By now Ichiro Suzuki is making a name for himself in America. The only question is what that name is. When The Associated Press and some other news organizations report on the former Orix BlueWave star, they refer to a player named "Suzuki." But back here in Japan he's always been known as "Ichiro." So, what does the right fielder want to be called? A recent commercial for the Seattle Mariners holds the answer.
As the story goes, No. 51 tells his new teammates he still wants to be called Ichiro. The rest of the Mariners then decide they too want to go by their first name. So, first names are sewn on the back of all the players' uniforms. No doubt Ichiro is the talk of the Mariners' camp this spring. Manager Lou Piniella is bombarded daily with questions about his newest secret weapon. Where will Ichiro bat in the lineup? Is his arm good enough to gun down runners at third? How is he getting along with his teammates? Ichiro is also a popular topic around water coolers here in Japan. It's impossible to watch a sportscast or read a newspaper without seeing his boyish face pop up at some point. All the attention almost makes it easy to forget about What's His Name? You know, the other Japanese player for the Mariners. Come on, you know who I'm talking about. He's the third Musketeer.
Still don't remember? Let's use another Mariners commercial to get caught up to date. The TV spot features "The Three Musketeers" -- relievers Jeff Nelson, Arthur Rhodes and, that's right, Kazuhiro Sasaki. A fast-talking marketing executive convinces the trio that they should wear capes and carry swords in the bullpen to strengthen their swashbuckling image. The commercial speaks volumes about how far last year's American League Rookie of the Year has come since heading overseas.
This time last year Kazu walked in the shoes Ichiro now wears. After leaving behind a stellar career in Japan, the hurler was treated as an unknown quantity in the spring of 2000. Everyone -- teammates, the media, Piniella -- wondered if he had the goods to survive in the majors, let alone recover from elbow surgery.
Fast forward to the present and Sasaki is wearing a well-earned smile. After proving himself in 2000, the media glare is now rightfully on someone else. Japan's all-time saves leader is just another familiar face in the Seattle clubhouse. Being likened to a Musketeer is perhaps the highest stamp of approval the closer could've hoped to achieve in a year's time. But lost in the fuss about what 2001 will be like for Ichiro is one important question that isn't being asked enough: What will 2001 be like for Sasaki? Depending on which side of the fence you're sitting on, the outlook is either rosy or slightly dubious.
On the one hand, Sasaki has proven himself as the real deal. Last season he racked up a phenomenal 37 saves in 40 opportunities. After starting slowly -- the right-hander gave up five homers in his first 12 appearances -- he played like a veteran the rest of the way. Only one reliever in the entire AL had a lower opponents' batting average. No wonder the M's exercised a $5 million option on their stopper for the 2002 season -- an entire year early. More importantly, the majors aren't an unknown entity in Sasaki's eyes anymore. He now knows what it's like to be a major leaguer for an entire year. He's familiar with the travel, his teammates, the opposition, how to prepare for games and everything else rookies couldn't possibly know until they go through the motions. This perspective has allowed Kazu to gain more confidence than he could've possibly dreamed of at the start of last season. Back then Sasaki was merely trying to prove he belonged in a Mariners uniform. Now he can relax and just focus on his game. Another advantage Sasaki has going into the new season is the presence of Ichiro. Everyone seems to be focusing on how Sasaki will help Ichiro's development, but it cuts both ways. The reliever must be plenty relieved to have a close friend nearby this year. The two have spent most of their free time together and they'll no doubt rely on each other should difficult times arise. Sasaki may be the bigger star in America at the moment, but to Japanese, Ichiro will always shine brighter. This definitely takes pressure off the former Yokohama BayStar. "It's good to see (the media) asking questions to someone besides me," the 33-year-old recently admitted.
So there you have it! An even better year is in store for Seattle's closer, right?
Not so fast!
Let's take a look at how Japan's other "Supa-rookie" did in his sophomore year in the majors. Hideo Nomo, the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year, had a worse ERA, more losses, less strikeouts and more walks in 1996 than during his rookie season. This trend continued for another three seasons before "The Tornado" finally recovered as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.
The comparison between Sasaki and Nomo proves one thing, if nothing else: A great rookie season doesn't automatically lead to more success. Top rookie honors over the last decade have gone to such no-names as Pat Listach and Bob Hamelin. Some Japanese pitchers have had more success in their second year. Hideki Irabu and Shigetoshi Hasegawa improved as sophomores, but they didn't have to deal with the same kind of expectations thrust upon Sasaki and Nomo.
Another potentially damaging factor is that hitters know what to expect from Sasaki this time around. Having seen his stuff before, many of the better AL batters will find ways to hit him now. Last year the righty caught everyone by surprise, but that won't happen again.
Not having the upper hand anymore has forced Sasaki to expand his repertoire. In addition to adding a pair of pitches he didn't throw last season -- a change-up and two-seam fastball -- Sasaki now has a new curveball. What is this, the new Kazuhiro Sasaki or something?
"Yep!" he recently boasted.
If the new pitches work out, Sasaki will again be tough to deal with in the ninth inning. But that's a big "if." So far he's had a good spring training -- at times. After getting tattooed during a recent outing, Sasaki sheepishly addressed reporters. "I was trying to use my new curveball," he said, "but it was all over the place."
Another red flag goes up because Sasaki isn't a spring chicken anymore. He's past the apex of his career and will likely retire in a few seasons. Nomo was just 26 when he arrived in the States and Irabu was 27. Younger is more desirable for a reason in the world of sports. Of course the Mariners know this and have been working to maintain Sasaki's fitness. Age really shouldn't be a problem -- after all, Randy Johnson is pushing 40 and he still dominates -- but it's something to think about. But don't think too hard. If you're in a fantasy league, go ahead and draft Sasaki. He's going to pay dividends for sure in 2001. Here's the million-dollar question: How good will he be? According to my crystal ball, Sasaki will have another great year. Does that mean he'll get 37 saves again? A lot depends on the Mariners offense. If they win games by five runs every day, he won't. But the M's attack isn't overpowering -- remember, they lost A-Rod in the off-season -- so "Daimajin" should get a chance to flourish.
It's just a hunch, but I say he ends up with 40 saves and a starring role in a Mariners commercial next spring.