Ichiro! Ichiro! Ichiro!

akuracy503

Walk off HR against Mariano Rivera, sweetest win of the season for the Mariners.

JackWESQ

Indeed!

/s/ JackWESQ

Pre72

3rd career HR

SidePocket

ak, you gotta be kinda bored my friend.

akuracy503

Not bored just very excited....You just don't know how dramatic that was...it was like game 7 against the Yankees, Mariano Rivera.
You get the point...

SidePocket

I get it - my Mom and Pop lived in Olympia and they watched the Mariners every day. Didn't matter if they were in the race, they loved the M's.

stlpv07

How about the Matt Holliday walk off against the Cubs!

Cubs vs. Cards
bottom of the 9th
2-2
Walk off

now that...was a game

going 2 the game 2morrow...

hoping for another cards winner!!!

Cards magic number at 7 I believe after 2nights win!

fkw

I remember hearing a story from teammates a few years back that Ichiro can win almost any batting practice HR hitting contest if he wanted to.
He has also been invited many times to participate in the All Star Game HR Derby, but declines.

Pure hitter with pop if needed. I believe it, he usually doesnt... but when he turns on a pitch you can see the power.

He even said he can hit 40+ if he wanted too but the average would obviously suffer

Story
Ichiro is Choosing to Not Hit Homeruns

SidePocket

If true I'd be tempted to go for it. Got a big doubt here though, the difference b/t major league pitching and HR derby pitching be big.

nightcrawler

<< <i>Not bored just very excited....You just don't know how dramatic that was...it was like game 7 against the Yankees, Mariano Rivera.
You get the point... >>




Very excited and very lost I'm afraid... Sports Talk is down the hall.

Just kidding guys. But if Ichiro is so great, why doesn't he play hockey?

lilmule

Did someone say Mariners I couldnt watch the game, I was pretty bummed. Im glad that it was a good game wish I could of watched it.

samspop

Ichiro turns 36 next month and he already has 3,288 lifetime hits (1278 with Orix in Japan and 2010 with the Mariners). Anyone think 5000 is a possibility??? Just 9 more seasons...

PowderedH2O

An absolute CLONE of Ty Cobb. Cobb was the same way. When the lively ball came into play, Cobb smacked it out too, even at his older age. When I compare you to Ty Cobb, that means you are a baseball immortal. Good grief, Ichiro is incredible!!!

MBMiller25

He's an amazing player

Pigs

I missed the game last night covering High school football here in Seattle between Oaks Christian and Skyline. Joe Montana, Wayne Gretzky and Will Smith were here watching their sons play. Came home and the Mariner game was being replayed. Stayed up late but it was worth it watching the 9th. Classic Ichiro.

Ahmanfan

some say he's just a singles hitter. I disagree!
John

WeekendHacker

The single most overrated player in the game.

K

<< <i>The single most overrated player in the game. >>



is Alex Rodriguez

WalterSobchak

<< <i>The single most overrated player in the game. >>



Care to back up that argument with any facts, or are ya just throwing it out there?

Pigs

<< <i>The single most overrated player in the game. >>



You are wrong. Any team in baseball would have him on their team. I suppose you think getting over 200 hits a season for nine straight years is a fluke, and he is a great outfielder.

sagard

Ichiro would be a far better player if he exercised a bit of patience at the plate and focused on driving certain types of pitches. There is no reason other then his apparent selfishness that he won't take walks.

That said he would certainly start for any MLB teams. He simply is a top 15-25 type offensive player in the AL and plays nice defense as well.

TomGshotput

Which is more stupid to call a player overrated based on their abilities and not others perceptions, or to criticize such selection based on something other than the overall perception?

Every good player is susceptible to being overrated. To try arguing otherwise is just being foolish

TomGshotput

<< <i>Ichiro would be a far better player if he exercised a bit of patience at the plate and focused on driving certain types of pitches. There is no reason other then his apparent selfishness that he won't take walks >>



Isn't that sort of like saying Albert Pujols would be far better if he could throw a 100mph fastball? You and I would be much better players if we could hit Major League pitching, isn't that apparent selfishness, too?

WinPitcher

His job is to get on base and score runs which he seems to do very well.

Nothing wrong with being a singles hitter which I believe he is.

He does not hit 50 doubles a year nor does he hit a ton of troples or home runs.


He gets 200+ hits a year and scores 125 times. His defense is outstanding too.

Nothing over rated about him.

Steve

akuracy503

Ichiro is easy to pick on because he is such a unique hitter, his style goes against all traditional american baseball fundamentals.
He is focused on contact, not driving the ball, he isn't afraid to take cuts at pitches outside the zone to protect the plate.

Say what you want about the guy but he is top of the food chain when it comes to a clutch lead off hitter.

Easy first ballot hall of fame inductee.

Nothing overrated here.

Stingray

He reminds me of Rod Carew, can put the ball in play just about any place he wants to.

PoppaJ

<< <i>

<< <i>The single most overrated player in the game. >>



You are wrong. Any team in baseball would have him on their team. I suppose you think getting over 200 hits a season for nine straight years is a fluke, and he is a great outfielder. >>



/////////////////////////////

Doug,

Could you imagine having 5, 6 or more guys, all with stats like Ichiro's, on the same team? That team would be a contender every year without a doubt.

I'm not an Ichiro fan by demographics, but I have a lot of respect for the guy and would be proud to have him on my home town team.

IMO, he's definitely a shoo-in for the Hall.

PoppaJ

CNote

Considering the condition he keeps himself in, he should easily pass 3,000 hits. In addition, he has said he wants to play well into his 40s, so who know where his hit total (between Japan and MLB) will end at. An absolute first ballot HOFer