OT: Ohtani

[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.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think we can agree that Ichiro broke the dam. But, while the few between Nomo and Ichiro weren't the best, Nomo certainly created a sense of yearning from scouts to find the next crossover star, not believing that Nomo was a unicorn. Certainly, Ichiro's stardom as a position player and great hitter opened paved the dirt road for Matsui and Ohtani...but Nomo opened the door for Ichiro.

And I don't believe Nomo was "forgotten almost as quickly as he arrived." My friends and I were trying to mimic his pitching style. And mimicry is the best form of flattery. Yesterday the kids were calling it the Johnny Cueto wiggle; but in 1995 it was known as the Nomo.

[seanofjapan]

Originally Posted by 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.

You have to consider it from the Japanese perspective too though. Until Nomo NPB teams had a stranglehold on their players and nobody even considered going to MLB. The whole system by which Japanese players come to MLB was established as a result f him.

In Japan, Nomo is still a household name. He was massively famous here before he went to MLB and still is, everyone knows that he is the guy who paved the way.

Ichiro is also a special case because he was the first hitter to come over, and have aHOF career in MLB. But Nomo in Japan is well known as the guy who kicked it off (for better or worse, not all fans here like seeing the best players go to MLB, though most are OK with it).