Billed as a stronger version of Ichiro Suzuki and immediately anointed the Mets ' leadoff savior after being introduced at a news conference in Manhattan by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2003 , Matsui is now fighting for a roster spot for the first time since 1995 , when he was a rookie in Japan .
Ichiro Suzuki /people/person/nationality Japan
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Ichiro Suzuki
PERSON
Japan
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality