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ABOUT
I’m Steve Mandich. I was born in Seattle, I live in Seattle, and the Seattle Mariners are my all-time favorite baseball team. And, ever since his 2001 Major League debut with the Mariners, Ichiro Suzuki has been my all-time favorite baseball player (even after his 2012 trade to the Yankees). This blog has tracked Ichiro’s game-by-game progress since 2011, along with plenty of fun sidelights... Disclaimer: this blog is a labor of love, and is not affiliated with Ichiro Suzuki, the New York Yankees, or Major League Baseball... As of the 2013 season, all times listed are local New York time.Blogroll
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Recent Posts
- Game 15: 2-for-4 in 2-0 Win vs. Chicago Cubs
- Game 14: 0-for-0 in 3-0 Win vs. Chicago Cubs
- Game 14: Rained Out
- Game 13: 0-for-1 in 3-2 Win vs. Boston
- Game 12: 0-for-0 in 7-4 Win vs. Boston
- Game 11: 2-for-4 in 4-2 Loss vs. Boston
- Game 10: Did Not Play in 4-1 Win vs. Boston
- Game 9: 0-for-0 in 5-4 Loss vs. Baltimore
- Game 8: 0-for-1 in 14-5 Loss vs. Baltimore
- Game 7: 0-for-0 in 4-2 Win vs. Baltimore
- Game 6: 1-for-4 in 6-4 Win at Toronto
- Game 5: Did Not Play in 4-0 Loss at Toronto
- Game 4: 3-for-5 in 7-3 Win at Toronto
- Game 3: 2-for-4 in 4-2 Win at Houston
- Ichiro Jerseys at Steinbrenner Field
- Game 2: Did Not Play in 3-1 Loss at Houston
- Game 1: Did Not Play in 6-2 Loss at Houston
- New Season, New Header
- Spring Training Wrap
- And Now, a Message from Ichiro
- Ichiro’s Latest NTT Ad
- eBay Alert: Ichiro Coin
- Ichiro Pitches for Yunker Once More
- Ichiro Art #53
- Photoshopped Ichiro #5
Twitter Feed
- Game 15: 2-for-4 in 2-0 Win vs. Chicago Cubs wp.me/pQ9nN-2qr 6 years ago
- Game 14: 0-for-0 in 3-0 Win vs. Chicago Cubs wp.me/pQ9nN-2qp 6 years ago
- Game 14: Rained Out wp.me/pQ9nN-2qR 6 years ago
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Monthly Archives: August 2011
Game 135: 0-for-4 in 2-1 Win vs. Los Angeles
At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/154
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 0
Average: .273
Box
Notes: Lineout, strikeout, groundout (above) and flyout, ending 13-game hitting streak… DH’d again.
Next: Game 136 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Thursday… Needs 46 hits in final 27 games to reach 200.
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/154
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 0
Average: .273
Box
Notes: Lineout, strikeout, groundout (above) and flyout, ending 13-game hitting streak… DH’d again.
Next: Game 136 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Thursday… Needs 46 hits in final 27 games to reach 200.
Game 134: 1-for-5 in 13-6 Loss vs. Los Angeles
At Bats: 5
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/154
Runs Batted In: 2
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .275
Box
Notes: Flyout, groundout, grounded into a double play, two-RBI single, flyout… Extended hitting streak to a season-best 13 games.
Next: Game 135 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Wednesday… Needs 46 hits in final 28 games to reach 200.
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/154
Runs Batted In: 2
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .275
Box
Notes: Flyout, groundout, grounded into a double play, two-RBI single, flyout… Extended hitting streak to a season-best 13 games.
Next: Game 135 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Wednesday… Needs 46 hits in final 28 games to reach 200.
Ichiro Pocket Schedule: 2010
There are also versions in Cambodian and Vietnamese… See my entire collection of Mariners pocket schedules on flickr.
Game 133: 2-for-4 in 5-3 Win vs. Los Angeles
At Bats: 4
Runs: 2
Hits, Game/Season: 2/153
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 1
Average: .275
Box
Notes: Ground-rule double, strikeout, double, flyout… Extended hitting streak to a season-best 12 games, going 20-for-54 (.370) during the stretch… His .275 season average is the highest it’s been since July 5.
Next: Game 134 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Tuesday… Needs 47 hits in final 29 games to reach 200.
Runs: 2
Hits, Game/Season: 2/153
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 1
Average: .275
Box
Notes: Ground-rule double, strikeout, double, flyout… Extended hitting streak to a season-best 12 games, going 20-for-54 (.370) during the stretch… His .275 season average is the highest it’s been since July 5.
Next: Game 134 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Tuesday… Needs 47 hits in final 29 games to reach 200.
Game 132: 2-for-5 in 9-3 Loss vs. Chicago
At Bats: 5
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 2/151
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 1
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Lineout, single (above), groundout, single, and groundout for game’s final out… Extended hitting streak to 11 games, going 18-for-50 (.360) during the stretch… Batting average back up to .274 for the first time since July 7.
Next: Game 133 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Monday… Needs 49 hits in final 30 games to reach 200.
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 2/151
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 1
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Lineout, single (above), groundout, single, and groundout for game’s final out… Extended hitting streak to 11 games, going 18-for-50 (.360) during the stretch… Batting average back up to .274 for the first time since July 7.
Next: Game 133 vs. Los Angeles, 7:10 Monday… Needs 49 hits in final 30 games to reach 200.
The Ichiroll
“Ichiroll” is a cutesy name for a sushi roll you can get at Safeco Field’s Ricenroll concession stand, near section 137.
It’s just a spicy tuna roll.
