Shohei Ohtani playing like Babe Ruth

[gobesmug]

SAS has faced almost exclusively backlash for this (and rightfully so). The problem is ESPN doesn't care what any of us think and his comments create controversy and therefore create revenue.

ESPN will care if Japanese owned companies like Toyota, Sony, Nintendo start to pull ads if action isn't taken.

 

[XLIX]

Clemens couldn't hit for squat. Seeing him up at bat was beyond cringeworthy.

I don't think anyone is arguing that Clemens' hitting prowess is anywhere near Ohtani's. If you want to say Ohtani is a better all around player than Clemens, have at it. I was just pointing out the absurdity of comparing Ohtani's pitching stats at age 26 to Clemens' pitching stats at age 21.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I don't think anyone is arguing that Clemens' hitting prowess is anywhere near Ohtani's. If you want to say Ohtani is a better all around player than Clemens, have at it. I was just pointing out the absurdity of comparing Ohtani's pitching stats at age 26 to Clemens' pitching stats at age 21.

It was comparing their first 24 pitching starts. Why is that bad? It's also not just the pitching, it's the fact he does the all-star pitching and also leads the entire league in home runs and slugging like a superhero.

.

 

[borg]

just pointing out the absurdity of comparing Ohtani's pitching stats at age 26 to Clemens' pitching stats at age 21.

I can't remember, was Clemens a PEDs infused meathead at age 21 or just your normal pie eating/beer swilling meathead?
Thanks in advance

 

[Steve102]

I can't remember, was Clemens a PEDs infused meathead at age 21 or just your normal pie eating/beer swilling meathead?
Thanks in advance

I believe he was the latter until he went to Toronto in '97. IMO He got on the juice because he was butthurt at he Sox. I looked for video of him glaring up at the red sox offices but I could not find it. Played with Canseco in 1995-96, got jilted and got juiced up for the second half of his career.

 

[XLIX]

It was comparing their first 24 pitching starts. Why is that bad?

It is an intellectually dishonest comparison when one guy's first 24 pitching starts are at age 21 and the other guy's first 24 pitching starts take you up to age 26 (due to the fact that he played overseas for his early-20's). We can apply the same logic to the Willie Mays comparisons, though I would have to research his numbers more than I do Clemens.

It's also not just the pitching, it's the fact he does the all-star pitching and also leads the entire league in home runs and slugging like a superhero.

He is the league leader in several hitting categories and is far and away the best hitter in baseball this year. However, having him an All Star as a pitcher is little more than a gimmick. He doesn't even have enough IP to qualify as a league leader in pitching.

If you took away all his pitching, he would be the best hitter in baseball and an All Star starter.
If you took away all his hitting, he would have had a nice 4-day vacation this week.

 

[XLIX]

I can't remember, was Clemens a PEDs infused meathead at age 21 or just your normal pie eating/beer swilling meathead?
Thanks in advance

While there is no way to know for sure, I believe the general consensus is he got into PED's after leaving Boston. He seems to have had an unnatural resurgence once he hit Toronto, but certainly by the time he was in NY.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

It is an intellectually dishonest comparison when one guy's first 24 pitching starts are at age 21 and the other guy's first 24 pitching starts take you up to age 26 (due to the fact that he played overseas for his early-20's). We can apply the same logic to the Willie Mays comparisons, though I would have to research his numbers more than I do Clemens.

He is the league leader in several hitting categories and is far and away the best hitter in baseball this year. However, having him an All Star as a pitcher is little more than a gimmick. He doesn't even have enough IP to qualify as a league leader in pitching.

If you took away all his pitching, he would be the best hitter in baseball and an All Star starter.
If you took away all his hitting, he would have had a nice 4-day vacation this week.

You sound like Stephen A Smith. Hater much ?

 

[Simpelton]

It is an intellectually dishonest comparison when one guy's first 24 pitching starts are at age 21 and the other guy's first 24 pitching starts take you up to age 26 (due to the fact that he played overseas for his early-20's). We can apply the same logic to the Willie Mays comparisons, though I would have to research his numbers more than I do Clemens.

