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A Talk with the Ever Elusive Ichiro

Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki bats against the Anaheim Angels on Friday, June 22, in Seattle.

By Anthony Hayes

Two months ago, Japanese sports writer Toshiaki Yamane left his wife and six-year-old daughter behind and traveled to the United States for what he thought would be the most exciting assignment of his career: trailing Ichiro Suzuki, the groundbreaking Japanese baseball superstar as he played his first season of American major league ball.

But on the eve of his return home to his family and regular job covering the Tokyo Giants for the publication Sankei Sports, Yamane, 37, wondered why he even bothered to come. After watching Ichiro and his team, the Seattle Mariners, play more than 30 games, Yamane had yet to interview or even say hello to his subject.

“To be honest I am disappointed. Of course, I expected more,” said Yamane after a game in Oakland in which Ichiro collected three hits to raise his average to a major league best of .356.

The first imported Japanese non-pitcher, Ichiro (he prefers to be known by his first name only) left the Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese major leagues last season after winning a record seven straight batting titles. Since then, he has avoided speaking with the touring Japanese media this season about as well as he has mastered the art of hitting American pitching.

Ichiro prefers to keep the Japanese press at arm’s length. He does not speak to the Japanese media prior to a game and will only talk with one Japanese “pool’’ reporter afterward.

A celebrity who transcends sports, gender and age, Ichiro has one of the highest name- and face-recognition ratings in Japan. Hence, the 30 to 50 Japanese journalists and photographers who follow Ichiro’s every move.

The Japanese public craves more than just Ichiro’s daily batting stats. Yamane and his fellow reporters track every pitch thrown, every swing taken and every foul ball hit by Ichiro.

When Yamane sends his stories back to his paper, they include graphic charts showing every pitch thrown to Ichiro. They know that the double hit in the 4th inning was off a rising curve ball on the outside corner of the plate.

Amazingly the Japanese press gives Ichiro his space. As American reporters shoehorn around his locker after games, the throng of Japanese press patiently stands off to the side, waiting for the “pool’’ reporter to return with quotes.

“He says he has to concentrate on baseball and doesn’t want too many distractions. So what can we do?” asks a weary Yamane.

But while he dances around the Japanese press like an inside fastball, a friendly Ichiro, who speaks limited English, will talk to any American reporter with a notebook — sometimes answering questions without the assistance of his trusty interpreter.

In a short talk with AsianWeek, Ichiro touched on a few subjects.

•on the Bay Area: “I love San Francisco, it’s beautiful. But my favorite American city is Boston. It’s very historic.”

• On playing in front of an American audience: “I feel good about it. Every day, I’m watched by fans who know baseball very well, and I am pleased and happy to play in front of them.”

• On his continued Japanese support and the mega-fans who travel to the watch him play: “The support is a huge part of my incentive to play better. So I appreciate them for coming over here.”

Los Angeles-based Akiko Yamawaki, 34, a reporter for the Japanese news agency Ji Ji, has covered most of Ichiro’s games this year. She also has not spoken with Ichiro. Yamawaki believes Ichiro is simply trying to assimilate into American culture and no longer wants to be viewed as a “Japanese’’ ball player.

“The best players in Japan want to play at the top of the world and that’s what the American major leagues are. They want to fit in,” Yamawaki, 34, said. “The top players in the past were satisfied to stay in Japan, but the newer players enjoy the challenge.”

And his popularity has soared even higher since he arrived in America.

“They miss him, but they are proud and happy about his success here in the major leagues. He is proving that Japanese players can play with the best,” Yamawaki said.

Apparently, however, not everyone in Japan is so happy to see Ichiro and other recent imports, such as Sasaki and Tsuyoshi Shinjo (who accepted to play for the New York Mets for millions of dollars less than what his former Japanese team offered), doing so well in the United States.

Some Japanese baseball officials are worried about a possible baseball talent drain.

“Yes there is some fear of that happening in the future. It could get to the point that there are no stars left in Japan,” Yamawaki said. “I don’t think they will stop them from coming to the U.S., but I think they would like to see more players stay home.”