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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki was greeted at the dugout after scoring on an RBI single in the first inning today.
SAN DIEGO >> With two hits today, Ichiro Suzuki raised his career total in the Japanese and North American major leagues to 4,257, passing Pete Rose’s record Major League Baseball total.
“This wasn’t like a goal of mine to get to this point,” Suzuki said through a translator after the Miami Marlins’ 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Suzuki had 1,278 hits for Orix in Japan’s Pacific League (1992-00) and has 2,979 with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Marlins. Rose was quoted recently by USA Today as saying: “I’m not trying to take anything away from Ichiro, he’s had a Hall of Fame career, but the next thing you know, they’ll be counting his high-school hits.”
“Obviously, I’ve heard of Pete Rose’s comments, and he wasn’t happy about what they are saying about this record,” Suzuki said. “To be honest, this wasn’t something that I was a making out as a goal. It was just kind of a weird situation to be in because of the combined total.”
Suzuki’s first hit today was on a dribbler in the first. His second was a double into the right-field corner in the ninth.
“For me, it’s not about the record,” Suzuki said. “It’s about my teammates and the fans.”
Marlins president David Samson watched while having a sushi dinner in Germany.
“Ichiro gets a hit in the first inning and I loudly cheer. He looks at the TV and says ‘Ichiro!’ and the first thing he does is put down the tuna and extend his hand, and then he reaches to pull up his white coat like it’s Ichiro’s jersey and gets into Ichiro’s batting stance,” Samson said of the chef. “That to me was the most symbolic moment as it relates to Ichiro and his career. He transcends borders and demographics and religion and race. He does something very few people do. He does his job.”
Suzuki joined the Marlins ahead of the 2015 season.
“If you could have 25 Ichiros, you would have 25 World Series rings.” Samson said. “He is a true humble professional who works as hard when he’s 0 for 5 as when he’s 5 for 5. That skill cannot be taught. In a world where sports athlete are rarely role models, Ichiro is a true role model off and on the field.”
Suzuki said it’s not about the record but about the team. Pete Rose is all about the record and himself. No Hall of Fame for him please. Probably made a lot of money gambling and cheating, he should talk.