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Ichiro's stunning strike instantly labeled The Throw

By Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporter

We probably don't have to describe it any more than that. It stunned everyone who saw it.

On April 11 in Oakland, Ichiro charged an eighth-inning single by Ramon Hernandez and cut loose, trying to catch Terrence Long, a runner of good speed, going from first to third.

The ball traveled 230 to 250 feet on the fly, never rising more than 10 or 12 feet above the ground, until it smacked into the glove of third baseman David Bell, a perfect strike a foot above the bag. The astonished Long was tagged out.

Ichiro, who had trouble with Oakland fans yelling insults at him and throwing coins, said through an interpreter that his only thought on the play was to wonder why Long had run "when I was going to throw him out."

Scouts, already impressed by Ichiro's strong start offensively, noted the throw. Said one: "We won't be running on Ichiro, certainly not when he's coming straight in on a ball like that. If he's going side-to-side, maybe ... but then, maybe not. He's an excellent athlete."

Matt Roebuck, an M's publicist, said "I'd like to see that again." Reminded he would on many replays, he added: "No, I'd like to see it again for real. It was that good."

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