Should Ichiro's hits from Japan count with his MLB hit total?

Probably not, considering MLB never acknowledges the records in other leagues.

With that being said, Ichiro is arguably the greatest hitter ever. His numbers are right there with Cobb's and Rose's, especially in regards to averages and advanced statistics.

People (esp. certain purists) say that baseball is watered-down and hitters have it easier, now.

Consider:
*The rise of analytics.
*The proliferation of little-league, junior league development, and advanced scouting.
*Specialized training
*Integrated Leagues
*Deeper rosters (having to play against different types of pitchers and pitching styles)
--- This is never good point, because that means pitchers are getting more rest in between starts,while each team has another staff of pitchers in the bullpen. I'm pretty sure bullpen's didn't exist in the 1910s or even 1970s.
*The evolution of the baseball glove, itself. Ichiro is at much bigger disadvantaged in that category.
* "Juiced" players

 

I don't think it should count, but Ichiro is a lot better than Pete Rose ever was. Ichiro's hit numbers were depressed in Japan because they don't play close to the 162 games they play here.

This article sums it up perfectly.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/pete-rose-accept-ichiro-real-hit-king-article-1.2674831

 

They should include his practice sessions too.

 

Hell no they shouldn't count.
Should Warren Moon's stats count from his time in the CFL? Again hell no.

 

I don't think it'd be too difficult to say that Ichiro has X hits in MLB, and Y hits in professional baseball. No need to combine or disregard them.

 

Who do you think is a better hitter? Ichiro or Rose.

 

Ichiro.

 

He would probably averaged 200 hits if he played in the majors earlier in his career. Why didn't the astros sign him. He is a lot better than the guys we have now.

 

I don't think you can count his numbers from Japan, but there's no doubt in my mind that Ichiro is the greatest non power hitter in the history of baseball. Rose will still technically have the record, but if Ichiro played in the MLB as long as Rose, he'd have destroyed that record.

 

No but every time Rose's hit record is mentioned, Ichiro should be mentioned alongside him in order to recognize that Ichiro was a much better hitter and possibly the greatest hitter in MLB history.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This just in: Sadaharu Oh hit 868 home runs in Japanese baseball and 0 in MLB for a total of 868, making him the alltime HR champ</p>&mdash; Bill Brown (@BrownieTw) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrownieTw/status/743180609497903104">June 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Different leagues, different stats. Moon's CFL stats don't count for the NFL (and the CFL/NFL were actually closer back then (but still not very close --sort of like Japan baseball?)).

How many hits would Rose have had if he played in Japan at 18?

 

The football HOF recognizes Moon's passing yards, but it does not mention them.

So I would think the Baseball HOF will do the same thing. If they do put it on his plaque I think they would separate the hits, but not total them.

 

"Greatest hitter in MLB history"?

Have you ever heard of a guy named Ted Williams?

 

Ichiro is the best at getting a base hit in history, but that doesn't make him the best "hitter" even of his generation and even if you set aside power. There were plenty of guys who didn't for power that were better at getting on base via either a hit or a walk than Ichiro was and that makes them better "hitters."

Rose was better than people remember him for. Ichiro was a better defender and base stealer and got more singles, but Rose walked a lot more and while getting his hit record still managed to hit for more power, and I don't mean homeruns. Doubles count as well.

 

The Japan league has been said to be more on the level of AAA than MLB. Ichiro is a great hitter but I can't recognize him as the hit king. That's still Rose...until Altuve passes him.

Also, Tony Gwynn was a better all around hitter. I never understood why, even though he has the power, Ichiro chose to be a slap hitter.

 

The Baseball HOF does no such thing and never will.

That article is terrible, it basically boils down to the author saying "I think this, so it must be true."

Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever lived. That is indisputable. Second place is...Tony Gwynn or Joe Dimaggio or Lou Gehrig or Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds or whoever. Ichiro's sure in the conversation, though.

 

Japan is not MLB, so the answer to the initial question is NO from me, at least.

And I believe that we can say that he has hit more professionally than Rose. We can probably equate MLB to Japan, but they're separate and can't be mixed.

But is Rose above (better) than Ichiro? I don't think so. I think you will agree that, as a hitter, Ichiro is better.

 

No. Japan isn't near-par with MLB. Ichiro deserves mention next to Pete though when talking about the record.

However, Suzuki (nor Pete), aren't even Top 20 hitters historically. Ichiro's doubles total and BB/K are laughable