Here’s some kid that was shown on TV during a recent M’s game…
Game 131: 1-for-4 in 3-0 Loss vs. Chicago
At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/149
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 1
Average: .272
Box
Notes: Groundout, popout, single, groundout… Extended hitting streak to ten games.
Next: Game 132 vs. Chicago, 1:10 Saturday.
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/149
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 1
Average: .272
Box
Notes: Groundout, popout, single, groundout… Extended hitting streak to ten games.
Next: Game 132 vs. Chicago, 1:10 Saturday.
Ichiro Playing Cards
I’d never seen these ’til a few days ago, when I came across ’em on eBay with about 90 seconds left in the auction. As the lone bidder, I won the deck for a mere $4.99 (plus $5.50 shipping). They’re from Japan, issued sometime in the ’90s, and sponsored by Nissan — perhaps a ballpark giveaway?
Below, on the left, is how the backs look (sorta like a pinup from a Japanese Tiger Beat). The joker cards (right) look like a silhouette of Bart Simpson taking an airbag to the face…
That Nissan Ichiro airbag logo also appeared in this TV ad from an earlier post. A sampling of the other face cards…
And a close-up of the little logo that’s on every card, reading: “Come on! Over the top! You can do everything.”
Ace.
Game 130: 2-for-5 in 4-2 Loss vs. Chicago
At Bats: 5
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 2/148
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 2
Average: .273
Box
Notes: Groundout, single, ground into force, strikeout, single… Stole 33rd base of the season, sixth-best in the American League… Here’s my pal Sean at the game (photo by Gene):
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 2/148
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 2
Average: .273
Box
Notes: Groundout, single, ground into force, strikeout, single… Stole 33rd base of the season, sixth-best in the American League… Here’s my pal Sean at the game (photo by Gene):
Next: Game 131 vs. Chicago, 7:10 Saturday.
eBay Alert: Weird-Ass Negative Image Baseball Card
For the record, it’s listed as “Toppstown Ichiro 1/1 Negative Art Card,” found here.
Game 129: 2-for-6 in 9-2 Win at Cleveland
At Bats: 6
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 2/146
Runs Batted In: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .271
Box
Notes: Single, groundout, lineout, single, grounded into force out, groundout… 32nd steal of 2011 (above)… Batting .375 (12-for-32) during this road trip so far.
Next: Game 130 vs. Chicago, 7:10 Friday… After four games in 44 hours, the M’s won’t play again until some 55 hours from now.
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 2/146
Runs Batted In: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .271
Box
Notes: Single, groundout, lineout, single, grounded into force out, groundout… 32nd steal of 2011 (above)… Batting .375 (12-for-32) during this road trip so far.
Next: Game 130 vs. Chicago, 7:10 Friday… After four games in 44 hours, the M’s won’t play again until some 55 hours from now.
McFarlane Ichiro Figures
Game 128: 2-for-5 in 12-7 Win at Cleveland
At Bats: 5
Runs: 2
Hits, Game/Season: 2/144
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .271
Box
Notes: In the nightcap, Ichiro lined out, grounded into a force, intentionally walked, hit two singles and grounded out… Also stole 31st base and scored 63rd and 64th runs of the year.
Next: Game 129 at Cleveland, 9:05 a.m. Wednesday.
Runs: 2
Hits, Game/Season: 2/144
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 2
Average: .271
Box
Notes: In the nightcap, Ichiro lined out, grounded into a force, intentionally walked, hit two singles and grounded out… Also stole 31st base and scored 63rd and 64th runs of the year.
Next: Game 129 at Cleveland, 9:05 a.m. Wednesday.
And the Ichiro Haiku Contest Winner Is…
Kyle Lafreniere, who submitted this gem…
Alright, so maybe Ichiro’s isn’t even meeting expectations this year, but considering his otherwise stellar decade in the American bigs, this haiku rings true. Plus, I dig how it captures Ichiro’s international career arc in such a simple, concise style. Congrats, Kyle — contact me to collect your prize.
Overall, the Ichiro Haiku Contest received a total of 31 entries, not counting a couple of overtly racist haikus sent in by some stupid asshole. As for the other also-rans…
The very first entry, posted by “Roger,” would’ve been the shoo-in, but it lost on two technicalities… Can you spot them?
August in Kansas City
it is hotter than two rats
fucking in a wool sock
First, it misquotes Ichiro’s original misquote in his infamous Bob Costas interview: “August in Kansas City, it’s hotter than two rats in a fucking wool sock.” More accurately, it corrects Ichiro’s misquote, but Ichiro’s misplacement of “fucking” makes the phrase all the more entertaining… Second, it doesn’t fit haiku’s 7/5/7 syllable pattern, so it would’ve been disqualified anyhow. Still, it cracked me up.
Some other favorites…
Swift with bat in hand
Japan’s national treasure
Home is in right fieldTorturing pitchers
with death by a thousand hits
Ichiro is feared.Throw your best pitches
I will hit them anyway
I am IchiroOur man from Japan
Still lacks a World Series ring
Blame Nintendo chiefs.Japan’s native son
Has great speed and quite an arm
We love 51!drag bunts, slap hits, drives
spider wall thief snags flies
rocket arm, runner out
Thanks everybody who entered; also thanks to Paul at the kickass Uni Watch, whose link to my contest page generated the bulk of these entries. Finally, thanks to the lovely Eliza for the quickie Photoshop job above.
Game 127: 1-for-3 in 7-5 Loss at Cleveland
At Bats: 3
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 1/142
Runs Batted In: 1
Walks: 2
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 0
Average: .269
Box
Notes: Played DH again, grounding out, lining out (then the earthquake hit), singled to right (and subsequently scored), and was intentionally walked twice.
Next: Game 128 at Cleveland, 4:05 today; it’s game two of a double-header.