PHILADELPHIA _ The Marlins' upcoming 10-game homestand has been circled for a while as the likely occasion for Ichiro Suzuki to join the 3,000-hit club.
That is certainly the hope of management, to reap the benefits of the historic moment. Since the future Hall of Famer reached 2,290 hits, the Marlins have been running a special ticket offer that began at $29.90 a seat and is increasing a penny with each hit to 3,000.
When that will occur has been difficult to forecast because of Ichiro's status as a reserve outfielder. After reaching 2,994 with three hits Sunday he was limited to pinch-hitting appearances in the first three games against the Phillies and didn't add to the total.
He was in the lineup Thursday batting leadoff and giving Giancarlo Stanton a night off in right field.
"No one has told me that he has to play or that we've got to get this done," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said last weekend. "The best thing for me is when he says he wants to play until he's 50. So it's not like he's saying, 'I've got to get this done so I can go home.' He's like, 'I want to keep playing,' so why are we in a rush?
"Ich knows his role on our team. He's going to be a valuable part of what we do. We don't have to force anything. We're playing within the context of trying to win games. He'll get his at-bats over the year."
Ichiro, who began the season 65 hits away from 3,000, has gotten hits in bunches when playing time has been more abundant. He made 32 starts before Thursday and had 17 multiple-hit games. He was batting .346 as a starter, .341 overall.
"I'd seen him over the years but I didn't realize how good this guy is," Mattingly said. "Just watching his routines and work ethic, it's really incredible what this guy is able to do right now.
"Take the age out of the equation, and this guy has been a really, really good player. This year. It's been fun to watch, honestly."
Despite his many years with the Yankees and Dodgers, Mattingly was hard pressed to recall an accomplishment he has witnessed to compare to Ichiro this season.
Aside from being present for Alex Rodriguez's 500th home run in 2007, Mattingly said, "I think the best thing was (Derek) Jeter coming out of spring training out of high school. Everybody remembers the end (of his career), I got to see the beginning."
