In his past visits to Yankee Stadium, Ichiro Suzuki was ready and actually enjoyed the heckling that came from the Bleacher Creatures.If I may make a suggestion, he should give the RF bleachers a nice bow when they call his name. They'll love that.
He's also ready for a new experience on Friday night when the newest Yankees outfielder makes his debut at home against the Red Sox: the roll call.
"I hope the fans do call my name, but I need to get there and play to the ability where hopefully the fans will call my name," Suzuki said through his interpreter on Wednesday.
Before the series finale in Seattle on Wednesday, Suzuki that he's excited about his first game in pinstripes, when the slumping Yankees open a weekend series against Boston. While there will be plenty of attention on his New York debut, it'll also be a welcomed change from the oddity of this week that saw Suzuki move from one side of Safeco Field to the other and make his Yankees debut against the team he spent his first 11 seasons with.
"I think once all the attention is gone I can settle in and relax a little bit," he said.
...
"When I go to the stadium obviously if the fans feel that way toward me I'm grateful but I need to prove myself and I need to play to a level the fans can enjoy and think highly of my play," Suzuki said. "I really feel like when I get there I want to show the fans what I can do."
Also, it's pretty admirable that he feels he needs to prove himself to us Yankees fans. He's the greatest pure hitter of this generation so he really doesn't, but still it's great that he cares.
