Ichiro Suzuki Becomes Sixth Professional Player with 4,000 Career Hits

[Orioles1954]

Despite erroneous information from Baseball Tonight and the MLB Network, last night Ichiro Suzuki became the sixth professional player with 4,000 career hits. What a remarkable accomplishment! The following list includes professional baseball in all of its forms whether it be MLB, minor or foreign leagues.

1) Pete Rose 4683 (1960-1986)

2) Tyrus (Ty) Cobb 4355 (1904-1928)

3) Henry (Hank) Aaron 4095 (1952-1976)

4) Arnold (Jigger) Statz 4093 (1919-1942)

5) Stan Musial 4001 (1938-1963)

6) Ichiro Suzuki 4000 (1992-current)

[Redskins Rick]

Despite erroneous information from Baseball Tonight and the MLB Network, last night Ichiro Suzuki became the sixth professional player with 4,000 career hits. What a remarkable accomplishment! The following list includes professional baseball in all of its forms whether it be MLB, minor or foreign leagues.

1) Pete Rose 4683 (1960-1986)

2) Tyrus (Ty) Cobb 4355 (1904-1928)

3) Henry (Hank) Aaron 4095 (1952-1976)

4) Arnold (Jigger) Statz 4093 (1919-1942)

5) Stan Musial 4001 (1938-1963)

6) Ichiro Suzuki 4000 (1992-current)

Does Suzuki go into the HOF, based on this magic milestone?

[srock]

Does Suzuki go into the HOF, based on this magic milestone?

Among other things, yes.

[OFFNY]

Does Suzuki go into the HOF, based on this magic milestone?

Suzuki will easily make the Hall-of-Fame based on his major league career (offense and defense) alone.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml

[Redskins Rick]

Suzuki will easily make the Hall-of-Fame based on his major league career (offense and defense) alone.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml

I guess its safe to not have to worry about somebody playing the "maybe he is on PEDs card".

[OFFNY]

Does Suzuki go into the HOF, based on this magic milestone?

Suzuki will easily make the Hall-of-Fame based on his major league career (offense and defense) alone.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukic01.shtml

I guess its safe to not have to worry about somebody playing the "maybe he is on PEDs card".

Oh, I forgot about that.

Maybe not necessarily so easily, depending on whether or not that issue ever comes up with him between now and 6 (5-plus) years after his retirement.

[DrungoHazewood]

Does Suzuki go into the HOF, based on this magic milestone?

I think he goes into the Hall because he has a large body of evidence suggesting he's been a great player for a very long time.

Also of note: Orator Jim O'Rourke had 2600+ MLB hits, 773 documented minor league hits, plus at least five seasons of minor league ball with missing or incomplete data. In a career that lasted from age 21-61, starting in 1872 and lasting until 1912. So if the records were complete he may have been the first to eclipse this mark despite playing many seasons where the schedule was fewer than 100 games.

[DrungoHazewood]

4) Arnold (Jigger) Statz 4093 (1919-1942)

Statz is an interesting case, in that 3356 of his hits came for the Los Angeles Angels of the old Pacific Coast League. For many years the PCL had very long schedules, and although Statz came later than some of their 200+ game seasons, he played eight years where he appeared in at least 167 games. Including a high of 199 in 1926.

He only hit .285 in the majors and .315 in the minors.

[Orioles1954]

Statz is an interesting case, in that 3356 of his hits came for the Los Angeles Angels of the old Pacific Coast League. For many years the PCL had very long schedules, and although Statz came later than some of their 200+ game seasons, he played eight years where he appeared in at least 167 games. Including a high of 199 in 1926.

He only hit .285 in the majors and .315 in the minors.

I read somewhere that Statz actually chose the minors because of a contract dispute with the Cubs (I think).

[Redskins Rick]

I read somewhere that Statz actually chose the minors because of a contract dispute with the Cubs (I think).

Which was an upgrade over the cubs.

[DrungoHazewood]

I read somewhere that Statz actually chose the minors because of a contract dispute with the Cubs (I think).

It was not uncommon in that era for a player to choose independent ball over the majors. A star in the PCL probably made more money than a guy fighting for a job in the majors.

There was a guy named Bill Lange who played in the majors in the 1890s. He was from somewhere on the West Coast, couldn't stand the East. So after seven years (and 25+ WAR) he just quit and went home. Didn't even play minor league ball. Probably would be in the Hall if only he'd stuck it out, or if there'd been MLB teams on the West Coast.

[Orioles1954]

Make that seven! From another source "Julio Franco amassed 4,229 hits in his 26-year professional career, spread between Major League Baseball (2,586 hits), Minor League Baseball (618), the Mexican League (316), Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (286), the Dominican Winter League (267), and the Korean Baseball Organization (156)."

[CA-ORIOLE]

I heard on the radio that Peter Rose dismissed it as nonsense saying the Japanese pitching was inferior (which I'm not sure I get based on ichiros's ML production at an older age as compared to Rose's).

[Can_of_corn]

I heard on the radio that Peter Rose dismissed it as nonsense saying the Japanese pitching was inferior (which I'm not sure I get based on ichiros's ML production at an older age as compared to Rose's).

Wow, Rose reacting negatively to something that might diminish his legacy.

Didn't see that coming.

Would be hilarious if Ichiro went back to Japan and broke Rose's all time record.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Wow, Rose reacting negatively to something that might diminish his legacy.

Didn't see that coming.

Would be hilarious if Ichiro went back to Japan and broke Rose's all time record.

Yeah, he's first class all the way.

On a side note, whatever happened to that reality show he had with the hot asian MILF?