You know you are something special when in your fourth season in the Major Leagues, your team almost 30 games out of first and eliminated from contention and the game is on the line and you rip a hit and the opposing crowd gives you a standing ovation. That’s what happened last night in Chicago in the 9th inning for Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners all star right fielder, who continues to hit is way into history. Seattle Times:

When his fifth hit came off rookie Jeff Bajenaru in the ninth, Ichiro drew a standing ovation from the 24,191 in attendance. “I don’t have any connections to Chicago,” Ichiro said. “I really didn’t know what to do.”

This entry is probably more applicable for our sports and gambling blog but I just had to say it: Ichiro is freaking incredible. He is ripping off hits like he’s in batting practice. With his 5 for 5 last night, he now has 223 hits. George Sisler who owns the record 257 hits in one season that Ichiro is chasing, “only” had 216 at this time in the season.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Ichiro is going to break Sisler’s record which hasn’t been bested since 1920, and it appears that Ichiro might just shatter it. I was telling my wife Kara that we should try and get tickets to a game for the kids before the tickets are all gone. This could very well be the only chance in their lifetime to see this record broken. Then again, Ichiro might come out next year and chase 300 hits!

I think Ichiro has an outside shot at hitting .400 this year too, as he is hitting .379 right now. That’s something else that hasn’t been done for awhile and we’ll hear more about it if he gets into the high 380s or low 390s with 10 or more games to go. Amazing that he can go 5 for 5 and only raise his batting average five points. I heard one of the announcers say he had to hit something like .525 the rest of the season to eclipse the .400 mark … wouldn’t that be amazing if he breaks Sisler’s record and hits .400? One of those two (the hits record) seems like a lock.

And just to end on a humorous note, check out the prediction I made back at the beginning of the season for wins for the Mariners:

Yeah, right, they are going to win 85-89 games … could I have been any more wrong back then?

I’m ready to make my prediction that this year the Seattle Mariners are going to win 85 games. That’s barely over 500 baseball. I sure hope I’m wrong.

Yup, I sure was wrong! LOL Today they will likely lose game #85 (they have a chance to lose 100 games for the season) and Ichiro will probably tack on another 2 or 3 hits. Maybe he’ll go back to back 5 for 5. Go Ichiro!

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