USA Today: Staying in Seattle a ‘touchy subject’ for Ichiro Suzuki

But now he is back in his proper place, allowing the next mannequin in line to go out and live among the humans for 30 days…

“Many people have this image of me. For a long time, I cared about that,” the center fielder tells USA TODAY through an interpreter, during a rare extended interview. “I often thought about what I could do to please them. I was always chasing after that Ichiro. It became a struggle. I think I was scared of what people were thinking of me.

“After 2004, I realized it was impossible to please them. I discovered I needed to do what I needed to, (and) if people like it, that’s good. I became more confident. And that Ichiro became a part of me, instead of me chasing after him.

“When people get placed upon a pedestal — when they start chasing after that person on the pedestal — they become mannequin-like. People striving for approval from others become phony. You should seek approval from yourself.”

...• Tiger Woods’ athleticism: “Tiger is a great golfer, but ... when you say athlete, I think of Carl Lewis. When you talk about (golfers or race-car drivers), I don’t want to see them run. It’s the same if you were to meet a beautiful girl and go bowling. If she’s an ugly bowler, you are going to be disappointed.”