Bert Blyleven

Ichiro Suzuki recently set a Major League record with his ninth straight 200-hit season, an amazing accomplishment.

But how does he compare to the toughest outs in baseball?

Let’s take a look at the best of the best this season.

What makes them so tough, and what are their prospects for the future?

ICHIRO, MARINERS
What Ichiro has accomplished has never been done before in baseball. He had all those hits in Japan, and when you add these hits at the MLB level it’s incredible.

He’s a guy who doesn’t strike out much and he doesn’t walk much, either, but he can get hits because he can fly. So many infield hits come off his bat. Some people knock him, saying he doesn’t walk enough, or he doesn’t hit for enough power. But I don’t think there should be any knocks at all. In fact, I think anyone who knocks him doesn’t know the game of baseball.

Ichiro is a Rod Carew-type player, and he’s going to score more than 100 runs for the ninth straight season. His job is to get on base, steal bases and create havoc. He’s probably the best leadoff hitter in baseball since Rickey Henderson.

There are so many elements when you face a guy like Henderson or Ichiro. You don’t want to walk him, you want to make him hit the ball. They force your infield to come in two or three steps because a one- or two-hopper to the shortstop can end up being an infield hit.

As a former pitcher, these guys are pests to you because you know they can hit. You make one mistake and he won’t miss it. Oftentimes, they’ll hit your good pitches, too. Ichiro is a guy who you can make a nasty pitch to and he’ll slap it into left field.

He is his own style of player. You’re not going to get a lot of guys who say, “I want to hit like him”, because his swing is so unorthodox. He takes a running start out of the batter’s box. But it’s perfect for him, and he knows what his body can. There hasn’t been anybody in baseball who does as good a job as Ichiro has since entering the league in 2001.

JOE MAUER, TWINS
Joe Mauer is just coming into his own this season, and he’s downright scary. Sometimes, it’s like he’s taking batting practice. The other night, he slashed the ball to left field in his first at-bat, smacked it to center field in his second at-bat, and pulled it to right field in his third, just like he would in BP. It’s like watching a hitting clinic night after night.

And now, all of a sudden he’s hitting for power. Before this season, Mauer’s career high for homers in a season was 13. This season he has 27, all while hitting .373 (through Thursday).

Another impressive thing about Mauer is that he will walk more than he strikes out. He’s not afraid to hit with two strikes, and has a tendency to let the ball come deep into the strike zone, and has excellent plate coverage. And he’s doing it all while trying to handle a pitching staff, and getting beat up behind home plate every night.

Mauer is only 26 years old and the Twins need to sign him to a long-term contract to keep him in uniform.

MIGUEL CABRERA, TIGERS
Cabrera is another young guy like Mauer. If he stays healthy, he’ll put up incredible numbers. He’s only 26, yet is playing in his seventh season. In his first full season (2004) Cabrera hit .294 with 33 home runs and 112 RBIs.

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He’s a power-type guy, sort of like a lesser version of Albert Pujols, and when he got traded to Detroit he jumped right in there and didn’t slow down. He’s a big reason for Detroit’s success, and should get some attention in AL MVP voting.

Cabrera is strikeout prone, but he creates a lot of power. He is a classic cleanup hitter who can win a game with one swing of the bat. And he is durable too and doesn’t miss too many games.

HANLEY RAMIREZ, MARLINS
Another talented youngster, Ramirez is only 25 years old and in his fourth full season. He’s well past the point of just feeling his way in this league, and continues to get better and better. He’s going to drive in more than 100 runs this season for the first time, and he’s going to like the taste of it. The Marlins are on the fringe of the playoff race because of him.

We got a good look at him in the WBC when I was coaching the Netherlands team and we played his Dominican Republic team, and I was impressed.

The guy is just a very good hitter, and I’m glad to see he’s doing well. A third of his hits are for extra bases (23 home runs, 39 doubles), and he can do it all on the field.

He is truly a five-tool player, he can do it all. You’re going to watch him, and 12 years from now they’re going to say he has Hall of Fame numbers.

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