Suzuki's trade to Yankees leaves Japan surprised
Source: Agencies |
July 25, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN'S baseball fraternity has expressed a mixture of surprise and excitement at the news that Ichiro Suzuki has been traded to the New York Yankees.
The Yankees acquired the star outfielder from Seattle in a trade for two young pitchers, bringing a close to an 11 1/2-year career with the Mariners.
"It happened so suddenly I was surprised," Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh said yesterday. "However, this is something he wanted and I look forward to seeing him play for the Yankees."
The news was the top story on national broadcaster NHK's morning news program.
Suzuki is by far the most recognizable athlete in Japan, where he is revered for his stoicism, perseverance and attention to detail.
Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in the major leagues, said he thinks the move will be good for Suzuki. "There are a lot of great players on the Yankees and he should fit right in," Murakami said. "The Mariners had a lot of young players and are not contenders, so it wasn't easy for Ichiro there."
Author Robert Whiting, who wrote "The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime," said the trade made sense from a business standpoint.
"Ichiro's departure from Seattle was inevitable," Whiting said. "The team needs to rebuild. Ichiro making US$18 million a year was a drain on the finances of the team, which is suffering declining attendance. It is good for Ichiro in that he has a chance to play in the World Series."
Suzuki went 1 for 4 with his 16th stolen base in his Yankees debut and caught the final out in New York's 4-1 victory over Seattle on Monday at Safeco Field.
Suzuki moved to Seattle in 2001 from Japan's Orix Blue Wave, becoming the first Japanese non-pitcher in Major League Baseball, and his presence helped make the Mariners one of the most popular MLB clubs in his home country.
Now 38, the player remains hugely popular in Japan and the move is being seen as giving him a opportunity to win baseball's top honor before the end of his career, even as his figures fade.
"To the elite club with sights set on conquering the world," screamed the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper's headline.
The Yankees, who acquired him to beef up their potent but injury-hit attack, have won the World Series more times than any other club, while the Mariners are perennial strugglers.
Suzuki's father Nobuyuki, 69, told NHK that the transfer "left me with somewhat with mixed feelings".
"He had a childhood dream to beat the strongest team and become the number one. But the strongest are the Yankees, right?" he said.
Suzuki had his worst major league season ever last year, when he hit .272 and failed to reach 200 hits for the first time.
"I am going from a team that had the most losses to a team that has the most wins so it is hard to contain my excitement," Suzuki told a news conference in Seattle.
He wanted "to be in a different environment where I would be more stimulated", he said.
The Yankees acquired the star outfielder from Seattle in a trade for two young pitchers, bringing a close to an 11 1/2-year career with the Mariners.
"It happened so suddenly I was surprised," Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh said yesterday. "However, this is something he wanted and I look forward to seeing him play for the Yankees."
The news was the top story on national broadcaster NHK's morning news program.
Suzuki is by far the most recognizable athlete in Japan, where he is revered for his stoicism, perseverance and attention to detail.
Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in the major leagues, said he thinks the move will be good for Suzuki. "There are a lot of great players on the Yankees and he should fit right in," Murakami said. "The Mariners had a lot of young players and are not contenders, so it wasn't easy for Ichiro there."
Author Robert Whiting, who wrote "The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime," said the trade made sense from a business standpoint.
"Ichiro's departure from Seattle was inevitable," Whiting said. "The team needs to rebuild. Ichiro making US$18 million a year was a drain on the finances of the team, which is suffering declining attendance. It is good for Ichiro in that he has a chance to play in the World Series."
Suzuki went 1 for 4 with his 16th stolen base in his Yankees debut and caught the final out in New York's 4-1 victory over Seattle on Monday at Safeco Field.
Suzuki moved to Seattle in 2001 from Japan's Orix Blue Wave, becoming the first Japanese non-pitcher in Major League Baseball, and his presence helped make the Mariners one of the most popular MLB clubs in his home country.
Now 38, the player remains hugely popular in Japan and the move is being seen as giving him a opportunity to win baseball's top honor before the end of his career, even as his figures fade.
"To the elite club with sights set on conquering the world," screamed the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper's headline.
The Yankees, who acquired him to beef up their potent but injury-hit attack, have won the World Series more times than any other club, while the Mariners are perennial strugglers.
Suzuki's father Nobuyuki, 69, told NHK that the transfer "left me with somewhat with mixed feelings".
"He had a childhood dream to beat the strongest team and become the number one. But the strongest are the Yankees, right?" he said.
Suzuki had his worst major league season ever last year, when he hit .272 and failed to reach 200 hits for the first time.
"I am going from a team that had the most losses to a team that has the most wins so it is hard to contain my excitement," Suzuki told a news conference in Seattle.
He wanted "to be in a different environment where I would be more stimulated", he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
