete. Each state also has its own state league. Baseball looked like it was going to boom for a while in the late '80s, but interest seems to have dwindled.
There are about 70 Australians on Major League Baseball team rosters, but virtually nobody is a regular starter. Nilsson, who was an All Star in 1999, is without doubt the best player we've ever produced. (Although there was an Australian MLB manager about 100 years ago).
Many U.S. minor league and college players use the Australian season as an alternative to the stove leagues or Mexico. There are also lots of American coaches active in Australia, as well as many Aussies with experience playing ball in North America. Many scouts are also active (particularly the Braves and the Reds) and any young kids with talent are quickly whisked off to the U.S. I've been saying for years that Japanese teams looking for cheap talent should look at Australia. Jeff Williams seems to be doing all right for Hanshin. Shit, we're a sporting superpower. Up until the Islamists started blowing us up everywhere, we were spending more taxpayer money on sport than defense. If we turned our attention to baseball, we'd whip everybody!

The idea of a World Cup of beaseball is nice bit when you get down to actual specifics it probably will never happen. Reasons ot won't:

1. Pro season too long already. Can't stretch into winter in N. Americe or N.E. Asia (forget dome stadiums)
Pros will not go to S. America or S. Hemishpere for tournament in off season.
No changes to MLB season will be allowed as owners don't want to risk losing $$$$$
2. Pro league over-protection of players, especially pitchers.
3. MLB wants to mange the show. IBF (International Baseball Federation) also wants to run the show. IBF ran the Athens tournament. MLB had more $$ and organization ability. IBF is borderline amateur.
3. Athens tourney showed that the status of international umpiring is not up to the level for a World Cup. Did anyone see the Canada-Cube game and hear the J-announcers complain about the umpiring and shifting strike zone?

Not so much a World Cup, but a World Club Championship. Teams could be based anywhere and have players from everywhere fill their rosters.
1. OK, you're right. But make the current MLB season the top of the pyramid and all other leagues aspire to become part of that. Money is a huge issue. But if MLB owners realized a global market offering even more $$$ was at stake, watch how fast they'd move.
2. Shouldn't change. Great thing for the sport. Players are always a sport's biggest asset.
3. MLB should run the show. They run one of the most logistically demanding events on earth with barely a glitch year after year after year. Nobody runs sporting events as good as Americans.
4. See 3. Let MLB run the show.
I don't think the system would work if it was between countries. But creating a baseball system of leagues linked worldwide acting as a feeder to the largely unchanged MLB format at the top would be easily workable.

I think if Ichiro breaks the record and isn't intentionally walked (ala Randy Bass) it will make J-Ball look amateur and just one more step to becoming an extension to the AAA league.

NPB is already dead. I admire the players for standing up for themselves, but I think it's sad they're basically trying to bolster an obselete and decrepit league. It's way beyond Japan's pride to accept that fact, though. Unfortunately. In the meantime, real fans are deprived of seeing the best possible standard of baseball.

God, I can go on at times....

[Mulboyne]

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 if Ichiro breaks the record and isn't intentionally walked (ala Randy Bass) it will make J-Ball look amateur and just one more step to becoming an extension to the AAA league. I would hope that it may awaken a few to see that it doesn't matter who breaks the record. Records are made to be broken.

Both comments sum the topic up well. I think one of the reasons for Japanese baseball malaise is the growing recognition that the country produces world-class players but the game is run by an incompetent, navel-gazing administration.

As well as the Japan single-season record, Oh scored 868 home runs in his career. Very creditable but, rightly, this achievement is not mentioned in the same breath as Hank Aaron's MLB total of 755. The only Japanese record which deserved respect was Sachio Kinugasa's 2,216 consecutive professional appearances, broken by Cal Ripken Jr who went on to 2,632.

[gaijinzilla]

About Kinugasa's record, I remember reading somewhere (was it "You Gotta Have Wa"?) that the total should be almost doubled because pre-game practices took as long as nine inning games!!!

I sometimes wonder if the reason for non-japanese athletes not being "allowed" to break certain Japanese records lies in the fact that they are considered tsuketto (helpers) rather than full fledged team members by management, along the lines of "here today, gone tomorrow"....a reflection of how many foreigners get treated in day-to-day life in Japan

[Captain Japan]

Ichiro gets 2 hits to move within 8 of Sistler's record

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki produced two hits in a game with the Texas Rangers on Friday, coming within eight hits of the Major League record set by George Sistler in 1920.

