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5. Ichiro Suzuki

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5. Ichiro Suzuki
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: October 22, 1973 in Nichi Kasugai-gun, Ai Japan
  • Weight: 175 lbs.
  • Height: 5'11"
  • Bats: L
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: April 02, 2001
  • Final Game: March 21, 2019
  • Gold Glove - 2001
  • Most Valuable Player - 2001
  • Rookie of the Year - 2001
  • Silver Slugger - 2001
  • TSN All-Star - 2001
  • Gold Glove - 2002
  • Gold Glove - 2003
  • Gold Glove - 2004
  • TSN All-Star - 2004
  • Gold Glove - 2005
  • Gold Glove - 2006
  • All-Star Game MVP - 2007
  • Gold Glove - 2007
  • Silver Slugger - 2007
  • TSN All-Star - 2007
  • Gold Glove - 2008
  • Gold Glove - 2009
  • Silver Slugger - 2009
  • Gold Glove - 2010
  • MVP - 2001
  • MVP - 2002
  • MVP - 2003
  • MVP - 2004
  • MVP - 2006
  • MVP - 2007
  • MVP - 2008
  • MVP - 2009
  • MVP - 2010
  • Rookie of the Year - 2001
 
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Ichiro Suzuki played his first nine seasons of pro baseball with Orix in Japan, where he was a three-time Pacific League MVP and seven-time Pacific League Batting Champion.  In 2001, Ichiro was eligible to play in Major League Baseball, and the Mariners outbid everyone for his rights, though some skeptics thought he would be too slight to succeed as he had in Japan.  Those skeptics were quickly proven wrong.

Ichiro became the second player to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year (following Fred Lynn) and began a ten-year streak of All-Star Games.  Suzuki was the best contact hitter of the 2000s, leading the American League seven times in Hits and finishing second in the other three years.  Not surprisingly, it led to two Batting Titles (2002 & 2004), and he never finished lower than seventh in his first MLB decade in Batting Average.

In addition to his batting acumen, Ichiro was an upper-tier defensive Outfielder.  Winning the Gold Glove in all of his first ten years, Ichiro was also excellent on the basepaths, leading the AL in that category in 2001 (56), and had nine other seasons in the top five.

After 2010, Ichiro’s play would decline, but he was still a draw around the league.  Ichiro played for the Yankees from 2012 to 2014 and then the Miami Marlins for three years before returning home to Seattle to end his career.

Ichiro finished with 3,089 Hits and 509 Stolen Bases.  Counting everything he did in Japan, Ichiro is the all-time Hit King in Baseball.

There should be no doubt that Suzuki will make history as the first Japanese player to make the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.  Any other outcome would be a disaster.

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: Nichi Kasugai-gun, Japan
  • Eligible In: Wednesday, 01 January 2025
  • Position: Outfield
  • Played For: Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    MVP (1) (AL) (2001)
    Silver Slugger (3) (AL) (2001, 2007 & 2009)
    Gold Glove (10) (AL) (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Rookie of the Year (AL) (2001)
    All-Star (10) (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    All-Star Game MVP (1) (2007)
    Highest bWAR by a Position Player (1) (AL) (2004)
    Highest Batting Average (2) (AL) (2001 & 2004)
    Most At Bats (8) (AL) (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 & 2011)
    Most Plate Appearances (4) (AL) (2001, 2004, 2006 & 2008)
    Most Hits (7) (AL) (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Stolen Bases (1) (AL) (2001)
    Most Singles (10) (AL) (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Intentional Walks (3) (AL) (2002, 2004 & 2009)
    Highest Stolen Base Percentage (1) (AL) (2006)
    Most Total Zone Runs (1) (AL) (2004)
    Most Putouts by a Centerfielder (1) (AL) (2007)
    Most Putouts by a Rightfielder (7) (AL) (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Assists by a Rightfielder (2) (AL) (2003 & 2005)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Rightfielder (3) (AL) (2003, 2006 & 2011)
    Most Double Plays Turned by an Outfielder (1) (AL) (2003)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Centerfield (1) (AL) (2007)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a Rightfielder (5) (AL) (2001, 2003, 2004 & 2005) (NL) (2015)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Rightfielder (3) (AL) (2001, 2004 & 2005)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Rightfielder (4) (AL) (2001, 2002, 2003 & 2012)
    Most Total Zone Runs by an Outfielder (1) (AL) (2004)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by an Outfielder (2) (AL) (2007) (NL) (2015)
    World Series Rings (None) 

  • Other Points of Note:

    9 Top Ten Finishes (Batting Average)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (On Base Percentage)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Runs Scored)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Total Bases)
    9 Top Ten Finishes (Triples)
    11 Top Ten Finishes (Stolen Bases)
    12 Top Ten Finishes (Singles)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Stolen Base Percentage)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Power-Speed #)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (bWAR for Position Players)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Offensive bWAR)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Defensive bWAR)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Win Probability Added)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Championship Win Probability Added)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Total Zone Runs)

  • Notable All Time Rankings:

    5.   Fielding Percentage by a Rightfielder: .992
    6.   Total Zone Runs by a Rightfielder: 128
    6.   Singles: 2,514
    8.   Putouts by a Rightfielder: 4,005
    12. Total Zone Runs by an Outfielder: 136
    20. Putouts by an Outfielder: 5,022
    22. Range Factor per Game by a Rightfielder: 2.08
    25. Hits: 3,089
    25. Fielding Percentage by an Outfielder: .993
    28. Intentional Walks: 181
    28. Total Zone Runs: 136
    32. At Bats: 9,934
    35. Stolen Bases: 509
    38. Games Played: 2,653
    44. Stolen Base Percentage: 81.31
    46. Outs Made: 7,152
    49. Plate Appearances: 10,734
    56. Assists by a Rightfielder: 100
    73. Double Plays Turned by a Rightfielder: 22
    90. Runs Scored: 1,420
    93. Total Bases: 3,994

Should Ichiro Suzuki be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 100%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 0%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 0%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 0%

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