Ichiro is hitless, awesome
Posted on March 12th, 2008 – 11:29 AMBy Michael Rand
In case you hadn’t noticed, Ichiro does not have a hit yet in fake baseball. That’s right, he’s 0-for-21 in spring training. The breathless Japanese media that follows him everywhere is making a big deal of it. The outfielder? Well, he’s handling it beautifully (bold is ours for emphasis):
“I don’t understand what I need to be worried about,” Suzuki said Tuesday through Barron, after a groundout to the pitcher, two lazy flyouts and a sharp grounder on which sprawling third baseman Ian Stewart robbed him.
Suzuki’s feet were propped onto the chair he was sitting in at his locker. His arms were resting on his knees. The look was decidedly unconcerned.
But nothing is ever so-what around this icon of Japan, the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
The pack of two dozen Japanese reporters who follow his every move are holding their breath for his first hit - so much so that Suzuki says he is feeling sympathy from others.
“I am very thankful that people when I am not hitting care so much about this,” he said. “I am grateful.”
And - get this - he’s not necessarily eager to get his first hit of 2008.
“To tell you the truth, some of this is kind of fun,” he said. “To be in a situation this early, in spring training, and have this kind of a little bit intense environment is something I couldn’t experience before. Basically, it’s a situation where I need to battle within myself mentally. That’s something I haven’t experienced this time of the year. … This is great for me.”
This guy is the best ever. We’re not sure why he doesn’t get proper due for how funny he is; maybe it’s the language barrier? Maybe he just has a great interpreter. In any event, we can’t get enough Ichiro.
13 Responses to "Ichiro is hitless, awesome"
What language barrier? He speaks and understands English. It’s bordering on strange, the way he insists on an interpreter.
As long as he’s not blaming “private failings”…
Does Sammy Sosa still need an interpreter? Probably not, but why not have one if you can?
Do zip 4 Big Buckee…that’s one fine translation
I need to get an interpreter too, i might be much wittier than i am if I have someone filter and change words for me.
Ichiro is awesome. I feel sort of left out, as a twins fan of having a japanese or chinese superstar play for our team so that the media from said countries goes gaga over them. maybe some day.
Japanese players would only be welcome in Minnesota if they were good locker room guys who walked around naked, got their uniforms dirty and were willing to drive the ball to the opposite field. And took massive pay cuts.
When is Lou Holtz going to get an interpreter?
On a side note it looks like Lou might be getting enshrined soon.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/03/12/hall.ballot.ap/index.html
Tom Selleck had this problem with his interpreter when he went to play for the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons back in 1992. Tom would say something, and his interpreter would change it to make it sound good to the Japanese guys.
If there is a mustache HOF, Tom Selleck should definitely be enshrined.
At the mustache HOF induction ceremony, there would be a celebrity death match between him, Burt Reynolds, and Ron Jeremy. Burt and Tom would give up 5 seconds into the match when RJ takes his pants off.
Hai as in yes, or hai as in I understand but I’m not gonna do a damn thing about it?
Tell coach I’ve got a bum wheel.
Ichiro just needs to relax. Maybe he should get some advice on relaxing from his countryman, Hideki Matsui.
I like Ichiro, he’s after my own heart. See, I dictate everything. My secretary Pony Expresses her stenograph pads to an interpreter. After his translation work is done, his niece logs on to the series of tubes and posts my thoughts. It’s awesome.
