Big and Handsome

[Centerfield]

Say scouts about Shohei Otani. And if you believe the hype, about to be insanely rich.

Just heard about this two-way player from Japan. As a pitcher, he was 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA. His fastball touches 100 mph. As a hitter, he hit 22 HR's and posted a 1.004 OPS. And he's just 22 years old.

“I actually think the guy might get a $300 million deal,” said a scout who has had multiple looks at the righty pitcher/lefty hitter. “That is how special a talent he is. He has power No. 1 starter stuff. He is throwing 99 [mph] in the eighth inning. His secondary stuff is unhittable. He is big and loose. His fastball is electric and his curve, cutter and split are all 70s [on the 20-80 scouting scale]. “And I think he is getting better as a hitter. I think an American hitting coach teaches him to turn on the ball more and he can be a 45-homer guy. He has Darryl Strawberry power. He is the face of a franchise. He is a big, handsome guy and when he plays baseball you cannot take your eyes off of him.”

Article: http://nypost.com/2016/11/09/meet-baseballs-next-big-thing-a-babe-ruth-pitcherslugger-who-may-get-300m/

Expected to Fight Ham for another year and not post until next off-season. What a cool story this would be if it happened.

(You know, so long as he doesn't go to the MFY's. Then I'll be reporting to President Trump this foreigner who goes both ways.)

[MFS62]

How disappointing.
I thought this thread was about me.

Later

[RealityChuck]

I thought it'd be about Bartolo.

[A Boy Named Seo]

This guy is the Japanese Steve Nebraska! And apparently handsome like Brendan Frasier, too!!

I would agree an AL team would be more likely if he can truly mash. You'd want him in the lineup on days when he's not pitching, but not winging the ball all over the damn yard when the other pitchers are all soft tossing on their off-days. What a challenge it would be to keep him on a regular pitching regimen, huh. This guy would be super fun to have around.

[Zvon]

Does anyone here think that they'd have him pitch every 5 days and be a full time position player in between?

I don't see it happening these days, aside from that scenario where he is a DH. But I like the idea.

I just read up a bit on The Babe to see how long he pitched before he switched to RF. He did pitch a handful of games for New York but the change pretty much became full-time after he came over from the BoSox.

Maybe this might be a mold for players of the future (we've already seen this with Ankiel, although out of necessity). Pitch for 5 or 6 years, put a cap on that, and then take the field as a player for the remainder of one's career. Sounds silly but think about it. It could work and it could benefit the game.

[Edgy MD]

This ‘Babe Ruth’ pitcher/slugger may get $300M

He's kind of got a young Ruthian look with his broad nose and jowly face.

[Frayed Knot]

Zvon wrote: Does anyone here think that they'd have him pitch every 5 days and be a full time position player in between?

Not a chance -- not even if he hits the ball through the roof!!

YKJ-tNtrUJk

[Edgy MD]

That was against the Netherlands. I'm trying to guess if that was a pitcher we know, like Kenley Jansen or somebody.

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Zvon wrote: Does anyone here think that they'd have him pitch every 5 days and be a full time position player in between? Not a chance -- not even if he hits the ball through the roof!! YKJ-tNtrUJk

Yo, thru the roof and most likely a few blocks away (when it lands) is a ground rule double?
Pretty fantastic camera work.

[MFS62]

I'm sure that wasn't covered in the review of grounds rules before the game.
He hit it out of the ballpark. And the fact that it did not come back into the stadium short of the fences makes it logically a home run.
Can you imagine what Earl Weaver would have done if Earl was his manager and it was called a grounds rule double?

Later

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: That was against the Netherlands. I'm trying to guess if that was a pitcher we know, like Kenley Jansen or somebody.

Mark "Boom Boom" Bomback would have been proud of giving up that one.

Later

[Centerfield]

Isn't that one of those where you confer and agree that if the guy hits it to outer space it's a HR?

[Centerfield]

Just looking at that clip I'd guess that the team from the Netherlands has very few guys actually from the Netherlands.

[Edgy MD]

MFS62 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: That was against the Netherlands. I'm trying to guess if that was a pitcher we know, like Kenley Jansen or somebody. Mark "Boom Boom" Bomback would have been proud of giving up that one. Later

I don't think Boom Boom was involved but Bam Bam Meulens was likely managing the Dutch team at the time that rocket was hit.

Netherlands gets to pad their team with players from former Dutch colonies like Aruba, Curaçao, Dutch Antilles, maybe Suriname and Guyana, even as the Kingdom of the Netherlands has been broken up. And like Italy, Ireland, and Israel, they get to use American players who trace their lineage to the country. It's pretty silly.

[Frayed Knot]

They should be able to use Manhattan-born players too.

And now batting (atting) for the nation of The Netherlands (erlands), ALEX (alex) RODRIGUEZ (driguez)

[Frayed Knot]

Otani (apparently sometimes spelled Ohtani) wins the award for Japan's Pacific League best pitcher AND for best DH ... and neither vote was close!

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/11/25/209625378/shohei-ohtani-named-best-pitcher-and-best-dh-in-npb-pacific-league


Plus I've heard that he's big and handsome.

[Zvon]

MFS62 wrote: I'm sure that wasn't covered in the review of grounds rules before the game. He hit it out of the ballpark. And the fact that it did not come back into the stadium short of the fences makes it logically a home run. Can you imagine what Earl Weaver would have done if Earl was his manager and it was called a grounds rule double? Later

No doubt Earl would have run the ump. lol.

[fimg=500]http://www.sportsonearth.com/assets/images/0/8/4/41038084/cuts/Earl_Weaver_y51ejawl_ja7yd9tc.jpg[/fimg]