Seattle Mariners Tickets - Ichiro Still An Elite Hitter

You may not realize it, but Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is still one of the best hitters in the game

. On Sept. 24, Ichiro reminded everyone once again that he's among the most consistent hitters who have ever played by smacking his 200th hit of the season - the 10th straight year he's reached the mark. Though his season has largely been lost on a very disappointing Mariners team, one that started with playoff aspirations and is about to end as a four-alarm fire, Ichiro continues to produce in his 10th season in the big leagues. The problem is that at age 36, the Mariners need to get him support as soon as possible.

Since coming over to the Seattle Mariners from Japan in 2001, Ichiro has been nothing but a superstar. After winning the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in his first season with a .350 batting average and 56 stolen bases, Ichiro has continued to be among the top hitters in the league year in and year out. He's batted .350 or higher four times, including a 2004 season in which he hit .372 and broke the single season hits record with 262. In his 10 seasons, Ichiro has hit at least .300 every single season and has only stolen less than 30 bases one time, making him one of the premier leadoff hitters in the game.

But as good as he's been in the batter's box, Ichiro has been equally as good in right field. When Ichiro first came into the league, scouts were well aware of his ability to hit the ball all over the field but had no idea that the wiry Ichiro possessed one of the very best arms in the entire league. That all changed early in his rookie season when he gunned down Jermaine Dye on the fly at third base. With a rocket for an arm and as much range as anyone, Ichiro quickly established himself as one of the top defensive players in the league as well, helping him to win nine Gold Gloves already. By the end of the season, he should add a 10th to his already impressive resume. With that type of all-around play, Ichiro has been a big seller of Seattle Mariners tickets for a decade.

Ichiro has also been a rock at the top of the lineup in a team that has had its fair share of offensive turmoil. Their best power hitter of the last decade, Brett Boone, lasted only a couple seasons as a premier slugger and recent signings like Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexon have been nothing short of disastrous. Yet Ichiro has continued to be a superstar and has often been the only player who separates them from the other bottom-feeders like the Pirates and the Royals.

But no matter how good Ichiro has been, even a 10-time All-Star cannot win baseball games on his own. Right now, Ichiro continues to get on base and swipe second almost at will, though the team lacks the sluggers to drive him in. With him about to turn 37 in October, Ichiro probably doesn't have too much time left as a top-tier leadoff hitter, even though his impressive stolen base total this season suggests he has more left in his legs than most would anticipate for someone approaching 40.

For now, though, fans should sit back and enjoy watching one of the greatest hitters of all-time. In just 10 seasons, Ichiro already has more than 2,200 career hits and may be able to eclipse the 3,000-hit plateau even after playing eight full seasons in Japan. Though he isn't the type of hitter who mashes long, majestic home runs that get rerun over and over again on SportsCenter, Ichiro is still a unique talent that can do almost anything on a baseball field. Ichiro has always had the back of the Seattle Mariners franchise. Now it's time for them to return the favor.

by: Pat Smith

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