Why is Shohei Ohtani so popular?

He is the rare player who both pitches and hits and does both really well. He currently leads the majors in home runs and is 4 and 1 as a starting pitcher. His two-way exploits are drawing comparisons to Babe Ruth. NPR's Tom Goldman

Tom Goldman

Tom Goldman is NPR's sports correspondent. His reports can be heard throughout NPR's news programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and on NPR.org.

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Why is Shohei Ohtani so great?

He also just became the first player ever to be selected to the All-Star game as both a position player and a pitcher. On the mound, Shohei is striking out nearly 12 batters per 9 innings and his splitter has been as effective as any pitch in MLB.

Is Shohei Ohtani the best?

Ohtani delivered one of the greatest seasons in major league history in 2021. He performed as one of baseball's best pitchers and hitters simultaneously and, for the first time in his MLB career, maintained it over a full season. As a hitter, Ohtani finished third in the majors with 46 home runs, fifth with a .

How popular is Ohtani?

Ohtani became one of baseball's most talked-about players in 2021 after a historic campaign that saw him do things fans had never seen before. Ohtani belted 46 home runs and 100 RBIs while adding 26 doubles, eight triples, and 26 steals as a hitter.

Whats the big deal about Ohtani?

Ohtani has frequently been referred to as the Japanese Babe Ruth, and in Texas on April 26, he became the first American or National League player since Ruth, on June 13, 1921, to start a game on the mound while leading his league in home runs.

Why is Shohei Ohtani the first two-way player in a hundred years!? | Quick Question

Can Ohtani pitch and DH same game?

Ohtani can shift from a starting pitching assignment into the D.H. role, and the Angels will keep their extra lineup spot and not be forced to bat a relief pitcher or use a pinch-hitter for him. The move could also encourage other players to attempt two-way play.

How do the Angels use Ohtani?

The Angels could use Ohtani primarily as a designated hitter while having him pitch twice a week when he works the ninth inning. It would undoubtedly be tough to remove Ohtani from the rotation, though the Angels are clearly a better team when he is on the field.

Who sponsors Ohtani?

Ohtani has partnered with more than 15 companies, including Hugo Boss, Asics, Fanatics, Panini, Seiko, Topps, Oakley, Descente, FTX, Kowa, Mitsubishi Bank and Salesforce.

When was baseball the most popular sport?

Americans named baseball as the most popular sport in 1948 and 1960, but football claimed the top spot in 1972 and has been the public's favorite ever since. Soccer now nearly matches baseball's popularity.

Who is best Angels player?

MIke Trout is the all-time home run leader for the Angels. Through 2020, he has hit 302 home runs. He surpassed Tim Salmon's record of 299 on Sept. 5, 2020.

Who is baseball's best player?

Where does Ohtani rank all time?

Among pitchers with over 100 innings in the American League, Ohtani is eighth in wins above replacement (WAR) and fifth in strikeout rate, and he ranks fourth in OPS in the MLB. He is near the top of the leaderboard in nearly every major statistic for both hitting and pitching.

Did Ohtani have the best season ever?

If you had only nine minutes, five seconds to understand why Ohtani, 27, has pulled off the most amazing season in baseball history, this was your window. Eight innings deep into a mid-August night, Ohtani hit one pitch 430 feet with his last swing and threw another 98.1 mph with his last fastball.

How good was Ohtani in Japan?

In five pro seasons in Japan, Ohtani is a . 286 career hitter with 48 home runs and a . 500 slugging percentage. On the mound, he owns a 42-15 record and a 2.52 ERA while striking out 624 batters to 200 walks in 543 innings pitched.

Did Shohei Ohtani have the best season ever?

Ohtani is “putting together the greatest single season in MLB history,” tweeted former Major League outfielder (and current Rockies broadcaster) Ryan Spilborghs last Friday.

Where does Shohei Ohtani live?

In his home country of Japan, where he was born, raised, and revered before he jumped to the MLB four years ago, the public broadcasting network, NHK, televises all of his games, employing in some broadcasts a special Ohtani cam that holds on him at all times, allowing viewers to track his every home run, head scratch, ...

Does Shohei Ohtani have Instagram?

Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani) • Instagram photos and videos.

Why is Ohtani so underpaid?

Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH, Los Angeles Angels

We explained the situation in greater detail earlier this offseason, but the short version is that his initial contract was bound by rules governing amateur international free agents, limiting his earning potential out of the gate.

What is Mike Trout's salary?

In 2019, Mike Trout signed a 12-year contract worth $426 million with the Angels, with a $20 million signing bonus, $426.5 million guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $35.54 million.

What was Babe Ruth worth?

Babe Ruth was almost inconceivably wealthy. Still, let's try to conceive. The customary way of translating Ruth's salary is to adjust by the Consumer Price Index, which gives an estimate of $1.37 million.

How is Ohtani allowed to hit?

Under a new rule nicknamed the “Shohei Ohtani Rule,” starting pitchers can remain in games as designated hitters after their team goes to the bullpen. It was the fifth inning. The first batter hit a home run to tie the score. Two of the next three batters reached base.

Can a pitcher hit instead of DH?

MLB is implementing a "Shohei Ohtani Rule," which will allow pitchers to hit in the order. However, they're given a separate designation as a designated hitter. This means, in the Angels superstar's case, once he's pulled from the game he can continue batting under the DH designation.

Can the DH play the field?

The DH can play in the field, but once a manager decides to play him on defense, the pitcher immediately takes over the batting spot of the defensive player which the DH replaced (unless there are multiple substitutions, in which case the manager can decide where the pitcher will bat).