I always lament Ichiro, among my favorite players, didn't make it to the U.S. until he was 27. That obviously wouldn't have happened today. I have little doubt if Ichiro kicked off his career in his very early 20s in the U.S., he would have passed Pete Rose. His skillset translated perfectly to American competition. And the Negro League statistics do raise questions about whether Ichiro is the true hit king.
I always lament Ichiro, among my favorite players, didn't make it to the U.S. until he was 27. That obviously wouldn't have happened today. I have little doubt if Ichiro kicked off his career in his very early 20s in the U.S., he would have passed Pete Rose. His skillset translated perfectly to American competition. And the Negro League statistics do raise questions about whether Ichiro is the true hit king.