Move over. George: Ichiros's coming

Sporting News, The, Sept 13, 2004 by Ken Rosenthal

Joe DiMaggio batted .408 during his 56-game hitting streak. In 56 games from July 3 to last Saturday, Ichiro Suzuki batted .457.

Time to dig the short ball: The countdown to Sisler is on.

Suzuki began the week needing 35 hits in the Mariners' final 27 games to break George Sisler's 84-year-old mark of 257 in a season. Prior to this season. Suzuki had a .290 career batting average in September/October, his lowest of any month. But he began September by going 11-for-17.

"It's like he's playing in a backyard stickball game." Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi says.

Suzuki had only eight home runs in his first 589 at-bats, but he's similar to former major leaguer Wade Boggs, who could hit for power on a whim. A's infielder Mark McLemore. Suzuki's former Mariners teammate, corrected some A's pitchers earlier this season when they referred to Suzuki as a slap hitter.

"Try catching what he hits," McLemore said.

Suzuki. 30. boasts superior hand-eye coordination and wand-like bat control. He can make solid contact on any pitch inside--or outside--the strike zone. He's also that rare lefthanded hitter who hits lefties better than righties. His batting average against lefthanders this season: .420.

Sisler batted .407 overall in 1920, the year he set the hits record, and .420 two years later. Suzuki began the week at .379. With 13 more hits, he would have been at .401.--KR.