Not long after signing, Ichiro and his wife, Yumiko, visited Seattle, where the Mariners set up a private workout inside Safeco Field. The call by Dave Niehaus may be as good as . Over the first half of his rookie season, Ichiro changed more than just defensive alignments around the league. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, The subreddit for the bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players. My oh my! If there's another challenge that's put in front of him, it would not surprise me if he was able to conquer that challenge.". So it was a mutual thing., The Cubs ultimately won negotiating rights for Fukudome, and the outfielder signed a four-year, $48 million contract. The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Piniella: Ive seen some pretty good arms. Life Sports Mariners. 4/11/01: Ichiro Suzuki nails Terrence Long trying to go first-to-third on a single to right field. Then Ichiro unleashed what would be dubbed The Throw, a laser beam that met David Bells glove knee-high and allowed the third baseman to gently apply a tag for the out. How did he not tear the muscles in his entire body making that throw. Theyd let me sit in the lower field-level seats behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and their media people. When he returned, it got to the point where the American scouts were like a pest., Using Ichiros and Matsuis success as a blueprint, more Japanese position players began testing their skills overseas, from So Taguchi and Kaz Matsui to Tadahito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Do you know who had the second highest? 0 Followers. They dont allow for individual differences. Id meet with him somewhere, usually at UCLA, one time we went to Cal State Fullerton, another time to Pepperdine, Colborn says. I thought to myself if this is customary in America, I might not make it here. In Japan, practice is more important than necessarily the game, and if you dont get the desired goal, its kind of OK to cry. Ichiro would come up to bat and Mr. Niehaus could tell you the funniest story about him. Ichiro was such an exciting player, and for the rest of the baseball world to get to see him do something like this on the national stage was so special. Most ballplayers, theyd wear polo shirts and golf pants, but hed have baggy jeans and a cap on backwards. By November, the Mariners had won the rights with a $13 million offer, and they quickly signed Ichiro to a three-year contract. The National League, originally founded in 1876, consists of the following teams: Arizona Diamondbacks; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; Cincinnati Reds; Colorado Rockies; Los Angeles Dodgers; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; New York Mets; Philadelphia Phillies; Pittsburgh Pirates; San Diego Padres; San Francisco Giants; St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington Nationals. Ken Levine is a screenwriter and broadcaster, and he worked for many years on Mariners' games alongside the late Dave Niehaus, who died of a heart attack in 2010. Rounding third and heading for home. The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season, but all of that came after this laser beam. David Niehaus had no idea who Janis Joplin was when they first met in Brazil. ! Ichiro shouted, after which he allowed the eager audience to roar back and take in the moment. THE THROW TO THE PLATE WILL BE . He really didnt have time to fit into group dynamics.. Get Social with AzQuotes. The Colossal Legacy of Ichiros Rookie Season, 20 Years Later, Ichiro shot Nissan commercials in the United States, he told National League manager Bobby Valentine. ROOT Sports analyst Mike Blowers talked to Bob, Groz and Tom about Lewis and what makes him stand out. Cant wait to hear his excitement very soon! MLB.com also provides an array of mobile apps for fans to choose from, including At Bat, the highest-grossing iOS sports app of all-time. Ichiro Suzuki had a .244 BA after an 0-2 count, 20 points higher than any other player in our database (min. Dave "The Groz" Grosby will finish up his 29-year career as a daily Seattle sports radio host on Friday from noon to 3 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle's Bob, Groz and Tom. Thus, over the next few years, Colborn found it easy to court Ichiro, bringing him jerseys of Griffey Jr., his favorite player. All of them got their chance after Suzuki smashed the stereotypes that surrounded Japanese hitters. I realized that this video didn't have the Niehaus call which was a lot better honestly. The manager gave me a big wet kiss. One by one, Ichiro shared a . Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Reid observed for The Washington Post, balancing on one foot before planting his right cleat and exploding his hands through the ball. Though naturally right-handed, he learned to hit lefty by practicing with a coal shovel, a move that gained him valuable extra steps out of the batters box. Shortly after retiring, Ichiro began as a special advisor to the Mariners, essentially serving as an assistant coach during Spring Training and most home games during the regular season. After returning home for dinner and schoolwork, hed work in the batting cage from 9:30 to 11. It was stuff like that that I could pass on to help convince them, Colborn says of the Seattle execs. I was treated like some kind of guest royalty. He's saying the throw was a beautiful peg. Fukudome might not have had the reputation that Ichiro had, but he was a really good hitter, and I think there was more of a comfort zone that even though he wasnt going to be a big power guy, everyone thought he was going to hit for a high average and hit for average power and play great defense in right field, which he did, Hendry says. I think he liked that challenge and he was uniquely equipped to handle it, Stone says. He was 75. I saw this angle 20 years ago and have been looking for it ever since. When I saw Long head for third, I just said, Youre out. Even after Hideo Nomo broke international barriers and found success with the Dodgers in 1995, only a few MLB teams had scouts on the ground in Japan. The Mariners were off to a good start in 2001 despite having lost Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. in back-to-back seasons. Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus, who passes away Wednesday, poses at the old Yankee Stadium before Game 2 of the American League Championship Series in Oct. 2000. Its tough to end things, and the way it ended, there's just no other way to do that. Since that time, millions of baseball fans around the world have subscribed to MLB.TV, the live video streaming product that airs every game in HD to nearly 400 different devices. Twenty years later, Ichiros rookie season remains an inflection point, the beginning of a legacy thats opened the door for other Japanese position players to thrive in MLB. "Your future has possibilities that you cannot imagine, Ichiro said. Every day from 3:30 to 7 p.m., Ichiro would hit soft toss and take fungo drills in a nearby park. "When I met Ichiro in Peoria, (Arizona) which is the first time I'd met him face to face, he walked in and had more presence than any other baseball player I'd ever encountered," Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said. So embrace it by giving your best without imposing limits on yourself. Niehaus honored with 2008 Frick, Seattle's soothing baseball voice headed to Cooperstown, Audio: Niehaus announcing during 1996 earthquake. He's shifting to a new role as special assistant to the chairman. The manager gave me a big wet kiss. Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of v. In his rookie season of 2001, he threw a frozen rope to nail Oaklands Terrence Long trying to go from first to third on a base hit. I love Terrence Long's reaction when he pops up. But everybody knew it could only be Dave Niehaus. Go go go go Ichiro. You need somebody over there that knows the ins and outs of not only how the games played over there, but the culture, former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry says. This might actually be the greatest catch of all-time. Feb 17, 2012 - Dave Niehaus. I never go up to a player and tell him or give him advice or anything like that, Ichiro said. If they're not careful he'll take third too. Probably heat of moment combining of phrases. Im anonymous here.. SEATTLE - Ichiro Suzuki's otherworldly talents made an early impression on Dave Niehaus, the Hall of Fame voice of the Seattle Mariners.During Suzuki's first month in Dave Niehaus. He has been the Mariners' voice for their entirety, from Diego Segui's first pitch in the franchise's inaugural game in 1977 to Ichiro's fly out to end the . Ichiro used an interpreter with the media, limiting potential discrepancies caused by the language barrier, but often surprised coaches, teammates, and opponents by starting conversations in English and talking smack. There were a whole slew of guys that were maybe All-Stars in Japan but just not as outstanding a player [as Ichiro], but they found that there could be a role in MLB for those types of players., In 2008, Hendry engaged in a bidding war for star outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, a member of the Chunichi Dragons who had seen Ichiros success and was inspired to play abroad. . His last was Ichiro Suzuki's fly out to end the Mariners' final game this year on Oct. 3. By high school, he had also developed a contorted batting stance in which he picked up his front leg and moved it like a long, slow pendulum back toward the catcher, as T.R. (AP). Not only was Ichiro an incredible hitter, he had elite speed on his side, as well. Visit MLB.com: http://mlb.mlb.comSubscribe to MLB.TV: mlb.tvDownload MLB.com At Bat: http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/atbatGet tickets: http://mlb.mlb.com/ticketsOfficial MLB Merchandise: http://mlb.mlb.com/shop Join the conversation!Twitter: http://twitter.com/mlbFacebook: http://facebook.com/mlbInstagram: http://instagram.com/mlbGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/+MLBTumblr: http://drawntomlb.com/Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/MLBAM talent - Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki - with no World Series to show for it. Ichiro just defies what most athletes are capable of. His first signature highlight came on April 11 in Oakland. "It was the first moment where you saw Ichiro wasnt 'just another guy' and, of course, it was accompanied by one of Niehaus best calls.". Niehaus died at his . But . But emotionally because I was able to finish the way I was able to finish, that kind of beats out all the other things; it just makes it so that I'm at peace.. America's Pastime. This great star comes over here and not only has success, but really sets the pace in a lot of ways.. When I threw a good split down and away, or when I threw a good sinker in, or when I threw a curveball down over the plate, he found a way to hit that ball harder than anyone else that I would face, says Mulder, who gave up 17 hits to Ichiro in 38 career encounters. Honestly, I was scared. Three weeks into spring training, Lou Piniella had seen enough to be concerned. He became an All-Star in his first season and played for two other teams before leaving MLB in 2012. The Japanese had been waiting their entire lives to compete against major league players, Small says. Dusty Groove is Chicago's Online Record Store -- Jazz, Soul, Funk, Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, Brazil, African, World Music, Avant, Rock, Blues & more LPs, CDs, vinyl . Remember, we won 116 games that year. SEATTLE King's Court will be back in session this summer. Here is the top fun points seasons since the introduction of division play and the lowering of the mound in 1969: Fun Points per PA*, 1969-2022, 502 PA per . Looking back at Ichiros 2001, Colborn says one other memory stands out. Hed come in the clubhouse [and] he did the same thing right in a row, McLaren says. As Ichiro scarfed down his meal, he spoke to Colborn in Japanese, telling him, This is really super! Colborn was confused. By the time Melvin arrived in Seattle in 2003, Suzuki was already established as a star. Game after game, the Mariners skipper had watched Ichiro Suzuki slap and bloop and pepper fastballs everywhere between left field and the third-base dugout. However, No. I could never imagine my career in America would last 19 seasons and that I would still be in Seattle today.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", What is your favorite Ichiro moment? The tourist industry experienced this huge boom because people would fly there and stay in a hotel and take in two or three Mariners games and then come back. Anyone know what that means? Thus was there a craving for approval from overseas, for a vindication of Japan itself, that attached itself to the athletes who made their way across the Pacific., Its a sentiment Masujima explored in a 2002 magazine essay while writing about the transformative power of stars like Nomo and Ichiro. Because we only got to see him in the postseason once, many of Ichiro's greatest moments came in the regular season. Remember, we won 116 games that year. The 2008 Ford C. Frick Award winner had been the voice of the Mariners since the team's inception in 1977. After superstar CF Julio Rodrguez, who is the Mariners' most important player heading into 2023? His defensive acumen and acrobaticshis speed, arm strength, and daring pursuit angles on fly ballsearned him a Gold Glove award in right field. In 2008, the National Baseball Hall of Fame awarded Niehaus with And it was a perfect throw. --Terrence Long, The ball was hit right to me. Enfranchised in 1977, the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League.Safeco Field, now T-Mobile Park has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July 1999.From their 1977 inception until June 1999, the club's home park was the Kingdome. 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ichiro the throw dave niehaus