By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, left, and Shigetoshi Hasegawa walk off the field after an American League team photo. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

CHICAGO - He is a happy fella to begin with. But put Mariners relief pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa at the All-Star Game and his grin widens to its toothy max.

"I didn't think about the All-Star Game 10 years ago," Hasegawa said.

"Ten years ago, I hadn't even started thinking about coming to the United States. At that time there were no Japanese players, no Japanese agents, nobody."

Hasegawa, in his seventh major-league season, was one of three Japanese players selected to the American League All-Star team.

Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui were the others and made up two-thirds of the AL's starting outfield Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

"There are only two Japanese position players that play every day: myself and Matsui," Suzuki said. "I think us playing next to each other is a very significant event."

The trio represented a growing number of Asian players in the majors. Of the 230 foreign-born players on opening-day rosters this season, 18 were born in Japan, South Korea or Vietnam.

"Maybe we can show the other players playing in Japan what a dream this is," said Matsui, who is hitting .299 with nine homers and 66 RBI during his first season with the Yankees.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

Suzuki might have been the first Japanese position player selected to an All-Star team - his first was in 2001 - but he was not the first overall.

Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo, who was born in Osaka, Japan, pitched in the 1995 All-Star Game.

"At this moment, it's tough to make a judgment whether I opened the door," said Suzuki, a career .340 hitter. "There are just a few Japanese players here, and we don't know how many will come later.

"It's tough to make a judgment and know what significance I have."

Three Asian-born players appeared in the 2001 game - Suzuki and pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki of Japan and Chan Ho Park of Korea.

"Let's see a couple years from now," said Hasegawa, who ranks second among AL relief pitchers with a 0.77 ERA. "I hope that five or six guys come each year."