OT: Ohtani

[seanofjapan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

It's an unanswerable question, but I wonder sometimes what Oh would have done in MLB. Would he have been a star? His stats, not just the home runs but also the on base percentage due to a staggering number of walks, are off the charts.

I wonder that too. He would not have hit anywhere near 868 home runs in MLB (smaller stadium size, use of compressed bats definitely helped him in NPB), but at the same time I think he could very well have had a decent HOF career in the US if he had played there.

There are a few other NPB guys from his generation in that "What if" category. Isao Harimoto, Japan's career hits leader, is the most interesting. He is the only player in professional baseball history to literally have survived having a nuclear bomb dropped on him (as a child), and then went on to have a career that in many ways was even better than Oh's, though he isn't as well known outside of Japan.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Here’s my only Ohtani card, can’t believe that it has been sitting on eBay since last year in the $3,000’s and no buyer yet. I don’t think there is much better than his 2018 Topps Chrome rookie auto.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/33479385224...mis&media=COPY

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Here’s my only Ohtani card, can’t believe that it has been sitting on eBay since last year in the $3,000’s and no buyer yet. I don’t think there is much better than his 2018 Topps Chrome rookie auto.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/33479385224...mis&media=COPY

Phil - nothing personal, but those are dreadful photos. Take out of the bag and get nice sharp photos up. Prob sell quickly.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Thanks for the input, Steve. I was just at the safe deposit box this morning too, I need to do that.

[packs]

One of the best buys I ever made. Waited till he got hurt and everyone thought he was all hype:

[todeen]

I don't believe I own an Ohtani RC. I don't think I own any cards from 2006 - 2019.

Anyway, I would agree that Nomo was extremely influential. I was still learning about cards when Nomo appeared. He and his battery mate Piazza were the rave. I lived in Montana, and Nomo and Piazza were commanding big $$$ to a 9 yo. And Nomo was appearing on high end products like SP and Topps Finest. I would stare at them through the glass although I couldn't buy anything except 50 cent packs.

[packs]

Nomo was good for a year or two but I think it's hard to argue that he paved the way for Japanese players. He was forgotten almost as soon as he got here but I'm also not sure that was totally his fault. A number of average, bad or forgettable pitchers came over after him and I would say watered down the excitement from Japan. These would include:

Hideki Irabu; Shigetoshi Hasegawa; Masato Yoshii; Tomo Ohka, etc.