Editor's Note: Each week ESPN analyst Tom Candiotti will write a scouting report on a hitter or hitters in an important series. The following is the former knuckleballer's book on Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki as he gets set to face the New York Yankees this weekend and their three scheduled starters -- Ted Lilly, Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and David Wells.

	Including last year's playoffs, Ichiro is hitting only .266 (17-for-64) against the Yankees.

Strengths
Ichiro is one of those rare players who has the uncanny ability to alter his approach to a certain pitcher in the middle of an at-bat. If he sees that a pitcher is working him inside, then he will adjust his mind-set and pull the ball. If he sees the pitcher staying predominantly away, then he will adjust to his run-and-swing style, trying to just hit a ground ball to the shortstop side of second base and beat it out for a hit.

Ichiro prefers to hit the ball on the ground either up the middle or the other way. That is where his success lies. He does have the ability to drive the ball out of the park, but that is not his forte. Ichiro might have the best hand-eye coordination in the major leagues. When he swings, he hits the ball. Rarely does he chase balls in the dirt. I have seen him go out of the strike zone to make contact, especially with the ball away from him.

Weaknesses
There isn't a classic way to pitch Ichiro. If a pitcher tries to pound him in, he will adjust and pull the ball. This can be dangerous since the defense is usually playing him to hit the ball the other way or just straight away.

A few pitchers have had success against Ichiro by coming down and inside to him off the plate. Ichiro doesn't seem to like the idea of possibly getting hit by a pitch in the knees or the legs. After a low-and-in fastball, he seems to get a little cautious and then doesn't attack the ball away from him. A high-and-outside fastball seems to give him some trouble also. It is hard for him to hit a high-and-outside fastball on the ground.

Best approach
The Yankee pitchers will try and establish the inside part of the plate to Ichiro, especially left-handers Lilly and Wells. Ichiro will have trouble pulling the ball off them and will try to hit the ball up the middle. Wells will try and make Ichiro swing at his curve in the dirt if he gets into a strikeout situation.

El Duque's stuff doesn't match up well against Ichiro. Ichiro hits right-handed breaking balls really well. If El Duque tries to force his assortment of breaking balls to Ichiro, he could get hurt with a long ball. He will need to pitch in off the plate and keep his fastball up and away to have a chance to handle Ichiro.

Lilly has a big turn in his windup, so he hides the ball from a hitter extremely well. Ichiro will just try and hit a ground ball the other way off Lilly.

Overall
It is important for the Yankee pitchers to get ahead of Ichiro and then make him move his feet with some low-and-in fastballs. This approach will help them better control the outside part of the plate. They can't afford to waste a lot of pitches against him. Pitchers want Ichiro to put the ball in play early in the count. The less pitches he sees the better.

ESPN baseball analyst Tom Candiotti won 151 games in 16 major-league seasons.