MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 9, 2002

Ichiro Suzuki

SUZUKI ICHIRO: Well, this type of ceremony has probably happened in the United States. It's very, very rare to see this type of a ceremony in Japan, so I feel like this is like America.

SUZUKI ICHIRO: Well, I felt that the climate is very similar to Japan, and because of the humidity and the hot weather, I feel like the time that I was playing in Japan because of the climate. Regarding the fans, last year we were playing in Seattle, so I had a little bit of a welcome, the cheering. And then here, I was playing right field and then I heard that someone said, "You're no good." (Laughter.)

SUZUKI ICHIRO: Of course. When Bonds hit that first ball, did you think that either you were going to have a shot at it or that Torii might catch it? I thought that was already gone over the fence, and then I thought, "Oh, I'll just go back to my position," and I heard that sound of a catch of a ball, and, oh, I was surprised about that.

SUZUKI ICHIRO: The second half is a time where we can see the goal. The second half is the time that we can see the goal. It is a time to avoid vital mistakes and with avoiding a vital mistake, we can go forward and keep winning.