I wonder just how long Ichiro will play, I've not read if he plans on playing as long as any team will have him, or- I've not read if he ever plans on retiring, or when... guess he will continue driving on, until either there is no fuel in his gas tank, or desire to play, and/or the day will come when a team won't tender him an offer..... I just hope when he does to decide, its not during the off season, as Ichiro deserves a fare thee well tour/year... Yet, being of Japanese descent, and thinking more in (old)-Eastern mind set, he's perhaps too humble to say he's done until the season is over...fanfare, not Ichiro's style...??? I don't know, jest spitballing...
MLB is considering changing the stats rules to include professional career totals this way the can count negro league stats. As a bonus, Japan stats would also count and they could erase Rose name from the hits record.
^^^I don't see how they can do it..I mean there are so many differences between MLB and Japanese ball...differences in the rules, differences in the balls, differences, in the stadiums and fences and infields, etc.
Ah shucks, you beat me to it. Originally didn't want to contribute this over concern of this becoming a never end thread but your latest post begged for it. I dont think you'll have a problem with these "revised" career stats after saying: "So 5 hits from tying Rose". Here ya go: HR "leaders" Sadaharu Oh 868 Barry Bonds 762 Hank Aaron 755 Babe Ruth 714 ........ Sheffield 509 H. Matsui 507 E. Murray 504 ...... McGriff/Gehrig 493 Tuffy Rodes 477 Stargell/ Musial 475 Honorable mention - Alex Cabrera 361 HRs (5 MLB), DiMaggio 361 Strikeout "leaders" #12) Fergy Jenskins 3192, Hideo Nomo 3122, Bob Gibson 3117 oops, I forgot to put an asterisk next to Bonds'. Gee whiz, I guess it isn't so complicated. LMAO
...^^^ amen Rick, like Ichiro himself, a class post for a change, less one hiccup- Ichiro is the kind of player, like many great HOF'rs past, who still play at a high level, and we all know He is a HOF'r in our midst.... like watching The Mick, Mays, Gibson, Koufax, Ford, Jeter, in years past, knowing they were sure shots for the HOF. So goes Ichiro, ... just to think, the Japanese even named a Motorcyle after him. Now if I can only find the other two Japanese Player's, Honda and Yamaha, Kawasaki too..... Which came first, the Ichiro or Motorcycle, the egg or the hen....
...well, this settles it; http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/16198037/pete-rose-counting-ichiro-suzuki-japan-hits-record
can't remember the source, but there was an article during the off season that speculated one way to "dilute" the PED-influenced stats was to allow MLBers to use their composite professional stats. This would then recognize the contributions the Negro Leagues, but also Japan and Cuban baseball that limited players ability to enter MLB. it's an interesting idea. as for differences in stadiums, leagues etc. i see no real difference from 2000 Japan baseball and 1900 Cincinati Reds. stats are stats are stats. If MLB wants to be more World baseball, then it will need to value contributions from players elsewhere. On course the original impetuous would be to rectify the obvious racial segregation and violation of negro players civil rights. But you can't do that and not also give equal consideration to Ichiro who was prevented from playing in the US for several years.
...^^^sorry Tote, but no way I can buy into this. You just can't retroactively include all stats...and comparing teams from different leagues 100 years apart is comparing apples to oranges, IMO. ...no offense, pal, but for someone who has such conservative views on most things, you sure can be "liberal" on others....just sayin'.
lmao, its good to see this post rolling into these area's; I've long wondered about. As for Ichiro, you go Mang...make us forget Rose...! If its forgiveness Pete needs, let him go visit a Priest...
Dempster said on MLB-TV, "Ichiro will have to go 0 for 444, to lower his MLB-lifetime batting avg. of .314 to .300. I'm not even going to question or do the math, we get it, Japan holds Ichiro in National/Intl. Hero Status, he's a God bigger than anyone....
^^^Gotta give credit when its due. Good post. ...^^^ ~~~~~~~~~~~ Rick was responding to my post (# 28), and you felt compelled to include the following regarding ME in your response: "amen Rick, like Ichiro himself, a class post for a change, less one hiccup" (post# 30) Sorry to all who wanted this thread to end but I just can't allow that crap to stand without a response and here it is- You have alot of nerve thinking you're some sort of arbiter or judge of morality and character by trying to define me in such an absolute negative ignorant manner by implying all of my "posts" are classless. lol, who the hell do you think you are?
Lol! Actually I'd probably subdivide the records into more appropriate categories overall. And I said it was an interesting idea, can't say I would support it.
^^^yeah, but it sure does give the talking heads an avenue to try to justify their jobs...or good water cooler talk.
There are existing appropriate categories. Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Negro Leagues The history of segregation in America and MLB. Incidently, more than one American player has gone on record about umps and managers being biased when playing in Japan and I recall reading about Tuffy Rhodes pursuit of Sadaharu Oh's NPB single season HR record of 55. When he reached 55, opposing pitchers intentionally walked him mostly on orders from their managers to keep the record from being broken by a foreign (American) player. Nope, this wasn't Jim Crow America. And Segregation was a disgusting disgrace which denied African Americans opportunity to play in the majors with all its benefits. The influx of outstanding black players taking the place of then mediocre white players would've certainly had a great impact on the game - but of course not every Negro League player was as good as Ted Williams or Bob Feller.
