A few years ago, Ichiro Suzuki spent three days on his own wandering around the US Baseball Hall of Fame, hoping to learn about the history of the game in America.
At this rate, he's about to become part of it.
PHOTO: AP
Coming off two big games against the Angels, the Seattle Mariners right fielder is nearing one of the longest-standing offensive records in American Major League Baseball: the 84-year-old mark for most hits in a season.
PHOTO: AP
After an off-day Thursday, Suzuki will go into a weekend series at Texas with 247 hits, giving him 10 games to break George Sisler's record of 257 set with the St. Louis Browns in 1920.
"I want to get my next hit. That's what I'm focusing on," Suzuki said through an interpreter, explaining that his next target is 250 hits. "It's great that I can be in this position."
Suzuki went 5-for-5 at Anaheim on Tuesday night and added four more hits in a 16-6 victory over Anaheim on Wednesday night.
Suzuki raised his average to .374, best in the big leagues. Barry Bonds was hitting .370 going into San Francisco's game against Houston on Thursday night.
How does Suzuki do it?
"If you throw him inside, he hits a bullet, and if you throw him away, he slaps it the other way or up the middle," Angels pitcher Jarrod Washburn said. "I don't know if you can throw a pitch he can't get a hit on. It's hard to believe that somebody has that good a hand-eye coordination."
Suzuki is a singles hitter in an era where power is celebrated. The 30-year-old Gold Glove right fielder is the first player to collect at least 200 hits in each of his first four US major league seasons.
Suzuki's 909 career hits are approaching the MLB record for the most over any four-year span (918 by Bill Terry from 1929-1932).
But Sisler's mark is the big one.
"The man understands the history of the game better than a lot of players born right here in this country," said Mariners hitting coach Paul Molitor, a Hall of Famer and member of the 3,000-hit club. "I don't think he gets too caught up in it, but I think he understands that the record is pretty special."
Suzuki remains a puzzle to many pitchers even after four seasons in the majors.
"Why has nobody been able to figure out Bonds the last few years?" Washburn said. "The great ones you just don't figure out."
After nine years as a star in Japan with the Orix Blue Wave as a .353 career hitter, Suzuki was an immediate hit with the Mariners, becoming the American League Most Valuable Player award winner and Rookie of the Year in 2001.
He's an aggressive, free swinger at the plate with an uncanny ability to adjust to a pitch in flight.
"His hands are in a good position, he's got great bat speed and he keeps the bat head in the zone for a long time," Molitor said.
Suzuki, close to winning his second American League batting title, goes to the plate knowing where he wants to hit the ball. His speed often helps, as does his skill for angling balls through the infield.
Sisler, a left-hander who could hit for power, set the record in an era when complete games were the rule and hitters could settle in against the same pitcher.
Nowadays, the left-handed Suzuki might see at least three pitchers in as many as five at-bats, including setup men and closers, and he has to hit cutters and split-finger fastballs that weren't used in Sisler's day.
"That adds to the accomplishment," Molitor said. "Guys who can get on base and baserunning and bunting, those things are all overlooked. As a guy who didn't hit for a lot of power, I have a tremendous appreciation for what I've witnessed, the difficulty of it and the consistency."
Only rarely does Molitor point out flaws in Suzuki's swing; mostly the hitting coach provides information on opposing pitchers and positive reinforcement.
"Which is a little strange for as much success as he has," Molitor said. "Not selfishly, but he just likes to hear that he's doing a hell of a job."
Suzuki, wife Yumiko and their beloved brown-and-white Shiba dog spend part of the offseason in Seattle to escape the intense scrutiny he faces at home. He can move freely around Seattle, going shopping, golfing or walking the dog without a crush of fans clamoring for autographs and photos.
"To him, it's a big thing that he can go and walk around," said teammate Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who played with Suzuki for the Orix Blue Wave. ``In Japan, I didn't talk to him much because he's a hero. In the US, it's much easier and the pressure is off a little bit."
Greg Maddux reached 15 wins for a record 17th consecutive season, leading the Chicago Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 Thursday.
Maddux also hit a two-run single in a four-run second inning for the Cubs, who began the day a half-game behind San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.
Maddux (15-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Maddux, 20th on the career wins list with 304, last year surpassed Cy Young's 15 consecutive 15-win seasons.
LaTroy Hawkins pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save in 30 chances.
Nelson Figueroa (0-3) gave up four runs and five hits in two innings for Pittsburgh.
Cardinals 4, Brewers 2
In Milwaukee, St. Louis reached 100 wins for the first time since 1985 and the seventh time overall.
Yadier Molina hit his first major league home run, a two-out drive in the eighth off Matt Wise (1-2) that broke a 2-2 tie. Hector Luna followed with his third homer of the season, his fourth hit of the game.
