Shohei Ohtani...

[The Giant]

This Japanese wonder could revolutionize the game of baseball.

He is a two-way player that some have called the Japanese Babe Ruth.

Only 23 years old, and is on his way to America. It looks as though he will sign with one of the seven following teams: Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Rangers, or the Cubs.

Where will he land?

He could shift the balance of power in baseball. He is that good.

[Pauulzcappin]

Giant do you think he can pitch one day and play outfield in the other?

42-15

2.52

624

.286

48

296

166

Those strikeout numbers are a bit scary if he's gonna hit everyday

[The Giant]

624 strikeouts in how many innings??

I'm not sure what most teams would have him doing out here. It will be interesting to follow.

[Pauulzcappin]

those strikeout numbers from above are incorrect, checked on baseball-reference now

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18	-10.4	Nippon Ham	JPPL	Fgn		77	204	189	14	45	15	1	3	20	4	1	12	64	.238	.284	.376	.660	71	3	1	0	2	0
19	-9.3	Nippon Ham	JPPL	Fgn		87	234	212	32	58	17	1	10	31	1	0	21	48	.274	.338	.505	.842	107	4	0	0	1	0
20	-8.4	Nippon Ham	JPPL	Fgn		70	119	109	15	22	4	0	5	17	1	0	8	43	.202	.252	.376	.628	41	1	0	0	2	1
21	-7.2	Nippon Ham	JPPL	Fgn		104	382	323	65	104	18	1	22	67	7	2	54	98	.322	.416	.588	1.004	190	7	1	0	4	2
22	-6.1	Nippon Ham	JPPL	Fgn		65	231	202	24	67	16	1	8	31	0	1	24	63	.332	.403	.540	.942	109	0	2	0	3	0
			403	1170	1035	150	296	70	4	48	166	13	4	119	316	.286	.358	.500	.859	518	15	4	0	12	3

[funnyb25]

Mah Angels

[Pauulzcappin]

kid looks amazing, if you exclude stolen bases and add the AB's from the last two seasons they look quite close to Altuve's numbers this year

never watched him play but these numbers are scary good, even though it's jap league

[SharpAngles]

Word on the street is Dodger management is all over this kid. Magic has reportedly offered lifetime free sushi and access to his personal stable of Japanese hookers. How could the guy say no?

[franklee168]

He would look good on the same team with Stanton. If you know what I mean.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Is he better than Hitomi Tanaka?

[The Giant]

Is he better than Hitomi Tanaka?

Hitomi will have bigger knockers, that's for sure.

[Chi_archie]

unless your name is Ichiro

Japanese players don't quite live up to the hype

maybe this guy will be a better version two way player like brooks kieschnick a decade ago

or maybe he can be a typical hyped Jap pitcher that has a 2-5 good years at the MLB level


