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Marlins Ichiro Suzuki and Reds Pete Rose – Evening the Field

By Bobby Mueller

Jun 15, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) tips his helmet after hitting his 4257th professional hit with a double against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) tips his helmet after hitting his 4257th professional hit with a double against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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How do the Marlins Ichiro Suzuki and the Reds Pete Rose compare if we even things up by only looking at their careers from age 27 to 42?

Congratulations to Ichiro Suzuki on his 3,000th hit in the Major Leagues. At the age of 42, Ichiro is having a productive year as the fourth outfielder of the Miami Marlins. He’s hitting over .300 with an on-base percentage close to .400. If he keeps his average over .300 for the rest of the year, it will be the first time Ichiro has hit .300 since 2010, his second-to-last year with the Mariners. The Marlins are having a good season also. They sit 7.5 games back of the Washington Nationals in the NL East and currently hold the second wild card spot.

Ichiro had been sitting on 2,998 hits since July 28 before getting hit 2,999 on Friday and the big 3,000th hit today. It wasn’t your typical Ichiro base hit to the left side of the field, though, it was a triple off the wall in right at Coors Field off of Chris Rusin. Of the 30 men who have 3,000 hits in the Major Leagues, only Ichiro and Paul Molitor have reached that mark with a triple.

When Ichiro signed with the Seattle Mariners out of Japan before the 2001 season, it was hard to know what he would be able to accomplish in the Major Leagues. Before he came to the U.S., players from Japan had primarily been pitchers, such as Hideo Nomo, Shigetosi Hasegawa, and Kazuhiro Sasaki. Hasegawa and Sasaki were teammates of Ichiro on the Seattle Mariners. Also, Ichiro was slightly built. Major League teams didn’t know if he would be productive with the bat in the Major Leagues or if he could withstand a 162-game season. The most games he had played in a season in Japan was 135.

Next: Ichiro With the Mariners

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