For once, a record without a steroids asterisk. Ichiro Suzuki got his 4,000th professional hit last night off R.A. Dickey at Yankee Stadium. But an asterisk, or some sort of further explanation, is in order. Ichiro's accomplishment is not to be ignored—only two other players have ever connected for 4,000 hits: Ty Cobb and Pete Rose—but it must be noted that his hit parade includes his prior career in Japan. Before joining the Seattle Mariners in 2001, Ichiro had 1,278 hits in the Japanese Pacific League. Now, with last night’s performance, he has 2,722 in Major League Baseball, bringing the combined total to 4,000.