Norichika AokiHyuga City, Miyazaki, Japan1982-01-052012ActiveJim BowieTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1965-02-1719941994Steve ChitrenTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1967-06-0819901991Yu DarvishOsaka, Japan1986-08-162012ActiveBobby FenwickNaha, Okinawa, Japan1946-12-1019721973Kyuji FujikawaKochi, Japan1980-07-212013ActiveKosuke FukudomeOsaki, Japan1977-04-2620082012Kazuo FukumoriMiyakonojo, Japan1976-08-0420082008Shigetoshi HasegawaKobe, Japan1968-08-0119972005Craig HouseOkinawa, Japan1977-07-0820002000Ryota IgarashiChiba, Japan1979-05-2820102012Kei IgawaOarai, Japan1979-07-1320072008Tadahito IguchiTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1974-12-0420052008Hideki IrabuHyogo, Japan1969-05-1519972002Kazuhisa IshiiChiba, Japan1973-09-0920022005Hisashi IwakumaHigashiyamato, Tokyo, Japan1981-04-122012ActiveAkinori IwamuraEhime, Japan1979-02-0920072010Kenji JohjimaSasebo, Japan1976-06-0820062009Takashi KashiwadaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1971-05-1419971997Kenshin KawakamiTokushima, Japan1975-06-2220092010Munenori KawasakiKagoshima, Japan1981-06-032012ActiveMasao KidaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1968-09-1219992005Masahide KobayashiYamanashi, Japan1974-05-2420082009Satoru KomiyamaChiba, Japan1965-09-1520022002Hiroki KurodaOsaka, Japan1975-02-102008ActiveMasumi KuwataOsaka, Japan1968-04-0120072007Kenta MaedaOsaka, Japan1988-04-112016ActiveHideki MatsuiKanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan1974-06-1220032012Kazuo MatsuiOsaka, Japan1975-10-2320042010Daisuke MatsuzakaTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1980-09-132007ActiveJeff McCurryTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1970-01-2119951999Keith McDonaldYokosuka, Japan1973-02-0820002001Masanori MurakamiOtsuki, Yamanashi, Japan1944-05-0619641965Toru MurataOsaka, Japan1985-05-202015ActiveMicheal NakamuraNara, Japan1976-09-0620032007Norihiro NakamuraOsaka, Japan1973-07-2420052005Tsuyoshi NishiokaOsaka, Japan1984-07-2720112012Hideo NomoMinato-ku, Osaka, Japan1968-08-3119952008Takahito NomuraKouchi, Japan1969-01-1020022002Tomo OhkaKyoto, Japan1976-03-1819992009Hideki OkajimaKyoto, Japan1975-12-252007ActiveAkinori OtsukaChiba, Japan1972-01-1320042007Stephen RandolphOkinawa, Japan1974-05-0120032007Dave RobertsOkinawa, Japan1972-05-3119992008Takashi SaitoMiyagi, Japan1970-02-1420062012Kazuhiro SasakiSendai City, Japan1968-02-2220002003Tsuyoshi ShinjoOsaka, Japan1972-01-2820012003Ichiro SuzukiKasugai, Japan1973-10-222001ActiveMac SuzukiKobe, Japan1975-05-3119962002Kazuhito TadanoTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1980-04-2520042005So TaguchiHyogo Prefecture, Japan1969-07-0220022009Hisanori TakahashiTokyo, Tokyo, Japan1975-04-022010ActiveKen TakahashiKanagawa, Japan1969-04-1620092009Shingo TakatsuHiroshima, Japan1968-11-2520042005Kensuke TanakaFukuoka, Japan1981-05-202013ActiveMasahiro TanakaHyogo, Japan1988-11-012014ActiveYoshinori TateyamaOsaka, Japan1975-12-2620112012Junichi TazawaYokohama, Japan1986-06-062009ActiveKoji UeharaOsaka, Japan1975-04-032009ActiveTsuyoshi WadaIzumo, Japan1981-02-212014ActiveKeiichi YabuMie, Japan1968-09-2820052008Yasuhiko YabutaKishiwada, Osaka, Japan1973-06-1920082009Masato YoshiiOsaka, Japan1965-04-2019982002PlayerBorn InDate of BirthDebut YearFinal YearMajor League Baseball Players Born in Japan

[The Giant]

I barely remember that name Brooks Kieschnick. I had to Google him. Still having a hard time remembering him.

Anyway, Archie, this guy Ohtani is coming over here at a very young age, unlike most of those other Asian dudes. Even Ichiro didn't come over here until he was 27. It'll be interesting to see if he lives up to the hype.

[Chi_archie]

oh yeah, very very interesting in alot of ways

how will he do?
how will he choose his final team?
what will the teams promise/tell him they'll let him do?
what will the team decide to do with him?


keep in mind with this Babe Ruth talk...

Babe didn't really pitch and play the field simultaneously in any given year either...

Babe was more like Rick Ankiel.

he was a pitcher first and foremost (and a very very very good one) and then switched to playing the field.




can't wait

[cincinnatikid513]

prob seattle he picks they will let him dh off days

[Mr KLC]

[The Giant]

oh yeah, very very interesting in alot of ways

how will he do?
how will he choose his final team?
what will the teams promise/tell him they'll let him do?
what will the team decide to do with him?


keep in mind with this Babe Ruth talk...

