Baseball is no doubt America’s game. It is our countries national pastime, a time honored tradition that has provided us all with moments of joy and moments of agony. And while baseball remains one of our countries favorite sports, it has also gained popularity worldwide, with talent coming from all over the globe. South America for example, has provided major league baseball with some of the finest talents to ever grace a ball field, players like Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Pedro Martinez, Alex Rodriguez and of course the great Roberto Clemente. And while the influx of talent from Latin American countries remains strong, another country is providing us with some of the best talent in the majors today.

Japan, it is the house of the rising sun, and like the sun, many of its finest ball players have been rising in the east and settling in the west. They come to America seeking to continue the success they’ve had at home, and test their skills against the world’s best baseball players. Many of them come completely unfamiliar with America’s culture or even its language, but it does not take an interpreter to understand the impact they’ve had on the field. So without further ado let’s take a look at some of Japan’s imports making an impact on Major League Baseball today.

If you’re compiling a list of Japan’s best imports you have to begin with Ichiro Suzuki. Ever since his arrival in 2001 Ichiro has established himself as a force to be reckoned with. In his first season Ichiro led the majors in stolen bases and batting average, the first player to accomplish this feat since Jackie Robinson. He was named the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year carrying a .350 batting average and swiping 56 bases. He also helped his team match a Major League record with 116 wins. In 2004 Ichiro set the Major League record for hits in a single season (262) finishing the year with a batting average of .372. Ichiro is also a prolific outfielder with a strong, accurate arm, and outstanding range in center field, he has accumulated seven gold gloves, one for each year he has been in the majors. For seven consecutive years he has had 200 or more hits another major league record, he has also been selected to the All-Star team in each of his seven seasons.

Ichiro’s arrival was followed two years later by another monster of Japanese baseball, “Godzilla” himself, Hideki Matsui. After a distinguished professional career in Japan, Matsui signed with the New York Yankees in January of 2003. “Godzilla” made his mark immediately, becoming the first player to hit a grand slam in his first game at Yankee Stadium. He went on to post a .287 batting average with 16 home runs and 106 RBI’s narrowly missing out on the Rookie of the Year award. In his next season with the Yankees Matsui put up career numbers (MLB) with a batting average of .298, 31 home runs and 108 RBI’s. He is also the first Japanese player to hit a home run in the World Series. His 2007 campaign was marred by injury, ending his streak of consecutive games played at the professional level (Japan and America) at 1,768 making him one of the sports true Iron Men.

Another player who made an immediate impact upon his arrival from Japan is the Red Sox’s Daisuke Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka first came to the attention of the average baseball fan during the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Matsuzaka was prolific throughout the tournament going 3-0, and aiding Japan in capturing the gold medal by tossing 4 innings of 1 run baseball before leaving the game and watching his team defeat Cuba 10-6. His first season in the majors was a success; he posted a record of 16-12 with 202 strikeouts (a Red Sox record for rookies). He also helped to lead Boston to its second World Series in the last 3 years.

Tags: Alex rodriguez, Baseball, Boston, Dice-k, ichiro, Imports, Japan, latin america, matsui, matsuzaka, MLB, national pastime, New York, pedro martinez, Red Sox, roberto clemente, Rookie, sammy sosa, South america, Sports, vladimir guerrero, Yankees