He was listed as a rookie. Technically. But was he really? We can play semantics all day with this one. What there is no doubting, though, is that in 2001 Ichiro Suzuki turned in the greatest performance by a first-year player in AL/NL history.

The first Japanese-born position player to reach the Majors, Ichiro did it all that season, leading baseball in batting average (.350), hits (242) and stolen bases (56) on the way to American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors.

• 51 interesting stats about Ichiro

In short, the then-27-year-old Mariners outfielder was immediately electric.

Before coming to Seattle, Ichiro had racked up 1,278 hits over nine seasons with the Orix Blue Wave in Nippon Professional Baseball. He added 3,089 hits during his 19 years in the Majors with the Mariners (14 seasons), Yankees (3) and Marlins (3).

His 242 hits as a rookie still stand as the all-time record. Additionally, Ichiro and Hall of Famer Tony Oliva (1964) are the only rookies since 1901 to win a batting title. Just Ichiro and Boston's Fred Lynn (1975) were named MVP as rookies.

Want another mind-boggling stat? The 10-time Gold Glove winner singled in the first at-bat of his third game April 4, 2001, lifting his batting average to .300. After that his career average never dipped below the .300 mark. We're talking ever.

And then there were "The Throws."

On April 11 of that incredible rookie year, against the A's at the Coliseum, Ichiro unleashed a laser from right field to erase Terrance Long trying to go first to third. It was beyond jaw-dropping.

Later that season in early September at Safeco Field against the Orioles, he did it again, fielding Jerry Hairston's single to right and unleashing a frozen rope to nab Tony Batista at home plate for the final out of the inning.

The legend of Ichiro was born.

He also paved the way for other Japanese position players in the Majors.

Moreover, in his inaugural season he helped the Mariners fill their superstar void following the departures of Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez, propelling the team to a staggering 116-46 record and a berth in the AL Championship Series against the Yankees, where their season came to a heartbreaking end in five games.

There will certainly never be another Ichiro and, very likely, there will never be another "rookie" season like he turned in.