He began his major league career wearing a Seattle Mariners uniform and he might finish it wearing the dreaded New York Yankees pinstripes. Regardless of what uniform he has been in, though, the former MVP and many-time All-Star has always been the focus of an entire nation. His every movement, action and photo has drawn disproportionate media coverage, and still the demand of baseball fans and celebrity gawkers somehow is never satisfied. Even the man holding his country's highest office cannot help occasionally weighing in on his exploits.

By the way, I'm not talking about A-Rod. I'm talking about Ichiro, the clean ex-Mariner.

While the attention of the media has been glued to the increasingly ugly Alex Rodriguez story almost exclusively, Ichiro Suzuki has been approaching an incredible milestone. Ahead of Wednesday night's game against Toronto, he was just one shy of a combined 4,000 hits over the course of his career in Japan and our major leagues. But after getting a first-inning single off R.A. Dickey, he had 1,278 hits in Japan, and currently has 2,722 and counting here.

This is a staggering accomplishment. There are only two players who reached the 4,000-hit mark in major league history: Pete Rose and Ty Cobb. According to various sources, only five players had 4,000 hits in the majors and minors combined: Rose, Cobb, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial and Jigger Statz (a little-known player because 3,356 of his hits were in the old Pacific Coast League). Whether you count Japan as a major league or a minor league -- or something in between -- Ichiro is about to join that elite fraternity.

So can we please briefly change channels from the annoying reality show that is "Keeping Up With the A-Rod" and give proper attention to what Ichiro has done?

Ichiro moved from Japan to our majors in 2001, when A-Rod signed his enormous contract and purportedly began (wink, wink) using steroids. That was the peak of the PED era; but while a certain infielder might have been bulking up, Ichiro showed that an outfielder smaller than some players in the Little League World Series could be a dazzling All-Star and MVP. The highlights remain devoted to hulking sluggers, but Ichiro is a refreshing reminder that infield singles and gappers can be just as exciting as tape-measure home runs.

Forget the way A-Rod treats his body. The near-religious care Ichiro shows for his bats is far more interesting.

Ichiro's first 1,278 hits came in Japan as a member of the Orix Blue Wave. Toshifumi Kitmaura/AFP/Getty Images

He famously keeps his bats in a humidor containing a chemical rod that prevents the bat from gaining or losing moisture. He does not allow batboys to carry his bats. He was so particular about keeping his game bat in a select spot in the Mariners' dugout that Seattle drilled a hole in the bench for it. Early in his Japanese career, he lost his temper after an out, threw his bat to the ground in frustration -- and then felt such remorse for this abuse that he took the bat back to his hotel room in apology. Call me nuts, but I find that a more compelling story than taking Madonna to your hotel room.

He is a man of ritual and careful preparation. While in the on-deck circle, Ichiro stretches in a semi-Sumo crouch that would burst Bartolo Colon's hamstrings. He steps to the plate, points his bat skyward and touches his shoulder in what became as much a signature Seattle gesture as a barista pulling an espresso shot.

And then there are the hits, 4,000 of them now. Ichiro finishes his swings in such a way that he is almost on his way to first base before he even makes contact. Usain Bolt could not reach first base faster than Ichiro did in his prime. There was never such a thing as a routine grounder with him. Every ball he hit on the ground was an adventure. Would the throw beat him, or would he beat the throw? A simple grounder to short would leave fans on the edge of their seats.