Ichiro Suzuki - Career in Japan

Career in Japan

Ichiro made his Pacific League debut in 1992 at the age of 18, but he spent most of his first two seasons in the farm system because his then-manager, Shōzō Doi, refused to accept Ichiro's unorthodox swing. The swing was nicknamed 'pendulum' (振り子打法, Furiko Dahō?) because of the pendulum-like motion of his leg, which shifts his weight forward as he swung the bat, and goes against conventional hitting theory. Even though he hit a home run off Hideo Nomo, who later won a National league Rookie of the Year Award as a Dodger, Ichiro was sent back to the farm system on that very day. In 1994 he benefited from the arrival of a new manager, Akira Ōgi, who played him every day in the second spot of the lineup. He was eventually moved to the leadoff spot for the Blue Wave, where his immediate productivity dissolved any misgivings about his unconventional swing. He set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits, the first player ever to top 200 hits in a single season. (Three players have since done so. Ichiro's record was eventually surpassed in 2010 by former major leaguer Matt Murton, who had 214 hits in a 144-game season. Ichiro's 210 hits had come in a 130-game season.)

Ichiro's then-Pacific League record .385 batting average won the young outfielder the first of a record seven consecutive batting titles. Ichiro also hit 13 home runs and had 29 stolen bases, helping him to earn his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards.

It was during the 1994 season that he began to use his given name, "Ichiro", instead of his family name, "Suzuki", on the back of his uniform. Suzuki is the second most common family name in Japan, and his manager introduced the idea as a publicity stunt to help create a new image for what had been a relatively weak team, as well as a way to distinguish their rising star. Initially, Ichiro disliked the practice and was embarrassed by it; however, "Ichiro" was a household name by the end of the season and he was flooded with endorsement offers.

In 1995 Ichiro led the Blue Wave to its first Pacific League pennant in 12 years. In addition to his second batting title, he led the league with 80 RBI, 25 home runs, and 49 stolen bases. By this time the Japanese press had begun calling him the "Hit Manufacturing Machine" (安打製造機, Anda Seizōki?). The following year with Ichiro winning his third straight MVP award the team defeated the Central League champion, Yomiuri Giants, in the Japan Series. Following the 1996 season playing in an exhibition series against a visiting team of Major League All-Stars kindled Ichiro's desire to travel to the United States to play in the Major Leagues.

In November 1998 Ichiro participated in a seven-game exhibition series between Japanese and American all-stars. Ichiro batted .380 and collected seven stolen bases in the series, winning praise from several of his MLB counterparts including Sammy Sosa and Jamie Moyer (who would become his teammate with the Mariners).

In 2000 Ichiro was still a year away from being eligible for free agency, but the Blue Wave was no longer among Japan's best teams. Because the team would probably not be able to afford to keep him, and would lose him without compensation in another year, Orix allowed him to negotiate with Major League clubs. Ichiro used the posting system, and the Seattle Mariners won the right to negotiate with him with a bid of approximately $13 million. In November, Ichiro signed a three-year, $14 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. In his nine seasons in Japan, Ichiro had 1,278 hits, a .353 career batting average, and won seven Golden Glove Awards.