[packs]

Nomo will always be influential but I said Ichiro was the definitive “I belong here” player from Japan. Nomo's peak was brief despite his incredible rookie season and a slew of less effective players followed up in the years between his debut and Ichiro’s.

This is in context of having a nation on your shoulders, An idea I don’t think has really been on people’s minds since Ichiro so thoroughly dominated MLB play. The idea of playing with a nation on your shoulders would suggest that people aren’t sure you can hack it. I don’t think anyone has had that sentiment since Ichiro. I can definitely understand the pressure an individual puts on themself though and how it may feel like that to them.