Ichiro On Matsuzaka

I know this is a translation, but this quote from Ichiro regarding Daisuke Matsuzaka is worth a mention:

"I hope he arouses the fire that's dormant in the innermost recesses of my soul."

That is a strange thing to say in any language.  At any rate, it doesn't sound like playing for the Mariners excites him.

Wednesday's Mariners-Red Sox game is shaping up to be a classic.  Matsuzaka vs. Felix Hernandez at Fenway, plus the Ichiro angle. 

Comments

[beeniez]

That's um... kinda creepy.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

Kenji Johjima caught for the Japanese international team, so his ab's vs Dice-K could be pretty interesting to. It should be one hell of a game.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

Though if the mariners bat tomorrow like they are doing so far today this may all be on King Felix's shoulders.

batting 3rd - Jose Vidro, DH - unbelievable....

[allabouthephils]

there was a time when the name Jose Vidro actually meant something..... It's funny. I now live in Mariner country and they don't seem to be too passionate about their Mariners'... I know if Vidro was a bat boy for the Phillies, Philly faithfuls would storm CBP and riot with authority... Here they don't seem to mind very much... Quite odd...

[finite24]

as a baseball fan, it really doesn't get any better than this. Thank you Cleveland snow storm.

[JakeOD21]

I don't get to go to many Sox games at Fenway, but luckily I have a friend who goes to school in Boston that secured tickets to this game and he invited me to go. I'm hoping the game lives up to its hype. And I hope it arouses my soul's dormant fire or whatever too.

[nrmax88]

LOL

[ArodSucksAtLife]

The Mariners are the worst run organization in baseball.

2007: $106,460,833

For Ichiro, King Felix and a bunch of sh*te.

At least the Nationals are at 37mm, with a new stadium coming up. Its feels wierd to say but I'd rather have Bowden run my organization than Bavasi.

[RedZapper]

Actually, that's not a particularly weird thing to say in Japan given the context. The pitcher/batter duel can be seen as almost samurai-esque in Japanese baseball...and more so between players of Ichiro and Matsuzaka's caliber. However, I don't know if Ichiro believes it or he's just saying it because the Japanese press expects it.

[quintjs]

It sounds unremarkable to me.

A lot of players are big time players, players who would rather have something special to keep the interest. Baseball is a day-in day-out grind almost all of the time.

He is talking about this being different, being exciting, being a new challenge to face.

Its while guys like Jeter play better in October than at any point in the season.

That is what Ichiro is saying, but saying it in another culture, most of us don't understand its meaning.

[oxfrat1665]

Ichiro is done with Seattle, that quote says a lot to me. What if Boston was to offer up Wily Mo Pena and prospects for him? I bet the Japs would enjoy have another great one in their presence in the clubhouse. Just a thought?

[Wing_Kei]

Roto,

Hi, you forgot to include the second half of the comment,

"I plan to face him with the zeal of a challenger."

Honor is big part of the Japanese culture and as RedZapper mentions it applies to sports as well.

Wing_Kei

[Pawtucket Pat]

Sounds to me like a generic athlete quote that didn't translate right. I imagine he basically said "He's really great, I'm fired up to face him. I think I'm up to the challenge."