"Ichiro"
Twenty years ago, sweltering Japan was in the middle of the National High School Baseball Championships held every July and August at Koshien Stadium. A must-watch for all Japanese baseball fans much like the World Series to them. It was also the time to relish my favorite sport, the Japanese way - Kirin beer and some sweet peas on Saturday afternoons in my small apaato.
That summer would produce one of the greatest baseball players in the world in the person of Ichiro Suzuki, who played for Nagoya's Meiden High School. He would eventually play pro with the Orynx BlueWave in Japan and now a 10-year veteran with the Seattle Mariners in the Major Leagues. Ichiro epitomizes brute strength through focus and practice mindless of his lean frame. But what caught me more was his discipline and consistency. He took his baseball to another level. Higher than Hideo Nomo or Hideki Matsui. I never thought this lanky thin player would make it big time, but well, he did.
Ichiro has been racking up more than 200 hits a season and a mind-boggling .300 plus batting average per season since joining the Mariners in 2001. Add that to his batting and Golden Glove awards, records and milestones breaking long-held American baseball records. And he could even pile up more.
But it comes to this. 2011 has been a tough year for him just "only" batting .269 and hitting 127 hits as of today. He still has about 50 games or 200 at-bats left. Thus he would need at least 1.5 average hits per game to top 200 hits and hover around .300.
If he breaks his slump, he could well go into another record-setting year. If not, well I'd lose my online bet. ;)
Lesson learned: Never invest on a bet. (?)
That summer would produce one of the greatest baseball players in the world in the person of Ichiro Suzuki, who played for Nagoya's Meiden High School. He would eventually play pro with the Orynx BlueWave in Japan and now a 10-year veteran with the Seattle Mariners in the Major Leagues. Ichiro epitomizes brute strength through focus and practice mindless of his lean frame. But what caught me more was his discipline and consistency. He took his baseball to another level. Higher than Hideo Nomo or Hideki Matsui. I never thought this lanky thin player would make it big time, but well, he did.
Ichiro has been racking up more than 200 hits a season and a mind-boggling .300 plus batting average per season since joining the Mariners in 2001. Add that to his batting and Golden Glove awards, records and milestones breaking long-held American baseball records. And he could even pile up more.
But it comes to this. 2011 has been a tough year for him just "only" batting .269 and hitting 127 hits as of today. He still has about 50 games or 200 at-bats left. Thus he would need at least 1.5 average hits per game to top 200 hits and hover around .300.
If he breaks his slump, he could well go into another record-setting year. If not, well I'd lose my online bet. ;)
Lesson learned: Never invest on a bet. (?)