He is the league leader in several hitting categories and is far and away the best hitter in baseball this year. However, having him an All Star as a pitcher is little more than a gimmick. He doesn't even have enough IP to qualify as a league leader in pitching.

If you took away all his pitching, he would be the best hitter in baseball and an All Star starter.
If you took away all his hitting, he would have had a nice 4-day vacation this week.

I agree with this. He is an above average starting pitcher and an amazing hitter. As a pitcher, if he maintained this level he'd make a solid #3 starter and have a comfortable career, but he won't make the Hall on his arm. but as a hitter he's one of the top 5 or 6 bats in the league right now. If he focused exclusively on his hitting he might even get better. A long career of this would absolutely put the Hall of Fame in view.

Which is why I eventually think he'll switch to a relief role as a pitcher in order to keep his bat in the lineup more often . Relievers don't have throw days.

Imagine your DH also being your closer. The tricky part would be warming him up, since you can't take him out of the lineup so if he's due up you have a problem, other than that it'd probably work pretty good..

 

[XLIX]

You sound like Stephen A Smith. Hater much ?

GFY. SAS is a racist, I am simply presenting facts that his pitching stats aren't anything special on their own. His pitching stats are noteworthy because he is the best hitter in baseball, but on their own, they are nothing special. 4-1, 3.49 with 67 IP in mid July is not All Star worthy.

If calling him the best hitter in baseball and an All Star starter, but not an All Star caliber pitcher makes me a hater, well... reread the 1st 3 letters of this post......

 

[Simpelton]

It is absolutely amazing that a superstar hitter can also be an above average pitcher. But if you evaluate him purely as a pitcher he's nothing the game hasn't seen before. As I said, above average.. And you can't push him like a pure starter because it could take his bat out of the lineup

If Ohtani decides to focus on one side of his game as he slows down, he's definitely well advised to favor his bat.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I can't remember, was Clemens a PEDs infused meathead at age 21 or just your normal pie eating/beer swilling meathead?
Thanks in advance

Yeah F Clemens and also the guy repeatedly on Clemen's jockstrap.

.

 

[Simpelton]

Before he went bad, Roger did some good stuff for Boston which shouldn't just be forgotten. He's like Benedict Arnold, a hero who went bad and has to live with having that reputation. But the heroic stuff happened too.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Ok so a 513 foot moonshot at the home run derby last night, and just hit 100.2 mph on three different pitches just now. Not bad.

 

[BTTA]

Great coverage of Ohtani and the All Star festivities. He is the All Stars' All Star. The other major leaguers are in awe.

the joy of sox

joyofsox.blogspot.com

 

[captain stone]

He should do a diabetes drug commercial... Oh Oh Oh Ohtani...Oh Ohohoh..anything to knock that facacta Ozempic commercial off the airwaves

Whenever I see their commercials I think of Jethroe Bodine and his gozintas that he likes to 'cypher...

 

[Ring 6]

For me, Smith has completely lost the privilege to complain about racism or discrimination in any form.

IMO, Ohtani should be the face of baseball. He's humble, kind, and acts like a gentleman out there. None of that balls-yanking, spitting, fake macho crap.

“Complaining” about racism or discrimination in any form is a privilege to you?
So you are revoking Smiths “privilege” to speak about racial issues because he made a bad statement about a baseball player?
How woke of you.

 

[captain insano]

This dude will soon become the highest-paid player in the history of major league baseball.

Further proof that the DH sucks.

Lol he's the only pitcher in the league that can hit. And that proves the DH sucks? lol

 

[tom444]

I believe he was the latter until he went to Toronto in '97. IMO He got on the juice because he was butthurt at he Sox. I looked for video of him glaring up at the red sox offices but I could not find it. Played with Canseco in 1995-96, got jilted and got juiced up for the second half of his career.

I would say he got on the juice because he was finished and he knew it.