Suzuki, Matsui lead influx of new players

Japanese position players are making an impact on the major leagues.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Not so long ago, the thinking around baseball was that only pitchers had a shot at jumping across the Pacific Ocean from the Japanese leagues to the majors.
Ichiro Suzuki turned around that idea up when he became the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001 with Seattle. Then came a slugger as Hideki Matsui joined the New York Yankees last year. And this season, Mets rookie shortstop Kaz Matsui hit a first-pitch home run in his first at-bat.
"You're seeing an influx not just of players from Japan, but very good players. These guys are having a dramatic effect on the game," Seattle manager Bob Melvin said.
With Suzuki bearing down on his second batting title and aiming at the 84-year-old major league record for hits, Japanese position players are making a difference on both sides of the ocean.
"It's a very positive influence, not only for Japanese players but for children in Japan," Hideki Matsui said through an interpreter. "They can dream not only to play Japanese baseball, but to make it over here and have an impact."
Pioneers
These guys weren't the Japanese pioneers. Hideo Nomo, with his corkscrew delivery, was NL Rookie of the Year with Los Angeles in 1995.
Going way back, the first Japanese player in the majors was lefty reliever Masanori Murakami, who played with the San Francisco Giants in 1964 and 1965 before returning home -- a void unfilled until Nomo's arrival.
Today, major league rosters are dotted with Japanese relievers such as Shigetoshi Hasegawa in Seattle, Kazuhito Tadano in Cleveland and Shingo Takatsu with the Chicago White Sox.
Position players are special though, because they've shown they can make a difference every day.
"I'm very happy for that," Suzuki said through a translator. "It's starting to open up a little bit. There will be more opportunities for others. It's definitely a good thing."
Suzuki sure has made an impact. Four years in the majors, four All-Star appearances and three Gold Gloves in right field, along with becoming one of the game's best baserunners.
Though the Mariners won't be a factor this fall, Suzuki remains one of baseball's most closely followed stories this September.
By midweek, Suzuki had 227 hits -- 30 short of George Sisler's mark of 257 set in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns. It's a record that seems certain to fall, since Suzuki was hitting .377 with 24 games remaining.
Simply put, Suzuki is the game's most fascinating hitter.
"You can't try to pitch him a certain way because he's going to hurt you," Cleveland starter C.C. Sabathia said this week. "I just tried to hit my spots and hope he hit it at somebody because you're not going to strike him out."
Attracting attention
Kaz Matsui attracted attention this season by demonstrating that an infielder could make the leap from Japan. Until going on the disabled list Aug. 15 with back spasms, he was hitting .275 with 41 RBIs. He had 31 doubles and 13 stolen bases.
He has struggled in the field, however, committing 23 errors.
Other players have struggled to make the cultural adjustment. Most recently, former Mariners closers Kazuhiro Sasaki voided the final year of his contract so he could return to Japan to be with his family.
The consensus among baseball insiders, though, is that more Japanese players are coming, and the path cleared by the likes of Nomo, Suzuki and the Matsuis will only make things easier for those who follow.
"These guys have opened the avenues for other players," Melvin said. "Guys can say, 'Hey, I've got a shot to come over and make a difference, too.' It's going to keep happening."
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