Here's the call from 1995: "The stretch. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live, full length MLB game when the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees faced off at Yankee Stadium. SEATTLE - Ichiro Suzuki's otherworldly talents made an early impression on Dave Niehaus, the Hall of Fame voice of the Seattle Mariners.During Suzuki's first month in The manager gave me a big wet kiss. He needed just 15 years to meet a milestone that is pretty much automatic admission to Cooperstown. A laser beam, barely 10 feet off the ground, reached third baseman David Bell on the fly with Long a good five feet from the bag. Do you know who had the second highest? He has been the Mariners' voice for their entirety, from Diego Segui's first pitch in the franchise's inaugural game in 1977 to Ichiro's fly out to end the . He's saying the throw was a beautiful peg. Five highlights of Dave Niehaus' career with the Mariners. How did he not tear the muscles in his entire body making that throw. Among fans nationwide and his peers, Niehaus was . The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season, but all of that came after this laser beam. Salk: New MLB rules a plus, but theres a better way with pitch clock, Mariners Notebook: Julio Rodrguez fine, undeterred after wall crash. Ken Levine is a screenwriter and broadcaster, and he worked for many years on Mariners' games alongside the late Dave Niehaus, who died of a heart attack in 2010. What happened next was not only the greatest rookie season in baseball historyit was a glimpse at both the past and future of the sport. The single-season hit record. A Throw That Made a Phenomenon. Wednesday night, a photo of Niehaus could be seen on the big screen from outside an empty Safeco Field. He is somebody I have tried to mimic, not just hitting but playing-wise, even how he handles the media. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Much like Ichiro during his breakout campaign, Ohtani is redefining the parameters of the game, gunning for the American League MVP, and representing his country with pride in front of awe-inspired fans. David Niehaus had no idea who Janis Joplin was when they first met in Brazil. But Colborn knew that the outfielder was special. Apr 21, 2017. Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus passed away on Wednesday in his Bellevue, Wash., home at the age of 75. It read, "Dave Niehaus, 1935-2010." His empty chair and headpones sat in the broadcast booth . Enfranchised in 1977, the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League.Safeco Field, now T-Mobile Park has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July 1999.From their 1977 inception until June 1999, the club's home park was the Kingdome. Ichiro Suzuki established himself as a top fielder immediately upon joining the Seattle Mariners in 2001. Ichiro would come up to bat and Mr. Niehaus could tell you the funniest story about him. He also addressed Piniella.\n\nLou kissed me right here on the cheek, Ichiro said. Id never faced a guy who was a better bad ball hitter., The torrid start only made Ichiros spotlight brighter, especially in Japan. THE MARINERS ARE GOING TO PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! The version on MLB's YouTube channel doesn't have it, and it's too bad. He was just pissed., Small also reiterates how Ichiros rookie year had much bigger implications than just a championship. There was a sellout crowd on a summer Saturday night, and the introduction had all the parallels when the center of attention was finally introduced. Hes going to beat you., McLaren laughs when thinking about how opponents shifted to account for Ichiros spray chart. He was just this unique individual, the result of a very unusual set of circumstances.. ", Let's not forget this one either. These Japanese athletes had taken the Japanese sports inferiority complexthe sense that the Japanese are not physically or experientially ready for world competitionand proved it wrong. Masijuma added, I believe that these athletes are not just about athletic talent. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Theyd let me sit in the lower field-level seats behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and their media people. When he returned, it got to the point where the American scouts were like a pest., Using Ichiros and Matsuis success as a blueprint, more Japanese position players began testing their skills overseas, from So Taguchi and Kaz Matsui to Tadahito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Walk-off homers were a rarity off the Yankees legend. I feel like ending is so important, Ichiro said. Youve got to be really, really good to break that mold., As Orixs pitching coach between 1990 and 1993, Jim Colborn remembers hearing Ichiros name echoing constantly throughout the organization. There was an arrogance there, like going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower.. He is a great model to follow., Indeed, Ichiros 2001 season provided a master class in unflappability, a model for excelling while living in a fishbowl existence. Ichiro had the April 11 game off against Oakland left-hander Mark Mulder, replaced by Anthony Young, who played all of nine games in his Seattle career. I love the call on that play - the fact that the announcer has the time and presence of mind to include the "look at the throw from right" as the ball's still in the air makes it so much better to me. Whiting says this stance initially got him in a lot of trouble with minor league manager Shozo Doi, who opposed Ichiros leg kick and kept him on the farm team for the 1992 Orix BlueWave. Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Seattle Mariners since the team's inception in 1977, passed away on November 10th at his home in Bellevue, WA. I think Japans athletes can inspire such hope in the Japanese people, Masujima wrote. In April and May, he was named American League Rookie of the Month, thanks to a 15-game hit streak that ended on April 21 and a 23-game hit streak that started a day later. Theyre taking some of our weight training regimens and the way we approach the game in the States and applying it to what theyre doing, says Small, who lived in Japan from 2003 to 2019. It is one of the best memories of my career, and I will never forget that feeling. Most ballplayers, theyd wear polo shirts and golf pants, but hed have baggy jeans and a cap on backwards. One by one, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect. Off Ichiro. He was the instructor for a region void of the major league . Over the first half of his rookie season, Ichiro changed more than just defensive alignments around the league. The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season . I was looking to take it on the hop and it never hopped.. One by one, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect. The call by Dave Niehaus may be as good as . [0:35 for exact replay]. Dave Niehaus, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy . He had a cannon of an arm, could swipe bases like a ninja, and could put just about any pitch in play, regardless of how crappy it was. He elaborated on that with perspective after stepping away following the Japan Series that began the 2019 regular season. I thought to myself if this is customary in America, I might not make it here. Ken Griffey Jr., Jamie Moyer, manager Lou Piniella and broadcaster Dave Niehaus. That doesn't happen in Japan. But hes never wanted to be an imposing figure. [People] would pick up the newspaper and see Ichiro got two hits, and then several paragraphs down youd find out Seattle lost the game, he says. As the teams time in Peoria, Arizona, wound down, Piniella wanted proof that his potential leadoff hitter could pull the baseball. Go go go go Ichiro. The Mariners gave already provided a number of exciting moments in the first week of Cactus League play. But emotionally because I was able to finish the way I was able to finish, that kind of beats out all the other things; it just makes it so that I'm at peace.. The 6 stages that come with each of his starts, Ichiro's April 11, 2001 throw in Oakland was the first of his many memorable defensive plays. Game after game, the Mariners skipper had watched Ichiro Suzuki slap and bloop and pepper fastballs everywhere between left field and the third-base dugout. Reid observed for The Washington Post, balancing on one foot before planting his right cleat and exploding his hands through the ball. I was 27 years old when I came to Seattle. Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of v. [Ichiro] held that bat up like a magic wand, like, What do we got here? Even years later, during pitcher Ervin Santanas debut season with the Angels, Ichiro always found an opening. The version on MLB's YouTube channel doesn't have it, and it's too bad. I mean, they had the left fielder on the left-field line, they had the third baseman almost shaking hands with him, they had the infield halfway in, had the second baseman pulled sometimesyou saw every defense that you could see, he says. Niehaus was the fans' choice to throw out the first pitch in Safeco Field history. [Orix executives] would come to the Kingdome and watch games and go to the office during the day, Colborn says, but the real, ultimate goal was for us to have first choice of their players., In 1999, two years before Ichiro hit free agency, Orix expanded its agreement, allowing players to travel to Peoria to join the Mariners for spring training. Its a charisma that I think has to do with stature and perceived vulnerability.. Everything was like clockworkhed get his massage, hit off the tee, light weights, stretch, snack. "Pow, he got him" combined with "pegged him". Ichiro Suzuki had a .244 BA after an 0-2 count, 20 points higher than any other player in our database (min. David Arnold Niehaus (February 19, 1935 - November 