dammit, lock thread would be nice, esp as this is the one with the spelling that aligns with the way sportswriters here spell his name
― obviously DLC (Karl Malone), Tuesday, 19 June 2018 20:28 (five years ago) link
I looked up the 2 other Japanese->MLB players with "大" as the first kanji in their family name and they were split on the romanization of O- vs. Oh-:
大家友和 - Tomokazu Ohka大塚晶則 - Akinori Otsuka
I think I wrote in the other thread, we don't romanize the characters of Osaka city as "Ohsaka".
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 19 June 2018 22:21 (five years ago) link
Shohei Ohtani’s season is over. He’s having knee surgery. Didn’t see that one coming. Justin Upton was the one who had an MRI on his knee. #Angels https://t.co/VTdRtIm6g5— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) September 12, 2019
― na (NA), Thursday, 12 September 2019 20:51 (four years ago) link
i have that same condition, never bothered me
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 12 September 2019 21:44 (four years ago) link
how's your fastball?
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 13 September 2019 00:57 (four years ago) link
i threw on one of those in-stadium radar gun setups a few yrs ago & my shoulder is sore just thinking abt it
― johnny crunch, Friday, 13 September 2019 01:50 (four years ago) link
in the hulkiest shape of his life
Shohei Ohtani said he swam and shot some hoops this offseason as part of his training. pic.twitter.com/qfdID6CKzd— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) February 19, 2020
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 23 February 2020 18:15 (four years ago) link
in case u didnt know, on mound vs Oakland now
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:30 (three years ago) link
begins 1st with a single then 3 walks
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:36 (three years ago) link
Will he get an out?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:44 (three years ago) link
He would not.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:48 (three years ago) link
ugh, 5 ER
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:53 (three years ago) link
the dreaded infinite (or is it undefined?) ERA
― mookieproof, Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:56 (three years ago) link
fortunately there is Trout ... 3-run bomb on a 3-0 count
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 26 July 2020 21:22 (three years ago) link
Struck out Springer leading off, so he has an ERA now.
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 2 August 2020 20:15 (three years ago) link
1-2-3 first! It's 45.00.
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 2 August 2020 20:17 (three years ago) link
2nd inning exit :/
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 2 August 2020 20:59 (three years ago) link
dip in velocity may have prompted hook
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 2 August 2020 21:13 (three years ago) link
damn
― k3vin k., Sunday, 2 August 2020 21:27 (three years ago) link
42-pitch second inning -> shower -> MRI
― Andy K, Monday, 3 August 2020 02:28 (three years ago) link
strained something pronator, no more pitching this year
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 August 2020 02:18 (three years ago) link
2-2, BB4IP 1ER 2BB 5K
― ✖, Sunday, 21 March 2021 21:59 (three years ago) link
Something more than a trivial occurrence:
twitter.com/Angels/status/1386713631207792642
― clemenza, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 00:27 (three years ago) link
94 at eye-level
"Oh my goodness. OH MY goodness. Shohei Ohtani..." #WeBelieve pic.twitter.com/FNAcTDiXO3— Justin Groc (@jgroc) May 18, 2021
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 18 May 2021 03:48 (two years ago) link
Don’t think you’re meant to be able to do that
― Clara Lemlich stan account (silby), Tuesday, 18 May 2021 03:52 (two years ago) link
god I would fuckin hate pitching to that guy
― frogbs, Tuesday, 18 May 2021 03:58 (two years ago) link
whoa
― k3vin k., Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:16 (two years ago) link
So sad to think he won't make the post-season.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 20 May 2021 00:45 (two years ago) link
his velo is way way down tonight
― reggae mike love (polyphonic), Thursday, 20 May 2021 00:48 (two years ago) link
I'm reading 89 mph fastballs?
