OT: Ohtani

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

So Hideo Nomo's ROY, most strikeouts in first three seasons of a career, leading each league in K's, and two no-hitters didn't do that???

Nomo had a no hitter in Colorado too i believe..


one issue is that Nomo was here first..so he has to get extra credit for that..

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Nomo had a no hitter in Colorado too i believe..


one issue is that Nomo was here first..so he has to get extra credit for that..

Totally agree, and in addition to the "extra credit" for coming first, I also think he LEGITEMATELY opened doors for the guys who immediately followed. Had Nomo been lit up as a rookie, lost his rotation spot, maybe been sent down, there's no doubt that at least some of the guys who followed would not have been given their opportunity.

I think it also totally changes things in Japan/Korea/etc. Having a Nomo type figure (and then Ichiro, Matsui, Daisuke, Darvish) to aspire towards is as important as anything for developing the next generation of players. Maybe today's guys develop and reach the MLB as they did without Nomo, but I think the initial progress of Asian players is probably at least delayed a few years without Nomo. And as a more extreme possibility without these icons, maybe fewer kids truly dedicate themselves so fully to baseball, like Ohtani.

Re- injury potential and Bo Jackson, I've thought of them in the same sentence too. However, I also think that if Ohtani fizzles out due to injury, he'll at minimum have a lasting legacy like Bo Jackson. Maybe not a HOFer, but the ultra bright shooting star people will be talking about for decades. And I also think if Ohtani lasts long enough to put up marginal even substandard HOF stats on both sides (maybe 300 HRs and 100 wins), he will make the HOF, no doubt in my mind.

[frankbmd]

HAM FIGHTERS never do well in the long run.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

HAM FIGHTERS never do well in the long run.

and cheesy at that...

[seanofjapan]

Team name is “Fighters”.

“Nippon Ham” is the team’s corporate owner.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by seanofjapan

Team name is “Fighters”.

“Nippon Ham” is the team’s corporate owner.

Spam needs to get a team too

[BobC]

Funny how with all this talk about who was first, not a soul has even mentioned Masanori Murakami. Always liked his 1965 Topps rookie card.

And before all you naysayers start jumping in and going on about how he didn't cause more Japanese players to suddenly start coming to the U.S. and playing in the majors, that isn't my point. It is simply that he was the first, and as such, he does deserve some recognition.

[BobC]

Sorry, system doing multiple posts again.

[BobC]

And a triple post no less. Ugh!