ICHIRO SUZUKI ("ichiRod")

Position: Right fielder for the Seattle Mariners
Size: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 157
Born: 10/22/1973
High School: Aikoudai Meiden (Aichi Prefecture, Japan)
Family: Wife - Yumiko
Age: 27
Birthplace: Kasugai, Japan
Bats: Left
Bat: made from white & blue ash wood from the Enchanted Forest in Japan
Throws: Right
ML Debut: 04/02/2001
Years of Service: 1
How Acquired: signed as a free agent 11-18-2000

# 51 covers Right Field "Area 51" for the Seattle Mariners

Suzuki, the former Japanese League star, has proven he can hit in the Major Leagues so far. He won't hit a lot of homers, but will continue to be a solid contributor in the batting average category.

INSIDE INFO

WHICH PITCHER ARE YOU MOST ANXIOUS TO FACE?
"I'm anxious to face them all, but in reality I'm looking forward most to (Boston's) Pedro Martinez. He was with the major league team that came to Japan in 1996, just before he became a superstar. I'm anxious to see how much he's improved. And I'm anxious to see how much I've improved against him."
WHICH BIG-LEAGUE PARK ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN SEEING?
"The parks with the most history have the most interest for me. I'd like to see Yankee Stadium, of course, and in Boston, Fenway Park."

QUICK HIT

GOLF OR BASEBALL?
"I love baseball, but being here, I've been able to play golf every day. I can't play in Japan because every course has caddies, and the caddies all want autographs and don't want to let me golf."

#1 Fan is 13 year old Tanner aka "TanMan" from Bellevue Washington, who attends Sommerset Elementary. Tanner was born on same day as Ichiro, but different year of course; and both bat left handed.

Fantasy Outlook

Manager Lou Piniella is hoping that Suzuki can be the Mariners' No. 3 hitter. He is not a power hitter but if he lives up to expectations he will hit over .300, drive in over 100 runs, and score over 100.

...
Posted at 8:42 p.m. PST Saturday, Nov. 18, 2000

Mariners sign Japan's Ichiro Suzuki

BY K.P. HONG
Associated Press Writer

KYOTO, Japan (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki, signed Saturday by the Seattle Mariners, isn't worried about the pressure of being the first Japanese position player in major league baseball.

The 27-year-old right fielder, the best hitter in Japan, believes he has the ability to make the transition a success.

``I'm confident, or I wouldn't be sitting here right now,'' he said after signing a three-year contract.

The team did not disclose the terms of the deal, but the Mariners have agreed to pay Suzuki's former team, the Orix BlueWave, $13 million for the right to negotiate with him.

``The Mariners recognize that Ichiro is one of the very best baseball players in the world,'' said Howard Lincoln, Seattle's chief executive. ``He has tremendous talent and will fit nicely with our team and organization.''

Lincoln and five other Mariners executives spent three days negotiating with Suzuki's agent, Tony Attanasio, in Kobe, home of the Orix BlueWave.

Suzuki, who speaks little English, said that playing with the Mariners during spring training in 1999 helped convince him he wanted to be in the majors.

``Playing with the Mariners is like a dream come true,'' he said. ``It is good to be joining a team that was successful last season and to be a teammate of my friend Kazu Sasaki.''

Kazuhiro Sasaki, a former star in Japan's Central League, is Seattle's bullpen ace.

Suzuki has won seven straight batting titles with the BlueWave in Japan's Pacific League. He hit .387 last season.

Suzuki was reportedly asking for a contract of more than four years and an annual salary of about $7.4 million. He was said to have made about $5.5 million this season.

Several Japanese pitchers, including Sasaki, have gone on to play in the majors. Doubts have remained concerning position players, with questions about their speed and power.

But the Mariners are convinced Suzuki will produce.

Suzuki is expected to arrive in Seattle on Nov. 28 and take a team physical the next day.

The Mariners plan to play him in right field. Jay Buhner, who often played right field last season, is a free agent, and team officials said Saturday that if he re-signs with Seattle, he would do so knowing his role would change.

webmaster Brian Taylor bought ichiRod.com as a name playing off of the famous Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed A-Rod