Ichiro Suzuki collected his 4,000th career hit.
In case you were wondering what Pete Rose, Major League Baseball’s all-time hit leader, though about the milestone…. wonder no more.
“He’s still 600 hits away from catching [teammate] Derek Jeter,” Rose told USA TODAY Sports, “so how can he catch me?”
Rose discounts the 1,278 hits that Suzuki accumulated while playing in Japan.
Of course Rose went as far to suggest that his 427 career hits in the minor leagues be counted too if Suzuki’s hits from Japan are counted in their career totals.
“Hey, if we’re counting professional hits,” says Rose, the major-league hit leader at 4,256, “then add on my 427 career hits in the minors. I was a professional then, too.
Watch Ichiro record his 4,000th professional hit:
The all-time hit King said he was nothing putting down Suzuki’s milestone and even said he was deserving of the Hall of Fame.
“Listen, if I’m voting today for the Hall of Fame,” Rose says, “Ichiro has got my vote. He’s got the [10] Gold Gloves. The golden arm. A lot of hits. There’s really nothing wrong with his game.”
Suzuki could be a Hall of Famer but he will never be the games all-time hit king in the eyes of Rose. And Rose is unlikely to be alone in having those thoughts.
