Shohei Ohtani—Japan's Babe Ruth—is about to change the face of baseball

SI ^ | April 6, 2017 | Jon Wertheim

[C19fan]

The article references Babe Ruth as in a player who is an excellent power hitter and throws a 100+ MPH fastball.

[Jeff Chandler]

Play him as a fielder AND a closer.

[rlmorel]

LOL, according to our Marines who served in the Pacific, the Japanese didn’t care much for Babe Ruth during the war!

[Mears]

Handsome kid.

.

[heterosupremacist]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=otani-000sho

[MarvinStinson]

Sports Illustrated is a leftwing rag.

[gr8eman]

I thought Sataharu Oh was Japan’s Babe Ruth!

[PittsburghAfterDark]

15-5 as a starter, 11 strikeouts per 9 innings with 22 HR and 67 RBI’s... wow, now that’s an anomaly.

Those are some freakish stats.

[C19fan]

I remember there was a Cardinals pitcher who had a blazing stuff until he developed Steve Blass disease. Then he was able to play outfield and put up some decent seasons.

[Alberta's Child]

That would be an interesting approach to managing a game.

I don't recall too many cases where these unique, multi-talented players really pan out at more than one position. There was a unique pitcher out there a few years ago who was supposed to change face of baseball, too. He got a specially-designed glove with six fingers and two webbings approved by Major League Baseball, and he could pitch with either arm. MLB had to come up with a new set of rules for him, and it was really strange to see him on the mound against a switch-hitter. LOL.

[NewMexLurker]

I know Shohei Otani is a real guy. But having SI report on him this close to April 1st reminds me of Sidd Finch.

[bigdaddy45]

.... and that has exactly what to do with the subject at hand?

[MarvinStinson]

Sports Illustrated is part of the big leftwing media.

Anything they put out has their stink on it.

[Fiji Hill]

LOL, according to our Marines who served in the Pacific, the Japanese didn’t care much for Babe Ruth during the war!

In a book about the Guadalcanal campaign, Robert Leckie writes that some Marines that were on patrol deep in the jungle started shouting out insults at the Japanese emperor and premier. Then from somewhere out ahead of them behind the thick foliage they heard a shout, "%#@& Babe Ruth!"

[bigdaddy45]

So are you saying this guy is actually a lousy baseball player? Or a Democrat?

[MarvinStinson]

You need to go back to mind-reading school.

[bigdaddy45]

It’s an article about a great baseball player. Lighten up Francis.

[Jacquerie]

Incredible.

[Jacquerie]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[Mariner]

Not only would Madison Bumgarner strike him out, he would hit a homer off of him.