Yankees legend Hideki Matsui played seven seasons for the Yankees. It wasn’t until his final one, in 2009, with the addition of lefty ace CC Sabathia, that he managed to get that elusive World Series ring.

Ichiro will go into the Hall of Fame as professional baseball’s all-time leader in hits with 4,367 (3,089 in MLB and 1,278 in Japan) — more even than Pete Rose's 4,256. He broke George Sisler’s single-season hits mark of 257 in 2004. The new mark is 262.

Ichiro Suzuki is all about baseball, but he’s much more than that in Japan. Back home, he’s a wellspring of national pride, much like Shohei Ohtani now. His triumphs across the Pacific buoyed the nation as Japan’s economy sputtered through the so-called lost decades of the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Derek Jeter, Sadaharu Oh and Hideki Matsui were among many to offer their praises Tuesday after former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki became the first Asian player elected to the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hideki Matsui, Yu Darvish and others in MLB helped him make his decision, Morii responded in English: "Yes, of course." Matsui, a three-time MVP of Japan's Central League, played for Oakland in 2011.

Asked whether the success of Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Hideki Matsui, Yu Darvish and others in MLB helped him make his decision, Morii responded in English: “Yes, of course.” Matsui, a three-time MVP of Japan’s Central League, played for Oakland in ...

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes has reached its final stage, and the Yankees don’t even have a spot on the podium.

The baseball world was left delighted on Ichiro's induction into Cooperstown. But who opted to keep him off their ballot and deny him the glory of being a unanimous choice?

CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame. The post “This Is Nasty”- CC Sabathia Recalls Getting His Confidence Shattered by Ichiro Suzuki appeared first on EssentiallySports.

An unprecedented left-handed batter raised in Japan has accomplished yet another feat. His brilliant performances and numerous great records will be engraved in the history of U.S. baseball to be remembered for years to come.

“He healed the wounds in Japan’s national psyche,” Kiyoteru ... Left-handed pitcher Hideo Nomo preceded him, and Hideki Matsui came just after, both boosting the country's confidence in ...

“He healed the wounds in Japan’s national psyche,” Kiyoteru ... Right-handed pitcher Hideo Nomo preceded him, and Hideki Matsui came just after, both boosting the country’s confidence ...