With a triple off the wall, Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player to reach the 3000 hit plateau in the Major Leagues.
Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki made history Sunday afternoon in his start against the Rockies collecting hit 3,000 against the Colorado Rockies reliever Chris Rusin. Hit number 3,000 was a triple off of the outfield wall at Coors. It was a special moment for Ichiro and a moment that both sides applauded.
Arguably the most popular story line in the MLB this season is Ichiro’s journey to 3,000 hits. The Miami Marlins outfielder has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in his production level this season making his chase for hit 3,000 all the more intriguing.
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Ichiro is a career .314 hitter having enjoyed his best seasons in Seattle. In 2004, he collected 262 hits, a single season record, while hitting an unreal .372. What makes Ichiro’s milestone even more impressive is when you consider before he came to the MLB he played multiple seasons in Japan establishing himself as a great hitter.
There is also the fact that Ichiro Suzuki is now a forty-two year old player who is hitting over .300 and is still a productive major league player. It is rare players can keep a major league job into their mid to late thirties much less at Ichiro’s age. The fact that he reached such a huge milestone Sunday afternoon despite his age is impressive and furthers just how good of a player that he is.
The Miami Marlins gave Ozuna a day off to work Ichiro into the lineup and give him a chance to collect hit number 3,000. With that large milestone now on his resume Ichiro Suzuki looks like a shoe-in player for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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While he may not have put together the power numbers most hitters need to reach the Hall, he more than made up for his lack of power by bringing speed and consistency throughout his career. Along with what is now 3,000 hits, Ichiro Suzuki has put together a career average over .300 in over 9,563 at bats, and has stolen over 500 bases. Ichiro Suzuki is one of a kind and deserves to be put where all legends should – into the Hall of Fame.