St. Louis, which clinched the NL Central title last weekend, has 10 games remaining and can surpass its club record of 106 wins, set in 1942.
Dan Haren, pitching because Chris Carpenter strained his right biceps, made his first start for St. Louis since Aug. 20. He allowed one run and two hits in five innings and matched his career high with six strikeouts.
Given a 2-1 lead, Cal Eldred (4-2) allowed a tying homer in the sixth to Geoff Jenkins. Jason Isringhausen pitched the ninth for his league-leading 45th save in 52 chances, completing a four-hitter.
Mets 4, Expos 2
In Montreal, Tom Glavine (10-13) won for just the third time since mid-June, and Gerald Williams and Victor Diaz homered to lead the New York Mets over Montreal.
Glavine now has 261 victories, trailing only 300-game winners Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux among active pitchers.
Braden Looper pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 32 chances.
Brad Wilkerson went 3-for-4 and tied Tony Batista for the team lead with 31 homers when he connected in the fifth inning to make it 4-2. Wilkerson homered in the third to give Montreal two hitters with 30 homers in the same season for the first time in franchise history.
New York moved three games ahead of last-place Montreal in the NL East.
Tomo Ohka (3-6) made his first start since breaking his forearm June 10. He allowed eight hits and four runs in five innings.
David Dellucci's double drove home two runs to give the Texas Rangers a 5-4 win over Oakland on Thursday and a three-game sweep of the Athletics.
"We knew we had to do that," said Brian Jordan, who scored the winning run. "It definitely does a lot for our confidence."
Texas, a surprise contender after four straight last-place finishes, moved within two games of the AL West-leading Athletics with 10 to play. The Rangers have won five in a row and 10 of 13.
Hank Blalock hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth, his 32nd to pull the Rangers to 4-3 against Octavio Dotel (4-2). Before Dellucci's winner, Michael Young doubled for his fourth hit and Mark Teixeira was intentionally walked, his team-record fifth walk of the game. Jordan reached on a forceout.
"I made sure to get to home plate and score. That turns the day around," said Jordan, who was 0-for-5. "I rounded second base, and I heard the fans cheering."
Mark Kotsay, Adam Melhuse and Bobby Crosby homered for the Athletics, who lead both Texas and Anaheim by two games. Crosby's 21st homer, leading off the ninth against Jeff Nelson (1-2), gave the A's a 4-2 lead.
Yankees 7, Devil Rays 3
In New York, Derek Jeter hit a leadoff home run, Jon Lieber pitched into the eighth inning and the Yankees beat Tampa Bay to clinch their 10th consecutive playoff berth.
John Flaherty also homered for the Yankees, who go to Boston for a three-game series this weekend.
New York, given a standing ovation by fans following the final out, has the second-longest streak of consecutive trips to the playoffs, trailing only Atlanta, which was in position to clinch its 13th straight division title later in the day.
Lieber (13-8) allowed three runs and 11 hits in 7 1-3 innings.
Jeter, hitting a season-high .293 after going 3-for-4 with a walk, put New York ahead with his second leadoff homer of the season and 13th of his career, a drive into the Yankees' bullpen in left-center field off Todd Ritchie (0-2).
Indians 9, Twins 7
In Cleveland, Cliff Lee won for the second time since July 16 and rookie Grady Sizemore hit a two-run homer, leading Cleveland over Minnesota.
Lee (12-8) made it through 5 2-3 innings, allowing five runs and eight hits. The performance wasn't pretty, but the left-hander will take it after going 1-7 with a 10.03 ERA in his previous 11 outings.
Josh Bard homered and had three RBIs, and Coco Crisp drove in two runs for Cleveland.
Rafael Betancourt gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Justin Morneau in the ninth before getting Terry Tiffee on a groundout for his fourth save.
Minnesota rookie J.D. Durbin (0-1) didn't make it out of the fourth inning of his first career start. The Twins have lost three in a row since qualifying for the postseason.
Orioles 9, Red Sox 7
In Boston, David Newhan caught David Ortiz's bid for a three-run homer at the edge of the warning track for the final out, and Balti-more hung on, dropping Boston 4 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees going into this weekend's Fenway Park showdown.
With the Red Sox down 9-5 with two outs in the ninth and the bases loaded, Manny Ramirez came to the plate against B.J. Ryan. Ramirez hit a two-run single that brought up Ortiz.
Baltimore had broken a 5-all tie in the eighth on pinch-hitter Jose Leon's bases-loaded single.
Miguel Tejada hit a three-run homer for the Orioles, and Todd Williams pitched a perfect seventh.
The Red Sox lead the AL wild-card race by six games over Anaheim and Texas heading into this weekend's three-game series with AL East-leading New York.
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