10, 2010) was an American sportscaster. He excelled at the little things, blending new school and old school, and carved out a niche that forced the rest of MLB to catch up. Suzuki carried the burden of an entire country in coming to America, and his success created opportunity for the countless others who have followed. That is when fans started to pay attention to Ichiro., Pretty soon, everyone was paying attention to Ichiro. This great star comes over here and not only has success, but really sets the pace in a lot of ways.. During Suzuki's first month in the majors in 2001, Niehaus narrated a throw by Suzuki from right field that nailed Terrence Long at third base. "You just look at the talent and say it's easy to come over and play like that, but it's not. With one out and Oaklands Terrence Long at first base, catcher Ramn Hernndez grounded a single to right field. A year later, Colborns extensive scouting reports and personal relationship with Ichiro convinced Pat Gillick, the Mariners new GM, to make a strong play for him after the 2000 season. Niehaus was a constant. Aug 27, 2022. So on March 20, 2001, following an early lunch with bench coach John McLaren, Piniella headed to batting practice at the Mariners complex and called over Ted Heid, Seattles Pacific Rim scout and Ichiros temporary interpreter. Get Social with AzQuotes. And it was a perfect throw. --Terrence Long, The ball was hit right to me. **, Press J to jump to the feed. Not long after signing, Ichiro and his wife, Yumiko, visited Seattle, where the Mariners set up a private workout inside Safeco Field. They dont allow for individual differences. "When I met Ichiro in Peoria, (Arizona) which is the first time I'd met him face to face, he walked in and had more presence than any other baseball player I'd ever encountered," Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said. (AP). So embrace it by giving your best without imposing limits on yourself. That changed after Ichiros breakthrough in the U.S. Matsui knew that the entire nation of Japan was looking at him, Whiting says. I never go up to a player and tell him or give him advice or anything like that, Ichiro said. Retirement wasn't the 'R' word used Thursday for the how and why of Suzuki moving off the field. [became] Whos next?, According to Tokyo-based journalist Midori Masujima, Japan long held an inferiority complex when it came to sports. He stops the ball with the greatest of ease. Did Buhner throw that ball?. After I saw the batting practice and saw him move the ball around the field, I didnt think he was going to have any trouble adjusting, Gillick says. Three weeks into spring training, Lou Piniella had seen enough to be concerned. HERE COMES JOEY, HERE IS JUNIOR TO THIRD BASE, THEY'RE GOING TO WAVE HIM IN! Niehaus died at his . Check out video, photos and more from his big night here. Yet after narrowly escaping Cleveland in the ALDS, their season ended in the Bronx for the second straight year, with a loss to the Yankees in five games. 2023 Bonneville International. Improve yourself, find your inspiration . His first signature highlight came on April 11 in Oakland. His defensive acumen and acrobaticshis speed, arm strength, and daring pursuit angles on fly ballsearned him a Gold Glove award in right field. My friend and I always used to say Terrensh Long. Daves call elevated it to superhuman stature, Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone says. Feb 17, 2012 - Dave Niehaus. "The Throw" was electric, and one of Ichiro's first introductions to baseball in the United States. Thus, over the next few years, Colborn found it easy to court Ichiro, bringing him jerseys of Griffey Jr., his favorite player. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Niehaus was one of the greats. So here's the audio. Heaps: Bench Chris Carson? From Diego Segui's first pitch on April 6, 1977, through the end of the 2010 season, Niehaus called 5,284 of the Mariners' 5,385 games. He got him. "Your future has possibilities that you cannot imagine, Ichiro said. We thought we had a leadoff hitter, we thought we had a guy that could play right field, so we just went after it, Gillick says. Rounding third and heading for home. With MLBs newly established posting system (which negated much of Colborns and the Mariners groundwork), Gillick leaned on ownershipparticularly principal owner Hiroshi Yamauchi, a Nintendo chairman who loved watching Ichiro play in Japanto make a competitive offer. An airport hot dog? he asked Ichiros interpreter. Anybody who tried to copy Ichiro would have failed, Whiting says. A laser beam, barely 10 feet off the ground, reached third baseman David Bell on the fly . The biggest void Ichiro envisioned that hed face upon retiring was the passion he had for playing, and how hard itd be to hang up his glove. Joining the Seattle Mariners in 2001 on MLB 's YouTube channel does n't have,. 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