Babe didn't really pitch and play the field simultaneously in any given year either...

Babe was more like Rick Ankiel.

he was a pitcher first and foremost (and a very very very good one) and then switched to playing the field.




can't wait

The crazy thing about Babe Ruth is to this day he still owns several pitching records. I believe most were during the World Series.

Just goes to show he dominated the game more than anyone ever.

[gauchojake]

Hopefully the Angels.

[The Giant]

We are in the mix, Jake.

By the way, I'm glad we can be friends in this thread, even though we almost tore each others heads off in another.

[cincinnatikid513]

7 teams left Angels, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Padres, Rangers,

u can cross off san diego no way he's going that franchise so really it is 6 teams left, i think u can cross off all national league teams cubs dodgers giants because he wants to hit if he plays in national league he would only hit when he pitches and maybe pinch hit, if he plays in the american league he could dh so that leaves angels mariners and rangers , i think he will choose seattle who has had alot of japanese players play for them just feels like seattle will be the place he would be most comfortable but who knows

[DOM-Ganador]

Hearing reports he wants a smaller market. The Japanese media contingent can be overwhelming.
Smart kid not strictly concerned with $$$.

BUT, does he throw the "gyro" pitch??

[gauchojake]

We are in the mix, Jake.

By the way, I'm glad we can be friends in this thread, even though we almost tore each others heads off in another.

OK but ONLY THIS THREAD

[jjgold]

Asians flops

Cannot handle pressure in USA

[The Kraken]

Feel like I"m on the set of a real life gay porn

If either of you two need anything just let me know

[gauchojake]

Kraken bring the head of Alffredo Garcia and a cup of hot fat

[mngambler]

Another over hyped, over rated Jap player? the fact they are using his name in comparison to Babe Ruth before he's ever set foot on an MLB field just means he'll be an even bigger bust than the rest of the "game changing Japanese players"

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Why not Seattle? Seems like a Japanese player is a natural for Seattle. Ask Ichiro.

Big Japanese contingent. I would think he may choose SEA.

[Chi_archie]

fastball is way too straight

hopefully the slider will be ok

[The Giant]

The kid had electric stuff.

[ikid2groove415]

This Japanese wonder could revolutionize the game of baseball.

He is a two-way player that some have called the Japanese Babe Ruth.

Only 23 years old, and is on his way to America. It looks as though he will sign with one of the seven following teams: Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Rangers, or the Cubs.

Where will he land?

He could shift the balance of power in baseball. He is that good.

Definitely superstar in pitching - dude have nasty stuff- ain’t buying the bat tho

[Regul8er]

I dont think hes going to revolutionize anything.

He's just a special, once in a lifetime talent. Don't imagine we'll start seeing a flood of 2-way players. It's not like Babe Ruth revolutionized the art of the 2-way player.....because it literally took 100 years to see it again.

[The Giant]

If he succeeds, Regul8er, he will revolutionize the sport.

Do you think I use these terms loosely? Guess again, chump.

With parents no longer sending their kids to play football, and the basketball courts overflowing with inner-city kids, that leaves the white folk only one area left to dominate, and that's on the baseball diamond. How do they differentiate themselves from the other snotty nosed kids? That's easy, you become a two-way player.

[ikid2groove415]

I dont think hes going to revolutionize anything.

He's just a special, once in a lifetime talent. Don't imagine we'll start seeing a flood of 2-way players. It's not like Babe Ruth revolutionized the art of the 2-way player.....because it literally took 100 years to see it again.

Babe Ruth never had to face African Americans/Asians or Latinos -

[Chi_archie]

they are all two way players until college or sometimes later after they are drafted they get forced to pick one

the parents or kids have about .001% say in it after they get signed

otherwise Rick Ankiel would have been two way player all along

[The Giant]

Another base hit for Shohei!

[ikid2groove415]

Babe Ruth most over hype player ever - ya really think he can pitch and rake in today’s era ?