It’s hard to discuss the best pure hitters in baseball history without mentioning Ichiro Suzuki. After ditching the Japanese League for MLB at the age of 27, Ichiro exploded onto the scene, becoming a household name in North America and abroad. But for as special as Ichiro was on the diamond, he had an equally one-of-a-kind personality off the field – just ask his teammates.
There is – and will only ever be – one Ichiro Suzuki.
Why Ichiro Is Great
The Epic 2001 Rookie Season
Expectations were high for Ichiro coming into the 2001 season, but, dear god, did he ever exceed them. The native of Nichi Kasugai-gun, Japan, wowed American baseball fans with his vortex-like swing and enthusiasm on the diamond.
It didn’t take long for the hits to rack up. Ichiro singled up the middle in his first at-bat, garnering a standing ovation at Safeco Field, and kept the parade going. By season’s end, he had batted .350 and led MLB with 242 hits; he also homered nine times, drove in 69 runs, and led the majors with 56 stolen bases. What a year.
Ichiro’s Mariners were dominant that season, tying an MLB record with 116 wins, but fell to the Yankees in the ALCS. When all was said and done, Ichiro’s epic inaugural season earned him Rookie of the Year honors (duh), a Gold Glove (one of 10), a Silver Slugger, and the AL MVP. What a haul. This special 2001 season was a good appetizer for the 27-year-old’s talents, but there was plenty more to come.
The True Hits King (Even Better Than Pete Rose)
Ichiro is the best contact hitter in MLB history, and I can prove it. When number 51 donned his Mariners jersey and debuted in the majors, he did so at 27 years old, right in his prime. "Ichi" remarkably played 19 years in MLB, but his production hit a wall after the 2012 season, after which he was consistently below average. Still, he surpassed the sacred 3,000-hit mark and stole over 500 bases. That’s not a fair assessment of Ichiro’s talent, though.
If you add up his stats from Japan, Ichiro’s true totals put him at 4,367 career hits, better than Pete Rose’s 4,256 hits, which are considered an all-time MLB record. To me, this makes Ichiro the greatest contact hitter to ever play baseball. Some folks might disagree, and they can eat my shorts.
As far as Ichiro being a thoroughbred baseball villain, though, we need to dig far beyond the box score. In fact, the juiciest parts of Ichiro’s career weren’t revealed until recently.
The Ichiro Diaries: An Undercover Baseball Villain
Chicken Wings Before Every Home Game
In 2021, The Athletic published a story detailing some oral histories of Ichiro’s career. Some of the best anecdotes came from the Japanese superstar’s bizarre eating habits.
For example, before every home game, Ichiro would saunter into the kitchen, where seven – exactly seven – chicken wings would be laid out on a plate by the team’s chef, Jeremy. The club’s chef initially anticipated Ichiro’s arrival by practicing basic Japanese cuisine, like rolling sushi. Nope. Ichi didn’t want any of that. Instead? "Burger," Ichiro said.
Ichiro typically ate a burger for lunch, followed by his chicken dish, which would eventually become known as "Ichi Wings." The 19-year MLB veteran was a "creature of habit," his teammates said, and that included his bizarre food traditions.
On the field, Ichiro was a star. In the kitchen, a true psycho.
Unhinged Curse Words, Eccentric Taunts
To the naked eye, Ichiro was mild-mannered, polite, and polished on the baseball diamond. Behind closed doors, he’d let loose, and his teammates loved him for it.
According to several Mariners players, Ichiro loved the phrase "suck it." During one game against the Yankees, Ichiro hit a walk-off homer off G.O.A.T. closer Mariano Rivera. As the Mariners outfielder rounded third, he stopped, did a big jump, and yelled "suck it" before touching home plate.
Other players from opposing teams remember other laugh-out-loud moments from their crossings with Ichiro. Joba Chamberlain remembered Ichiro calling Derek Jeter his "brother from another mother."
Ichiro’s ‘isms were unmatched, so much so that word spread around the league. During the All-Star games, it became a tradition to give Ichiro the last word during the pre-game clubhouse speech. His message, year in and year out? "Let’s go kick their fucking fat asses."
Oh, Ichiro. An undercover baseball villain in all the best ways.