Ichiro’s personal assistant?

  • Luis Cabrera / Associated Press
  • Monday, January 14, 2002 9:00pm
  • Sports

By Luis Cabrera

Associated Press

SEATTLE – Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who signed a free-agent contract with the Seattle Mariners last week, isn’t caught up in the “Ichiro mania” of his native Japan.

In fact, he thinks Seattle right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, last year’s American League MVP and Rookie of the Year, will make a fine personal assistant.

“He’s still a rookie, and I can use him for a ‘go boy,’ right?” Hasegawa quipped Monday. “I’m going to ask him to get some food, get some drink, please. I can still say that in the U.S.”

Joking aside, Hasegawa, 33, a reliever who spent the last five seasons with the Anaheim Angels, said he’s thrilled to be reunited with his former teammate on the Orix Blue Wave of Kobe, Japan.

“That’s much better than if he’s going to be an enemy, like last year,” Hasegawa said on a conference call. “He’s just so good.”

Last season, Hasegawa was 5-6 with a 4.04 ERA in 46 appearances for Anaheim. The right-hander signed with the Angels as a free agent on Jan. 9, 1997, after playing six years for Orix. He has a Major League career record of 30-27 with a 3.85 ERA in 287 games.

Hasegawa signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract with Seattle that turns into a two-year deal worth a total of $4.5 million if he appears in 57 games or pitches 90 innings this season.

He spent May 20 to June 30 on the disabled list last season with an inflamed throwing shoulder and a partial tear of the rotator cuff, but he said Monday that his arm was strong and he felt no lingering effects.

Hasegawa also said he was surprised the Angels didn’t try harder to keep him.

Coming to Seattle was an easy choice, he said, and not just because it was a West Coast city with a large Japanese community.

“First of all, Seattle, I know, can win,” he said. “That’s why I chose Seattle.”

The Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the most regular-season victories in Major League history at 116. They were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the AL Championship series.

Hasegawa likely will fill the setup role left vacant by the trade of Jose Paniagua and two minor league pitching prospects to Colorado for third baseman Jeff Cirillo.

He said the Mariners have “an awesome bullpen,” especially with right-handed setup man Jeff Nelson, lefty Arthur Rhodes and closer and fellow Japanese national Kazuhiro Sasaki.

“I won’t have to pitch 10 days in a row now,” Hasegawa said.

He said he didn’t know Sasaki well, since they played in different leagues in Japan. But he expected to learn a lot from the closer, the 2000 AL Rookie of the Year, who was second in the league with 45 saves last year.

Hasegawa planned to call Suzuki this week and chat him up about the Mariners. The two were members of the 1996 Blue Wave team that won the Japan Series Championship – Japan’s World Series.

In fact, Hasegawa said he expects to spend more time in Seattle with Suzuki than he ever did in Kobe.

“After a couple of years, he was so big, that if I go out with him there’s going to be trouble. You know like, ‘hey Ichiro, hey Ichiro.’ We can’t talk,” Hasegawa said.

He may find private face time hard to come by in the Northwest, too.

Suzuki, a seven-time Japanese batting champ, is followed in Seattle by a contingent of as many as 100 Japanese reporters.

Suzuki took the American League by storm last season, leading the league in hitting at .350, hits with 242 and stolen bases with 56. Besides the MVP, he won the American League Rookie of the Year and a gold glove.

Hasegawa said Suzuki got an infield hit off him in their first meeting last year, and “I felt I’d won, that time.”

He said he’s long had a dream that U.S. teams would look more like the Mariners now do, with at least three Japanese nationals on each roster.

“I’m still dreaming like that.”

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Lake Stevens’ Kamryn Mason attempts to flip Glacier Peak’s Kyla Brown onto her back during 110-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Vikings girls wrestling conquers 4A District 1 Tournament

Lake Stevens dominated with champions in six weight classes and 18 total state-qualifiers

Kamiak’s Kai Burgess has her arm raised in the air after beating Arlington’s Jaymari O’Neal in the 125-pound match at the 4A girls wrestling district tournament on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Rebuilding Kamiak girls wrestling steps forward at District Tournament

Ki Burgess and Eden Cole each won their weight class in Friday’s WIAA District 1 Girls’ 4A Tournament

Meadowdale’s Kyairra Roussin takes the ball to the hoop during the game against Archbishop Murphy on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep girls basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 7

Kyairra Roussin’s deep buzzer-beater lifts Meadowdale over Stanwood.

Prep boys basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 7

Lake Stevens passes Mariner in league standings to take final district slot.

Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren watches his team against Washington Sunday, November 9, 2003. (George Bridges / KRT / Tribune News Services)
No Holmgren in Hall is a travesty

The Former Seahawks coach carries a resume superior to many already in the HOF.

A Snohomish School District truck clears the parking lot at Glacier Peak High School on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (Aaron Coe / The Herald)
Inclement weather cancellations strain high school sports calendar

With state tournaments on the horizon, ADs from Wesco, Northwest and Kingco must be flexible

Gonzaga overcomes stagnant start to beat LMU

Bulldogs get ‘best of best’ play down the stretch in 73-53 win.

Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) celebrates during a stop of the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field on Nov. 24, 2024 (Photo courtesy of Rod Mar / Seattle Seahawks)
Leonard Williams restructures Seahawks deal

More moves may be coming as Seattle deals with salary cap.

Former Archbishop Murphy High School stars, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) and Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas (72), prepare for play at Soldier Field in Chicago on Dec. 26, 2024. Though Lucas is likely to return as a starter, Seattle's interior line needs offseason upgrades. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
The Seahawks offensive line needs work

A mix free agency and draft could lead to upgraded interior.

UW men stumble in second half, fall to Nebraska

The three-pointers that fell so frequently — and from a… Continue reading

Edmonds-Woodway’s William Alseth dribbles the ball down the court during the game against Shorewood on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds-Woodway boys basketball enters playoffs on high note

The Warriors never let up in 63-43 win vs. Shorewood on Tuesday to secure Wesco South 3A/2A title

Prep basketball roundup for Tuesday, Feb. 4

Parker powers Seagulls to district berth.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.