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 20 May 2021 00:52 (two years ago) link
he's throwing up to 95 now in the 4th
― ✖, Thursday, 20 May 2021 01:12 (two years ago) link
2 HRs tonight (Angels are down by 5)
― frogbs, Wednesday, 30 June 2021 01:02 (two years ago) link
a pittsburgher i follow drove to nyc specifically to see ohtani tonight and lol
― mookieproof, Thursday, 1 July 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link
2 more HRs tonight
― frogbs, Saturday, 3 July 2021 03:48 (two years ago) link
I would never in a million years bet on Ohtani having the season he’s having right now.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 3 July 2021 14:42 (two years ago) link
Folks need to stop comparing Shohei Ohtani to Babe RuthShohei Ohtani is the first Shohei OhtaniNobody’s ever done what he’s done in a half season, and it’s somehow still not getting enough media coverage https://t.co/cGY2CzpeUn— joon 이준엽 (@joonlee) July 8, 2021
― Andy K, Thursday, 8 July 2021 00:41 (two years ago) link
I agree that there aren't enough superlatives to describe what he's doing.
However, when it comes to Ohtani, there can never be enough comparisons to Babe Ruth. Babe f'n Ruth!!
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 8 July 2021 08:22 (two years ago) link
The need for the angels to make the playoffs only grows more and more urgent
― Michael F Gill, Thursday, 8 July 2021 15:51 (two years ago) link
when is he a free agent? he will be an LA dodger or a boston red sock or a new york motherfucker in a couple years
― Z_TBD (Karl Malone), Thursday, 8 July 2021 16:01 (two years ago) link
yea he seems like one of those players who could singlehandedly rescue the sport but having him play on the West Coast on a team that's 4th in their division sucks. crazy if the Angels miss the playoffs yet again despite having 2 generational talents on their team
― frogbs, Thursday, 8 July 2021 16:49 (two years ago) link
it's a team sport
which consists 95% of moments of individual skill
― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 8 July 2021 16:54 (two years ago) link
this is one of the hardest hit balls I've ever seen
Ohtani to the MOON. 😳 pic.twitter.com/BeZ3Ek9gF6— MLB (@MLB) July 10, 2021
― frogbs, Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:14 (two years ago) link
fucking absurd man
― k3vin k., Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:22 (two years ago) link
I don't know about you but I cannot see the ball post-impact with Ohtani's bat. I think he hit it so hard it disintegrated into fucking quarks.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:26 (two years ago) link
you can just briefly see it shoot straight up, it kind of looks like the 600-foot pop up from Major League
― frogbs, Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:29 (two years ago) link
463 feet
― k3vin k., Saturday, 10 July 2021 03:31 (two years ago) link
It feels like he should be more talked about.
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 02:20 (two years ago) link
Not here, but in media generally.
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 02:30 (two years ago) link
watching so many people discover Giannis even though he's been 2x MVP kinda tells me you need some playoff success for that to happen
― frogbs, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 02:48 (two years ago) link
Thinking about DiMaggio's streak and Richard's 50 in 50, I have the feeling we used to have national conversations about specific athlete in a way we don't anymore? Maybe I'm wrong. But it seems conversations about sports are much more macro and/or focused on the past (how much can we still create content around Michael Jordan, I'm certain more people are aware of Jeter than of Trout or Ohtani).
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 03:38 (two years ago) link
Not saying that's what happened here, just that I haven't seen that's not what happened.
That....seeeems like license to believe anything, any old thing. Why speculate?
― Ippei's on a bummer now (WmC), Monday, 15 April 2024 02:10 (four weeks ago) link
I think because of what I know about employment law and entertainment law, and I keep seeing these takes that want to paint Ippei as the total villain. I think people don't understand the work it takes behind the scenes to make overnight success happen over a period of years.
Baseball players are entertainers in the end. I personally prefer to see a happy story of everyone succeeding as a team. I think social media simplifies things to a point where people are wrongly overconfident about making snap judgments and ruining people's reputations and I had a lot more questions here about what really happened then some of the takes I've seen online.
