Left-handed hitters have always had an advantage at the plate. The list of legends swinging from the left side can be interpreted as the pyramid of all-time players.

Henry ‘Hank’ Arron and Roberto Clemente were amazing and their hand speed is an unteachable talent. But they were both front-foot swingers, keeping their hands back for an absurd amount of time. You’re not supposed to be able to do that.

But I didn’t have to face either of them. I was facing my own personal nemesis – a left-handed batter with patience at the plate and a knack for going the opposite way with whatever you threw at him.

To say he reminded me of Ichiro is an insult to the greatest hitter I’ve ever faced.

Granted, I only faced him once, but I feared him for a lot longer than that. He was quick with the bat when he needed to be, but could also coil up and drive an inside fastball deep into the seats.

Ichiro’s numbers are insane, especially when you consider that he didn’t play his first MLB game until he was 27.

The year he won the MVP and Rookie of the Year with a .350 batting average, 242 hits and 56 stolen bases. His 3,089 career hits don’t include the 1,278 he amassed in nine seasons in the Japanese Pacific League.

I could gush on but as I said earlier, the first guy up in the eighth wasn’t Ichiro.

But with my stuff and his swing, he might as well have been.