[Marvin Feltcher]

A bit of shameless plugging.
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/specials/ichiro/index.html

[Captain Japan]

Suzuki has 251st hit, Mariners top Texas

Ichiro Suzuki moved within six of the season hits record, going 1-for-4 with an intentional walk. His sixth-inning single raised his total to 251 with seven games remaining to reach the record of 257, set by George Sisler in 1920.

He's making steady progress...

[Mulboyne]

[Captain Japan]

Ichiro gets 2 hits to move within 3 of Sisler's record

OALKLAND, California -- Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki produced two hits in a game with the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday local time.

Looks like the record is in the bag...

[Captain Japan]

Amusing spoof:

I sent this to about 6 baseball friends without the "spoof" preface and 3 have thought it was real.

[GomiGirl]

Amusing spoof:

I sent this to about 6 baseball friends without the "spoof" preface and 3 have thought it was real.

Well if it looks official it must be true... Amazing the power of the press!!

[Burn One]

I hope Ichiro breaks the record.........

[AssKissinger]

I hope Ichiro breaks the record.........

Yeah, me too! He's so cool. He has a great chance too. 3 to tie 4 to break 5 games to go. BTW, great name dude. I'm totally pro-weed myself.

[Burn One]

I hope Ichiro breaks the record.........

Yeah, me too! He's so cool. He has a great chance too. 3 to tie 4 to break 5 games to go. BTW, great name dude. I'm totally pro-weed myself.

Thanks man!!

I'm 50 years old.......definetly a "throw-back" from the 70's!!

I love this site too.....

Be well............stay in touch!

[Captain Japan]

Two to go!
Mainichi Daily News

Seattle Mariner Ichiro Suzuki hits a single, his 255th hit of the seaon, off Oakland Athletics pitcher Rich Harden in the fifth inning in Oakland, California on Wednesday. Suzuki needs two more hits to equal one of the oldest records in major league baseball of 257 hits in a season set in 1920 by George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns.

He's got 3 more games left...

[Captain Japan]

Suzuki misses in two chances to match baseball hit mark

OAKLAND, United States (AFP) - Japan's Ichiro Suzuki singled home a run in the third inning to move one hit shy of the Major League Baseball one-season hit record but missed two chances to equal the mark.

And then there was one...

[Captain Japan]

[Mulboyne]

ESPN: Ichiro passes Sisler, pads record

Fireworks went off after the ball reached the outfield, creating a haze over Safeco Field, and Suzuki's teammates mobbed him at first base. The crowd gave him a standing ovation and Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira shook the Japanese outfielder's hand.
With the fans still cheering, Suzuki ran over to the first-base seats and shook hands with Sisler's 81-year-old daughter, Frances Sisler Drochelman, and other members of the Hall of Famer's family.

[Burn One]

Mega props to Ichiro!!

[Mulboyne]

This journalist has nothing but praise for Ichiro but I wonder if there is a backlash in the making...
ESPN: Ichiro as exciting as they come

What's next? Well, he could add some power to his swing to help Seattle's anemic offense. The league marked the baseballs for Ichiro's at-bats, similarly to the way it did with the balls pitched to McGwire and Bonds during their home run chases, but there really wasn't much need for that. Of Ichiro's 259 hits, only eight have gone over the fence. And only three of his past 52 hits have even been for extra-bases. So the only souvenir threat was if the Rangers infielders had fought over the ball so they could auction it off on eBay.

Ichiro has been characterized as nothing but a team player but Seattle had nothing to play for this season. Any chance some guys in the future will see him as selfish if he goes for hits rather than home runs if the stakes are higher? I know next to nothing about baseball and I don't think it will be that way but I defer to the others on the board who have more informed views.

[bejiita]

Any chance some guys in the future will see him as selfish if he goes for hits rather than home runs if the stakes are higher.

Those guys will never think that because that's not his job. His job as a lead-off hitter is to get hits and get on base. The number three and clean-up hitters are paid to hit home runs, sac flies, etc. to knock runs in. If they want him to hit more home runs, they should move him out of the lead-off spot.