― felicity, Monday, 15 April 2024 02:17 (four weeks ago) link
And it's not license to believe in "anything." I wrote an extremely long detailed post laying out the particular pieces that were missing. If you want to take my tldr out of context that could seem like anything, but then why post at all if any piece could be taken out of context at any time.
― felicity, Monday, 15 April 2024 02:19 (four weeks ago) link
I made a tasteless Parasite joke upthread but after reading f.'s posts I can see how it may indeed apply here...
...also "arbitration" ;-)
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 15 April 2024 03:11 (four weeks ago) link
Exactly! Tbh I hadn't thought of the employment law angle until you mentioned Ippei's salary and "arbitration" a few weeks back. It has been bothering me ever since.
Parasite is a good reference. And the culture of keeping up and desperation portrayed in Squid Game. There's something so unnecessary here, like this whole Caught Stealing situation should never have happened.
― felicity, Monday, 15 April 2024 03:54 (four weeks ago) link
f., I would like to declare that I/we are extremely fortunate to have someone of your background, experience and wisdom posting on this silly board.
I may have missed the opportunity to tell you but I always appreciate you!
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 15 April 2024 04:00 (four weeks ago) link
You're too kind but it's appreciated nonetheless.
May all your tacos come in 10s :)
― felicity, Monday, 15 April 2024 04:06 (four weeks ago) link
ah... such simpler times...
!!!!! Just realized I met Shohei's translator a long time ago when he was a fresh faced Red Sox employee... let me go dig up a picture lol.― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:44 PM (four months ago)You met Ippei? Wow!― mojo dojo casas house (gyac), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:47 PM (four months ago)I can't find it (my flickr account is now paywalled?). I sat next to him and Hideki Okajima at a sushi bar in SF when the Red Sox were in town to face the A's.― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:55 PM (four months ago)
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:44 PM (four months ago)
You met Ippei? Wow!
― mojo dojo casas house (gyac), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:47 PM (four months ago)
I can't find it (my flickr account is now paywalled?). I sat next to him and Hideki Okajima at a sushi bar in SF when the Red Sox were in town to face the A's.
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:55 PM (four months ago)
We've since learned that Ippei was only Okajima's translator for his short (and unfruitful) Spring Training stint with the Yankees which means the interpreter I met when Okajima was with the Red Sox was Ryo Shinkawa...
At any rate, here is a picture of Okajima's signature on MY translator lol, my trusty Sharp PW-SH4 which was a constant companion in my oversees biz journeys when an interpreter was unavailable.
https://i.imgur.com/jPik9IE.png
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 16 April 2024 21:35 (four weeks ago) link
You met Ippei? Wow!― mojo dojo casas house (gyac), Friday, December 8, 2023 3:47 PM (four months ago)lmaooooo
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Tuesday, 16 April 2024 21:38 (four weeks ago) link
We are all Ippei
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 16 April 2024 21:43 (four weeks ago) link
Wrong Ippei address.
btw I don't think flickr is paywalled. But I seem to remember they did do something funky a while back that required going in and adjusting settings if you want any of your photos to be public.
― felicity, Tuesday, 16 April 2024 21:49 (four weeks ago) link
Yeah, I couldn't find that pic when I first searched flickr but I was able to find it when I searched by year and location: 2008 @ Sakana Sushi
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 16 April 2024 21:59 (four weeks ago) link
I saw Okajima pitch (LOOGy) the following year @ Fenway...
YOUR baseball photos thread
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 16 April 2024 22:10 (four weeks ago) link
450ftHardest hit ball by ohtani so farHardest hit ball in 2024Hardest hit ball by a Dodger in the statcast eraJust a bonkers bomb
https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/s/OPXxm8nszD
― H.P, Wednesday, 24 April 2024 02:08 (two weeks ago) link
I know his HR is the big story, but (from Posnanski):
In case you haven’t been staying up for West Coast games, Shohei Ohtani is hitting .364/.430/.677 with 11 doubles in 25 games. As great as Ohtani has been, he’s never been much of a doubles hitter; his career high in doubles was 30 in 2022.
