Ichiro Suzuki is a Hall of Famer. That's not really debatable: Parts of 19 seasons, 3,000-plus hits, Rookie of the Year, MVP, 10 All-Star appearances. But what's remarkable is that he would've been an easy Hall of Fame choice had he retired nearly a decade ago.

The numbers don't lie, as they say, and Ichiro's numbers since 2011 haven't been great. He compiled just 4.6 bWAR, total, over his last eight seasons, his highest being 1.6 WAR in 2016. But even if you take away every at-bat he's had since the 2010 season ended, Ichiro is still Cooperstown material.

FAGAN: My personal Ichiro story

Starting with his rookie year in 2001, Ichiro compiled 10 straight 200-hit seasons — Pete Rose is the only other player to do that, by the way — including an MLB-record 262 in 2004. He averaged 224 hits during that first decade, which is crazy good. Overall, it was good for 2,244 hits. That's an exceptional 10-year total. He also won two batting titles during that time, including when he hit .372 in 2004. During those first 10 seasons, he never hit lower than .303 and never had an on-base percentage lower than .350 (his high was .414, again in 2004).

He had a reputation as mostly a singles hitter, and, while technically true (he led the AL in singles each of his first 10 seasons), he was a singles hitter nobody wanted to face. That's why he led the AL in intentional walks three times in those first 10 years and finished in the top five on five other occasions.

Though never a traditional power threat, Ichiro was plenty strong enough to pop homers, exhibited by the career-high 15 long balls he hit in 2005. With his elite on-base ability, his speed and his occasional pop, Ichiro was as complete a hitter as anyone in the majors from 2001 to 2010.

And we've not even discussed his defense. So let's do that.

Ichiro led all AL right fielders in putouts seven times in his first 10 seasons, and he led all center fielders in putouts in 2007. But he wasn't just catching what was hit his way. He had range. Consider: During those seven seasons in which he led right fielders in putouts, he caught an average of 44 more outs than the second-highest total. That's a lot of good position, a lot of good jumps and a lot of strong closing speed. And that doesn't take into account his arm. So let's do that.

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Ichiro, whose arm could throw lasers "like something out of 'Star Wars,'" as late Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus famously said, retires as the active leader in outfield assists (123). And it was during his first 10 seasons that he did most of that damage, twice leading the AL in that category for right fielders, with three other top-three finishes. From 2001 to 2010, he led all right fielders in defensive runs saved, with 76, and was second among all outfielders during that time with 78, barely falling short of Carl Crawford's total of 80.

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He also retires as the active leader in Total Zone Runs (128), which measures the number of runs a player is worth above or below average based on the number of plays made. In those first 10 seasons, he led the AL in that category four times and had two other top-three finishes.

Whether at the plate or in the outfield, Ichiro was an elite complete player for a decade. His spot in the Hall of Fame is secure, and it has been for a while.

He gave us 19 seasons, but Cooperstown only needed the first 10.