Whos The Greatest Japanese Baseball Player In America?

14 Comments

1. Chiefs & Nachos says:

   October 31, 2009 at 9:14 pm

   It’s Ichiro and that’s not even debatable. Rookie of the Year and MVP, record for most hits in a season, 200 + hits every year and he’s won a Gold Glove every single season he’s been in America. He has a legitimate shot at 2,500 hits in MLB (maybe 3,000 if he gets really lucky) and that’s with spending 7 years of his career in Japan. If he’d played his entire career here, he’d already be over 3,000 hits and we’d be talking about what year he would be breaking Pete Rose’s all time hit record. He’ll be the first player in the Japanese and American Baseball Hall of Fame. No other Japanese player can come lose to matching any of that.
   Fukodome – you’ve got to be kidding me people. He’s played 50 some odd games here. How could that possibly qualify him for the best Japanese player in America?
2. Chiefs & Nachos says:

   October 31, 2009 at 10:58 pm

   Well Ichiro has played in the US the longest successfully. While Matsuzaka is having a great career to this point and Fukudome making a splash in his first year; they both look to have promising careers, but neither has been in the league long enough to say they’re the best Japanese player in the MLB. Ichiro however has done it consistently for years, so I have to go with Ichiro. While there have been previous Japanese players before Ichiro, Ichiro pretty much paved the way for Japanese players in the MLB.
3. Cubbie 4 Life says:

   October 31, 2009 at 11:52 pm

   Ichiro Suzuki is hands down the best choice.
   His stats speak for himself.
   I would say Hideki Matsui follows a close 2nd.
   To the posters putting Dice-K and Fukodome, give them a few years, they’re honorable mentions, but Ichiro is very accomplished when compared.
4. ŁŐĢĄП says:

   November 1, 2009 at 4:33 am

   In my opinion it is Ichiro… he has been around longer then guys like Matsuzaka or Fukudome and is more proven. He is a vital part of the Seattle organization. Ichiro can hit and is a steal threat every time he gets on base not to mention that he is very solid in the outfield.
5. Will says:

   November 1, 2009 at 7:49 am

   ichiro duh, may have slowed down but is the fisrt and thus far teh only player to win mvp and rookie of the year in the same year, and also took the team to the alcs.
6. dudespoo says:

   November 1, 2009 at 9:37 am

   Ichiro by far. He is one of the greatest players in baseball right now. Let alone one of the greatest Japanese players.
7. 7Words You Can't Say On T.V. says:

   November 1, 2009 at 2:19 pm

   I’d say pitching: Dice-K
   hitting: Ichiro
   Fielding: Kosuke Fukudome
8. cubsrock says:

   November 1, 2009 at 5:21 pm

   No question, it’s Ichiro. He’s going to Cooperstown.
9. El Ar says:

   November 1, 2009 at 8:58 pm

   Ichiro Suzuki
10. icecld3 says:

    November 1, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    Ichiro Suzuki
    that one is not even up for debate