As longtime readers know, I spent a lot of time rooting for someone to hit 60 doubles in a season. It has not happened since 1936. Freddie Freeman ALMOST did it last year (he finished with 59), and Nick Castellanos ALMOST did it in 2019 (he finished with 58), so the dream goes on.
If Shohei Ohtani is the guy who challenges for 60 doubles this year, I might just explode in happiness.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 April 2024 18:40 (two weeks ago) link
Yeah, he's hitting 99% of his balls to right field (Source: eye test) and if they're a little further to the right than to the middle of right field, they end up doubles. Happens a lot.
― H.P, Wednesday, 24 April 2024 22:34 (two weeks ago) link
make it 13 doubles in 26
― H.P, Thursday, 25 April 2024 00:54 (two weeks ago) link
On pace for 81. Easy.
― H.P, Thursday, 25 April 2024 00:55 (two weeks ago) link
Wtf 14 in 26. He gets a double in the 8th, and the 9th!
― H.P, Thursday, 25 April 2024 01:18 (two weeks ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GLci2DdaIAAZk8z?format=jpg&name=small
https://cdn8.openculture.com/2017/08/20195102/soviet-censorship-naval-commissar-vanishes.jpg
― 龜, Friday, 26 April 2024 17:36 (two weeks ago) link
Stalin comparison is lol but also, that’s the worst Ohtani drawing! Strange when the visual is such a huge part of his appeal.
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Friday, 26 April 2024 17:56 (two weeks ago) link
Ohtani’s on pace for 230 hits #sss
― Its big ball chunky time (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Saturday, 27 April 2024 04:33 (two weeks ago) link
Shohei Ohtani was booed before and after his 1st AB at Rogers Centre. The fans acted like jilted lovers, seeing Ohtani in #Dodgers blue. After he responded w/ a HR, his teammates greeted him in the dugout with more boos. "He got a big kick out of that.”https://t.co/9WOdwssL3X— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) April 27, 2024
― H.P, Saturday, 27 April 2024 20:05 (two weeks ago) link
They're still mad about the #ohtaniplane
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Saturday, 27 April 2024 23:37 (two weeks ago) link
I just love the idea of the dugout booing ohtani after all of his hits. "Booooooo stop making us look bad!"
― H.P, Saturday, 27 April 2024 23:41 (two weeks ago) link
dodgers are in pittsburgh the first week of june; hope the fans boo him for not signing with the pirates
― mookieproof, Sunday, 28 April 2024 00:28 (two weeks ago) link
Lol
― H.P, Sunday, 28 April 2024 00:48 (two weeks ago) link
changed my DN
― Mrs. Ippei (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 20:27 (one week ago) link
brilliant, kudos
― Ippei's on a bummer now (WmC), Wednesday, 1 May 2024 20:54 (one week ago) link
pretty good
― omar little, Sunday, 5 May 2024 22:09 (one week ago) link
Geez
― frogbs, Sunday, 5 May 2024 22:56 (one week ago) link
Can confirm
― H.P, Monday, 6 May 2024 00:44 (one week ago) link
Thought this guy was injured?
The 2025 rotation of healthy Ohtani, Glasgow, Yamamoto, Kershaw keeps me up at night, tossing and turning, cold sweats, mumbling prayers, visions of titanium UCLs, perfect games flash across the ceiling, post-season sweeps celebrations ringing in my ears
― H.P, Monday, 6 May 2024 00:48 (one week ago) link
Then I wake up and we’re sweeping the braves
― H.P, Monday, 6 May 2024 00:49 (one week ago) link
it's pretty hard to hit a ball 464 ft, even moreso to slightly opposite field.
― omar little, Monday, 6 May 2024 01:09 (one week ago) link
Leading the NL in hitting and slugging, but Betts still #1 in bWAR (and OBP).
