Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was left speechless for a while after hearing news that Akira Ogi, his mentor in Japanese baseball, died on Thursday.
Yoshiki Okada, representative of Suzuki's management office, said the Mariners leadoff man was stunned and could not find the words to express his feelings when he heard the news in Los Angeles from an acquaintance.
"He may be thinking that there are no appropriate words to convey his feelings (about Ogi's death)," said Okada, who is staying in Los Angeles with Suzuki.
Ogi died of respiratory failure on Thursday at the age of 70, less than three months after stepping down as the Orix Buffaloes manager in late September for health reasons.
Ogi was known as the man who propelled Suzuki to fame.