Posted on 09/19/2024 4:32:09 PM PDT by sopo
MIAMI -- Shohei Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to reach the 50/50 club on Thursday, and he did so in dominant fashion -- with two home runs and two stolen bases in a five-hit game that could clinch a postseason spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani opened the game with a line-drive double off the wall in right-center field against Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera, then picked up his 50th steal of the season by swiping third base. A second-inning single was followed by stolen base No. 51. Ohtani then added a two-run double in the third -- before getting thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple -- and followed with a 438-foot home run into LoanDepot Park's second deck in the sixth for his 49th home run.
Ohtani came to bat again with runners on second and third and two outs in the seventh inning, prompting many to wonder whether the Marlins would pitch to him. They did -- and Ohtani delivered, taking a 1-2 curveball from Mike Baumann and lofting it over the fence in left-center field for his 50th home run of the season.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Sorry, but a DH should never be MVP. If he pitched this season, I would say yes.
Mets too. 3 games in a row with 10 or more runs (first time in franchise history), and Ronald Acuna's little brother Luisangel has 2HRs, 2 2Bs, a triple and 5 RBI in his first 4 career games, replacing the injured Lindor.
A lot of critics of this issue. Why bother with a grueling, 162-game season, when 12 out of 30 teams will make the playoffs no matter what? Not much different than the NBA and NHL now.
Different leagues so they can both win the MVP.
Money, of course.
Imagine trying to just having the World Series, and no playoffs with 30 teams, instead of 16.
Babe Ruth ate too many hot dogs and drank a lot. Imagine him with modern nutrition. And he lifted weights. It wouldn't surprise me if he'll be able to steal bases back then. Maybe 30-40 stolen bases a year.
Thanks. I was thinking he was still an Angel.
This is the most amazing sports record I have ever seen. The first MLB player to get 50 HRs and 50 stolen bases is a pitcher. Astounding!
well see how he does in the playoffs. When the lights are brightest. And the pressures on. He hasn’t won anything yet.
great record...but nothing close to what Wayne Gretzky did in hockey.
I don’t see what the big deal is, that’s only a break even gambling record.
50/50 = 100%
im following a bigger story in baseball. Chicago White Sox have lost 117 games, with 9 left to play. Will they lose 121 games and become the worst team in modern history. They are an astonishing 52 and half games behind Cleveland.
That is impressive.
I wasn’t sure if all the hype about him was just that, but he’s the real deal.
The man is amazing. I don’t even like the Dodgers but watching Shohei is a joy. I hope he can pitch and hit again next year.
“I wonder if he’s like Yu Darvish, didn’t speak English the first few years, then all of sudden he started speaking English like he’s been speaking it all of his life.”
Take it from my family’s history, speaking English for a native Japanese is a lot harder than understanding and writing it.
My maternal and paternal grandparents spent their entire adult lives in the United States after immigrating here as teens from Japan. They understood and were fairly literate in English, but they relied on their children or grandchildren to speak for them in English if interacting with strangers. They didn’t want to risk saying the wrong things. And none of us grandchildren spoke or understood Japanese!
IIRC, Ohtani prompted a rule change that allows him to DH when he pitches. The next pitcher may be allowed to have a regular DH.
Yes, that makes sense.
Here’s an article about Babe Ruth’s stolen base history, certainly he was not known for stealing bases but he not slow
https://sabr.org/journal/article/babe-ruth-stealing-home/
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