― clemenza, Monday, 6 May 2024 17:25 (one week ago) link
In his MVP and MVP runner-up seasons of 2021-2022, his bWAR for batting was 4.9 and 3.4 respectively, he's already at 2.4 and on pace for over 9.0, which is even more impressive considering how much of his previous WAR value was due to his pitching.
― omar little, Monday, 6 May 2024 17:34 (one week ago) link
Wonder if a team's ever had two 10+ WAR guys.
― clemenza, Monday, 6 May 2024 17:38 (one week ago) link
Good place to start, the '27 Yankees: Ruth, 12.6; Gehrig, 11.9. Beyond that, probably not.
― clemenza, Monday, 6 May 2024 17:44 (one week ago) link
yeah, at least by fWAR, there have only been a handful of seasons where multiple players reached 10.0+ fWAR:
2001: Barry Bonds (12.5, SFG) and Randy Johnson (10.4, ARI)1965: Willie Mays (10.7, SFG) and Sandy Koufax (10.0, LAD)1961: Mickey Mantle (10.3, NYY) and Norm Cash (10.2, DET)1948: Stan Musial (11.0, STL) and Lou Boudreau (10.9, CLE)1927: Babe Ruth (12.9, NYY), Lou Gehrig (12.4, NYY), and Rogers Hornsby (10.4, NYG)1924: Babe Ruth (12.3, NYY) and Rogers Hornsby (12.2, STL)1921: Babe Ruth (13.7, NYY) and Rogers Hornsby (11.1, STL)1908: Honus Wagner (11.8, PIT) and Christy Mathewson (10.8, NYG)
― z_tbd, Monday, 6 May 2024 21:56 (one week ago) link
Almost three bWARs in 2018: Mookie (10.7), deGrom and Trout at 9.9.
― clemenza, Monday, 6 May 2024 22:15 (one week ago) link
Not enough energy to start looking up all the bWARs, but 2000 had Pedro and A-Rod both above 10.0.
― clemenza, Monday, 6 May 2024 22:17 (one week ago) link
Ohtani's batting average (.365) is currently higher than The Angel's win percentage (.361)
― H.P, Wednesday, 8 May 2024 04:31 (six days ago) link
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtani-gambling-scandal-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-to-plead-guilty-faces-up-to-33-years-in-prison/
Mizuhara, described by the Attorney's Office as Ohtani's "de facto manager," will plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return at an arraignment scheduled for May 14. He faces a maximum sentence of 33 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1,250,000.The 39-year-old former interpreter will be required to pay full restitution to his victims, which includes $16,975,010 to Victim A, Ohtani, and $1,149,400 to the IRS.
The 39-year-old former interpreter will be required to pay full restitution to his victims, which includes $16,975,010 to Victim A, Ohtani, and $1,149,400 to the IRS.
As well as the millions siphoned out of Ohtani's account to pay off gambling debt, Mizuhara also bought $325,000 worth of baseball cards on eBay and other online resellers in order to flip them and profit himself. In September 2023, Ohtani agreed to pay for Mizuhara's $60,000 dental work and provided him with a check. Instead, according to prosecutors, Mizuhara paid the bill with Ohtani's debit card and deposited the check into his personal account.Mizuhara also admitted to falsely reporting his taxable income on his IRS tax returns in 2022, resulting in the tax fraud charge. According to the plea deal, Mizuhara falsely claimed he was single when he was in fact married and failed to report additional income of $4,100,000 that year.
Mizuhara also admitted to falsely reporting his taxable income on his IRS tax returns in 2022, resulting in the tax fraud charge. According to the plea deal, Mizuhara falsely claimed he was single when he was in fact married and failed to report additional income of $4,100,000 that year.
― 龜, Wednesday, 8 May 2024 22:07 (six days ago) link
Not a good day to be an ippei-stan
― H.P, Wednesday, 8 May 2024 22:25 (six days ago) link
In September 2023, Ohtani agreed to pay for Mizuhara's $60,000 dental work and provided him with a check.
― Roman Anthony gets on his horse (gyac), Wednesday, 8 May 2024 22:45 (six days ago) link