Ichiro Suzuki has amassed quite the impressive resume in his MLB career, shattering a number of Seattle Mariner and league records in general over his past 12 seasons in the big leagues. Now that he has surpassed the 2,500 hit mark that he was striving for, Ichiro took some time to reflect on the accomplishment and what it means to not only him but the game as a whole.
"Well, I have broken many records in the last 12 years and you look at when, on my first day I got here in 2001, if I said my goal was to get 2,500 hits then people would say I was crazy," he said through interpreter Antony Suzuki. "But now you look at it, looking back, things do come true. That's how I see myself now and I still look back to how I felt my first day here because there is a passion inside that is all the same."
Using his doubters to fuel his fury, Ichiro also noted that his undying love for the game keep him striving to be better each day en route to an undoubted Hall of Fame career.
"There are two things that come in mind," he said. "There is that passion and love for the game and that kept me motivated and there is also the criticism that came along with that that keeps burning in my heart that brought me to this day."
Having accomplished this feat with a four-hit day is just some icing on the cake for Ichiro, who also knows that his time in the league is growing shorter. Still, he discussed the idea of extra days off as well.
"It kind of depends on how you are given that day off," Ichiro responded when asked about his feeling on future days off. "Yesterday was tough for me and very regretting because you want to go out there and perform. But then I understand the skipper's situation and understanding as well. So it kind of depends from here on how you are being given a day off because regretting is something I have in my heart, but at the same time it gives me motivation too."
Hopefully we will have lots more Ichiro to see up here in Seattle in the future.
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