Game 135: 0-for-3 in 2-0 Win vs. Baltimore

Rich Schultz / Getty Images

At Bats: 3
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/122
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 3
Average: .269
Box
Notes: Played right, batted seventh… Struck out swinging, grounded to second, flied to center (above).
Next: Game 136 vs. Baltimore, 1:05 Sunday.

Game 134: 2-for-3 in 8-5 Win vs. Baltimore

Rich Schultz / Getty Images

At Bats: 3
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 2/122
Runs Batted In: 2
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 1
Average: .271
Box
Notes: Played right, batted eighth… Walked, homered, singled to center, grounded to second… Now has seven home runs and 32 RBIs this season.
Next: Game 135 vs. Baltimore, 1:05 Saturday.

Game 133: 0-for-4 in 7-2 Loss at Toronto

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/120
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 3
Average: .268
Box
Notes: Played right, batted eighth… Lined to third, grounded to second, grounded to short into a force, grounded to first to end the game (above)… I went to tonight’s game, and took all four photos here.

Next: Game 134 vs. Baltimore, 7:05 Friday.

Ichiro Art #49

Found here.

Game 132: Did Not Play in 7-1 Win at Toronto

Frank Gunn / AP Photo / The Canadian Press

At Bats: 0
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/120
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 0
Average: .270
Box
Notes: None.
Next: Game 133 at Toronto, 7:07 Wednesday.

Game 131: 1-for-4 in 5-2 Loss at Toronto

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/120
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 1
Average: .270
Box
Notes: Played right and center, batted eighth… Struck out swinging (above), singled to center, grounded to pitcher, grounded to second… Third error of the season, fielding a somewhat-routine fly ball… I was at the game, and took both these photos through my binoculars.

Next: Game 132 at Toronto, 7:07 Tuesday.

Game 130: 2-for-5 in 3-2 Win at Tampa Bay

Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images

At Bats: 5
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 2/119
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 1
Average: .270
Box
Notes: Played right, batted second… Struck out on foul tip, grounded to short, singled to short, singled to right, lined to pitcher into a double play.
Next: Game 131 at Toronto, 7:07 Monday. I’ll be at this one.

Game 129: 0-for-4 in 4-2 Loss at Tampa Bay

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/117
Runs Batted In: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 2
Average: .269
Box
Notes: Played right, batted first… Lined to left, struck out looking, grounded to second, flied to left… 30th RBI of the season.
Next: Game 130 at Tampa Bay, 1:40 Sunday.

Game 128: 0-for-4 in 7-2 Loss at Tampa Bay

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/117
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 0
Average: .271
Box
Notes: Played right, batted sixth… Grounded to first, grounded to short, grounded to second, grounded to pitcher… Woof.
Next: Game 129 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 Saturday.

Game 127: 1-for-3 in 5-3 Win vs. Toronto

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

At Bats: 3
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/117
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 1
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Played right, batted leadoff… Grounded to second, doubled to left, walked, struck out swinging.
Next: Game 128 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 Friday.

Game 126: 1-for-4 in 4-2 Win vs. Toronto

Ron Antonelli / Getty Images

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 1/116
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 0
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Played right, batted second… Singled to left (above), grounded to first, grounded to short, popped to short… Notched 4,000th professional hit between Japan’s NPB and America’s MLB.

Ron Antonelli / Getty Images

Kathy Willens / AP Photo

Kathy Willens / AP Photo

Next: Game 127 vs. Toronto, 1:05 Thursday.

4,000!

I was actually napping when it happened. Damn.

Images from It’s a Long Season… Video… More stuff…

One Hit Until 4,000…

As of today he has 3,999 hits in his professional career — 1,278 hits with Japan’s Orix BlueWave, 2,533 hits with the Seattle Mariners, and 188 hits with the New York Yankees.

Game 125: 0-for-0 in 3-2 Win vs. Toronto

Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images

At Bats: 0
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 0/115
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 0
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Pinch-ran in the ninth… Stole 18th base of the season (above)… Scored game-winning walk-off run… Still one hit from 4,000.
Next: Game 126 vs. Toronto, 7:05 Wednesday.

Ichiro Art #48

Made by the same guy who made these.

Found here.

Game 124: 2-for-5 in 8-4 Win vs. Toronto

Seth Wenig / AP Photo

At Bats: 5
Runs: 2
Hits, Game/Season: 2/115
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 0
Average: .274
Box
Notes: Played right, batted second… Grounded to second, doubled to left, struck out swinging, singled to center, grounded to first… One hit from 4,000.
Next: Game 125 vs. Toronto, 7:05 Today.

A New Ichiro Site

Ichrio4000.jp appears to be an officially sanctioned site, tracking Ichiro’s approach to 4,000 hits. It’s got photos, videos, links to companies he endorses, and a bunch of Japanese text that I can’t read. Of course, it’s no Super Ichiro Crazy!, but it still looks pretty cool.

Elsewhere, here are some recent Ichiro/4,000-hit articles, on MLB.com and Yahoo! Sports, and in The Wall Street Journal.

Game 123: 2-for-6 in 9-6 Win at Boston

Jared Wickerham / Getty Images

At Bats: 6
Runs: 1
Hits, Game/Season: 2/113
Runs Batted In: 0
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 1
Left on Base: 3
Average: .272
Box
Notes: Played right, batted second… Struck out swinging, singled to center, lined to second, grounded to short on a fielder’s choice, bunt single to catcher, flied to center… Three hits from 4,000.
Next: Game 124 vs. Toronto, 1:05 Tuesday.

Hey! What’s the Deal with Ichiro?

“(Ichiro) is the guy I relate to more than any athlete. His precision, incredible precision. Look at his body type — he’s made the most of what he has. He’s the hardest guy to get out. He’s fast. And he’s old.”

— Jerry Seinfeld in The New York Times Magazine, December 20, 2012… Link.

Game 122: 0-for-4 in 6-1 Loss at Boston

Jim Rogash / Getty Images

At Bats: 4
Runs: 0
Hits, Game/Season: 0/111
Runs Batted In: 1
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 0
Left on Base: 3
Average: .271
Box
Notes: Played right and center, batted second… Grounded to pitcher, grounded to second, grounded to second, grounded to first (oof)… 29th RBI on the year… Still five hits from 4,000… Batting 2-for-22 (.091) over his last six games… I’m not exactly hoping that Ichiro stays in this slump, but as it took him nine games to get his last five hits, there’s a chance I could see him hit number 4,000 — I’m attending the Yankees/Jays series in Toronto beginning nine games from now, on August 26.
Next: Game 123 at Boston, 8:05 Sunday.