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Was Ichiro breaking the hit record the most underhyped record?

CardsFanCardsFan Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
Since Ichiro was brought up in another thread I want to know why when Ichiro broke the hit record last year it got relatively little attention (especially compared to the home run chases in the past years). I don't know if it is just the area I am but it was seldom spoke of except for a footnote. This was an 80+ year old record and it seemed no one was that excited.

Are we just that home run crazy we don't care about hits? Is it because he's in Seatlle? Is it because he is Japanese?

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    Mac53Mac53 Posts: 805 ✭
    I don't really know, except that I think the big thing with singles hitters is average. If he (or anybody) puts together a .400 season, I think there're be a lot of attention paid to it.
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    AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    Rob Neyer on espn wrote an excellent article stating that if he had played a decade ago here in the states, and was putting up the numbers he is now, he'd be celebrated as one of the greatest hitters of all time.

    The steroid era, long ball has made his accomplishments very, very underrated. The fact that the hits record had stood for over 80 years made it one of the most long-standing records...and you are right, he received very little fanfare for it.

    I still think his accomplishments will receive the recognition they deserve, but I think that it will be well after the fact that we see the true greatness that his hitting is.
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    megatronmegatron Posts: 955


    << <i>Since Ichiro was brought up in another thread I want to know why when Ichiro broke the hit record last year it got relatively little attention (especially compared to the home run chases in the past years). I don't know if it is just the area I am but it was seldom spoke of except for a footnote. This was an 80+ year old record and it seemed no one was that excited.

    Are we just that home run crazy we don't care about hits? Is it because he's in Seatlle? Is it because he is Japanese? >>



    This is just my own opinion, so please be kind. I love watching Ichiro and think he is one of the most exciting all around players in baseball. However, the record did not attract much attention due to:

    1. Plays on the West Coast - Unless a World Series is involved, or the guy has a bad reputation that gives the media some great material (i.e. Bonds) to play with, no one really cares what goes on there. I follow the West Coast since I am a baseball nut, but by the time those games are over, most of the country is sleeping. By the next morning, with the other news bombarding us, yesterday's games are old news.

    2. Personality - As stated above, Ichiro just goes out and plays his game. No extra meat for the reporters (translator or no translator), so they look elsewhere for more juicy stories.

    3. Seattle Sucks - Last year, the club had one of its worst seasons ever. If it was in a pennant run, things may have been different.

    4. Not playing in a major market - Even if he played on a bad team, but was in NY, Boston, Chicago, etc., it would have meant a lot more.

    5. Singles hitter - Unfortunately, people don't care much for singles although that is when things start getting interesting for Ichiro since he can wreck havoc on the basepaths.

    I'm sure there are many more reasons, but these are my top 5.
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    DS1991TOPPSCardsDS1991TOPPSCards Posts: 127
    Excellent post... I can remember trying to find information about this when he broke it. It was very hard to get any information at that time... ie. Very little was stated about it.

    If it would had been a big name star we would still be hearing about it!

    Just my two cents!!!
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    DavinoDavino Posts: 333 ✭
    When he approches .400, which he certainly will, he will be heralded a lot more than the breaking of the hits record.
    Very underappreciated...
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    mr3holesinonemr3holesinone Posts: 444
    You had to be a baseball fan to follow that he was closing in on the record, as stated, it was not headline news.

    Now THE Question..... Do you put an asterisk by his name and the record? Ichiro took 161 games to accomplish his record, George Sisler only had a season of 154 games.
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    AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭


    << <i>You had to be a baseball fan to follow that he was closing in on the record, as stated, it was not headline news.

    Now THE Question..... Do you put an asterisk by his name and the record? Ichiro took 161 games to accomplish his record, George Sisler only had a season of 154 games. >>



    Absolutely not, no asterisk.

    And I think the fact that he plays on a west coast team, when all the east coast writers are in bed resting their old tired heads, they missed out on history.

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    ThetruthshallbetoldThetruthshallbetold Posts: 58


    << <i>Since Ichiro was brought up in another thread I want to know why when Ichiro broke the hit record last year it got relatively little attention (especially compared to the home run chases in the past years). I don't know if it is just the area I am but it was seldom spoke of except for a footnote. This was an 80+ year old record and it seemed no one was that excited.

    Are we just that home run crazy we don't care about hits? Is it because he's in Seatlle? Is it because he is Japanese? >>




    Three reasons.

    1. It's because he is a bright disciplined Japanese man as opposed to a flashy American, or a good ol boy American. The American public likes someone that comes from adversity and makes it. The guy that has never had failures isn't as appealing as a poor Dominican child that became great like Sammy Sosa, or someone that came back from so many injuries like Mark McGwire.

    2. He's mostly a singles hitter and singles are the most common hit in baseball and only exciting if they can score runs, or stop no hitters and perfect games.

    3. Chicks dig the long ball.
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    mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    He almost broke the single season at-bats record, too, falling just one short of Willie Wilson's record.

    What this tells me is that Ichiro is way too impatient at the plate - or he just doesn't really like getting walks. If he hits .400 it will be significant. The number of hits he has - not really a big deal. Sure, he has a great batting average and is very offesnively minded. But his style seems to be to swing away at every at-bat, hoping to make contact. It certainly has been an effective strategy for him - but he could probably improve his on-base percentage if he didn't swing so often.
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    AxtellAxtell Posts: 10,037 ✭✭
    I think in Ichiro's game, a walk really isn't that desirable an option. He makes things happens with his speed.

    I doubt there is any team in the bigs that wouldn't want a guy who got on base 311 times in a year (as he did last year). He has been on base an average of 277 times per year!

    Because he's quiet, unassuming, and just dominates without any controversy, he's (unfortunately) overlooked. If I wanted my kids to emulate any athlete, he'd be at the top of the list.
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    CardsFanCardsFan Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭
    He did have 49 walks last year which was more then other notable base stealers Pierre, Crawford, Izturis, Jeter and Womack. For a non power hitter I don't think his walk total is that low.
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    KittyKitty Posts: 17

    CARDSFAN,

    How about those Cards last night? Did you stay up? image
    Thanks,
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    DS1991TOPPSCardsDS1991TOPPSCards Posts: 127


    All I can say is he made one hell of a catch last night.

    Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki climbs the right-field wall to steal a home run from Los Angeles' Garret Anderson in the seventh inning.

    image

    Ichiro climbs high to deny - Spider-Man impersonation Mariners' only highlight
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