Ohtani 2023
 

Seems like just yesterday some people on the board were arguing that the hype had gotten carried away and how he wasn’t an MVP candidate. Seems like just yesterday …

The year was 2020, we all remember it for one reason or another. I remember it because Ohtani's season as a pitcher was over after only 2 starts and he would go on to hit a robust 190 at the plate. The bottom fell out on his cards while everyone wrote him off and I bought his flagship chrome rookie auto for $250:

https://live.staticflickr.com/1876/2...f80f1b2cb1.jpg

When did anybody say Ohtani would never be a serious MVP candidate? As I recall it some were arguing that he wasn’t going to seriously compete with Judge breaking the AL homer record and Judge would run away with it. As I recall those people were proven factually correct. I don’t remember anyone arguing Ohtani would never win in any year. What thread was this?

I'll admit, I pretty much wrote him off after the Pandemic season. He's been way more durable then I would have ever anticipated since then.

He’d look good in a Giants uniform next year.

If anyone wants to go watch him pitch one of these days and lives in the area let me know. What he is doing now may never be seen again in our lifetimes.

And with the injury to judge this potentially makes it an easier road to the MVP. Looks like Judge is going to miss some extended number of games making it more difficult for judge

There are other competitors to Him but one less now

He is going to make big big money in free agency

Judge injured, what a surprise.

I predicted he'd his batting average would improve at least 20 points and here he is, right around .300, while sporting a 6-2 record on the mound.

He is truly an amazing and unique player to do both. And he is hitting for power and average and pitching well.

And his team might actually make the playoffs and we csn see him and Trout in the playoffs. Which would be about time

I was lucky enough to have hoarded every RC I could find during that value crash. I have thought he was a generational talent since he arrived.

For me, he is the most well-rounded player in the game today...and it's not even close.

He is magic

He hits 2 HR’s and 10 strikeouts against the other team in 1 game.

His 5th 10 strike game of season

Leads the Majors in Home Runs
And as pitcher leads the league with the lowest average against by hitters

Not a bad start to the first half of a baseball season

He leads the majors in home runs. He also leads the majors in triples, RBI, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, total bases and is, unsurprisingly, lapping the field in WAR.


Ohtani is hitting .310/.396/.674 (188 OPS+) with 15 doubles, five triples, 30 home runs, 67 RBI, 60 runs and 11 stolen bases in 82 games. On the mound, he's 7-3 with a 3.02 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings. He has the lowest hit rate (5.7 hits per nine innings allowed) in the majors and the highest strikeout rate (12.0 K/9) in the AL

His consistently high exit velocities are the result of lag in his swing.

His strikeouts on the mound are an indication of the depth of his arsenal. He has more effective options than most.

He never seems tired. If he avoids injury, his outlook is bright.

He is usually right when he complains with a smile on an umpire's missed call. :)

To be honest though, I never predicted 30 home runs before the all-star break. Once the swing starts, his bat speed seems extremely fast, and there is just no wasted energy in an Ohtani at-bat.

Indeed, swing speed the key. I bet he could hit a golf ball 500 yards.