Ichiro could pass Rose but what hits should count?

A Yankee (Not Rodriguez) Creates Buzz
By DAVID WALDSTEIN
Published: August 7, 2013 in The New York Times

Note: The article in both the title and text contains what seems to have become the obligatory kick a guy when he's down swipe at Alex Rodriguez even though A-Rod really has nothing to do with the subject.

(Ichiro) Suzuki ... is the Yankee on the threshold of a benchmark as he closes in on 4,000 combined hits in Japan and Major League Baseball ...

Suzuki had 1,278 hits over nine seasons in Japan, and ... 2,710 as a major leaguer. That total, 3,988, left him a dozen hits from becoming the third player to reach 4,000. Only Ty Cobb (4,189) and Pete Rose (4,256) are ahead of him, and Suzuki said he thought he could catch them both...

To match Rose’s total, Suzuki will need 2,978 hits in the majors...

If he winds up with 140 hits this year and 140 again next year, he will have 4,164 total hits and will be within striking distance of Rose’s mark in 2015.
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I actually agree that 4,000 hits is an accomplishment worth noting even if it includes hits in minor leagues.  However, when it comes to passing Rose why does Ichiro get credit for minor league hits but not Rose?

Rose was not considered to have reached 4,000 hits until he had 4,000 in the majors.  His minor league hits did not count.  Now if we are going to count minor league hits for Ichiro it seems only fair that we should do the same for Rose.

Pete Rose had 427 hits in D and A ball in 1960, 1961, 1962.  Even if you eliminate the hits in D ball Rose still had 178 in A ball in 1962.

Counting those extra hits would make Ichiro's task much harder, if not impossible.

Suppose that Major Baseball League (MBL) teams finally notice that Ichiro is way overrated?  Suppose that Ichiro decides to continue his quest in the minors here in the USA or back in Japan?  How would that sit with people championing his cause?

Through August 8, 2013 Ichiro has in the 2013 season:
Hits 105
BA .278
OBA .313
SLG .373
OPS .686
OPS+ 89

That's pathetic.  There's no way any MBL team will play Ichiro regularly in 2014.  The only way that Ichiro can possibly catch Pete Rose is to finish his career where he started: in the minors.

Thursday, July 26, 2012
Ichiro Suzuki: is he the most overrated player this milenium?

the guy does not walk and does not hit home runs.  He gets on base.

On Base Percentage career: Ichiro is tied at number 366 with two Jasons: Kendall and Thompson.  Derek Jeter, another get on base guy, is number 158.
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Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Ichiro Suzuki:his power is very isolated.

I ran a query at baseball-reference.com for batters 1901-2012 with at least 5,000 AB and ISO at least .095 to include Suzuki whose ISO is currently .096.  666 batters were found, led by Babe Ruth at .348.
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