News
The Starter: Ichiro, Yanks streak into June
Star has 24-game hitting streak; Yanks tie MLB errorless run
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
06/01/09 3:18 AM ET
Will Monday bring another week of streaks?Ichiro Suzuki and fans of his Seattle Mariners certainly hope so, because the walking highlight reel of a right fielder made Sunday another day to remember with a 4-for-5 day in a 9-8 loss to the Angels that extended his hitting streak to 24 games, best in the AL this season. Ryan Zimmerman reached 30 games earlier in the year.
He didn't waste any time putting himself within 32 games of tying Joe DiMaggio's all-time record of 56 straight, doubling off Angels right-hander Ervin Santana in the first inning Sunday at Angel Stadium.
"It's not a fluke that a guy like that has consistency in his game," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "He's so strong mentally that you see the exact same approach day in and day out with him. Even if he does struggle a little bit, he seems to find a way to get either an infield hit, hit the ball the other way or pull the ball."
Ichiro doesn't quite have the foot speed he had, say, in 2001, when he won the American League's Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards, but he's still plenty fast and has legged out a Major League-leading 22 infield hits, which always bodes well for hitting-streak success.
His 24-game jag has him tied for the second-longest streak in Mariners history, trailing only, you guessed it, Ichiro. Suzuki had a 25-game streak in 2007 among the seven streaks of at least 20 games in his big-league career. That ties Ichiro's old pal, George Sisler, for the fourth-most number of streaks in baseball history. Sisler was the single-season hit king with 257 until Ichiro surpassed that record in 2004 with 262.
When recently asked who in the Major Leagues could possibly hit .400 for a season nowadays, Angels first-base coach Alfredo Griffin didn't hesitate when he said, "Ichiro."
"The guy is fast, he puts the ball in play, and he can get a hit on just about any pitcher and any pitch," Griffin said.
In other words, if anyone will ever break Joe D.'s seemingly untouchable record, it's Ichiro. Now all he needs to do is get a hit in his next 32 games.
In the meantime, hitting wasn't the only facet of baseball covered by an impressive streak during the week that just ended.
Golden glovework | |
| The Yankees have not committed an error since Ramiro Pena booted a ground ball while playing shortstop on May 13 in Toronto. Since then, New York has handled 617 total chances in 156 1/3 innings of play, recording 469 putouts and completing 148 assists with 12 double plays. The Yankees are 13-4 during the 17-game errorless streak. | |
Date | Result |
| May 14 | NYY 3, TOR 2 |
| May 15 | NYY 5, MIN 4 |
| May 16 | NYY 6, MIN 4 |
| May 17 | NYY 3, MIN 2 |
| May 18 | NYY 7, MIN 6 |
| May 19 | NYY 9, BAL 1 |
| May 20 | NYY 11, BAL 4 |
| May 21 | NYY 7, BAL 4 |
| May 22 | PHI 7, NYY 3 |
| May 23 | NYY 5, PHI 4 |
| May 24 | PHI 3, NYY 2 |
| May 25 | NYY 11, TEX 1 |
| May 26 | TEX 7, NYY 3 |
| May 27 | NYY 9, TEX 2 |
| May 29 | NYY 3, CLE 1 |
| May 30 | NYY 10, CLE 5 |
| May 31 | CLE 5, NYY 4 |
On the other side of the country, the New York Yankees were doing something stellar that maybe they're not necessarily known for -- catching the ball.
The Bronx Bombers have become the Gotham Glovemen by tying a Major League record by playing a 17th straight errorless game on Sunday, a 5-4 loss to the Indians. Ever since Ramiro Pena mishandled a grounder at shortstop at Rogers Centre in Toronto on May 13, there has not been anything but a big goose egg under the "E" column for the Yankees, and it's a streak that has lasted 617 total chances over 156 1/3 innings of play. In that span, the Yanks have made 469 putouts with 148 assists with 12 double plays.
"That's a great team accomplishment," said Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, a multiple Gold Glove winner who's improving the team with his glove as well as his bat. "We go out there every day trying to make every play, and that's what we've done the last 17 games. We've got to keep playing good defense, because our pitching is doing a great job as well."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said it's all about preparation.
"[It's] knowing what to look for when a guy is up and being prepared to field every ground ball or fly ball," he said. "It's just good, fundamental baseball."
Fittingly and historically, the Yankees' streak has tied them with a very familiar rival. The other team in history with a 17-game errorless streak, which took place June 11-30, 2006?
The Boston Red Sox.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
