The Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani is one of the leading home run hitters in the majors this season - (Erik Drost - photo)

This season Ohtani's pitching has been impressive but erratic due to a lack of control. His pitching record in Japan was 42-15 with a 252 ERA including 624 K's. With the Angels he has a 5-3 record with 96 K's and a 3.88 ERA - (hj_west from USA - photo)

Babe Ruth had a career pitching record of 94-46 five of those wins were with the Yankees - (George Grantham Bain 1919 photo)

Shohei Ohtani - (MLB photo) SHOHEI OHTANI - Japan's New Gift to Baseball

Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden Date 30 May 1985 - Steve Lipofsky www.Basketballphoto.com ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS

SPORTS NOTES - SHOHEI OHTANI the 2nd COMING OF BABE RUTH?

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Shohei Ohtani's evolution and adjustment to the America's MLB (Major League Baseball) has stimulated thoughts the minds of many that in reality he could be the second coming of Babe Ruth. Ruth began his professional career at 19 years of age Ohtani at 18. Ruth made his major league mark as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox but turned into a slugger. Ohtani is one of the leading home run hitters in the majors this season - THIS DAY IN THE NBA - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS TEAM

Friday, May 07, 2021

THE VERSITILE TWO WAY OPTION

When Shohei Ohtani was signed by the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017 it was said that he could be the second coming of Babe Ruth. The very thought of such a statement raised some eyebrows and sceptics emerged. From the start the two way player being a pitcher and capable batter with power was diagnosed with problems. A day after his signing he was diagnosed with a first-degree UCL sprain in his right elbow. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat the injury.

Ohtani made the 25-man roster and started as the designated hitter on Opening Day against the Oakland Athletics. He singled in his first at-bat. On April 1, he made his pitching debut, striking out six batters in six innings while allowing three runs, to pick up his first MLB win. On April 3, Ohtani hit his first MLB home run, a 397-foot three-run homer. The following day, he hit his second, becoming the first Angels player to homer in his first two career home games.

On April 6, he hit his third home run in three days, becoming the first Angels rookie to do so. His output resulted in tying the franchise record of 12 total bases, and five RBI through his first three consecutive career games (both set by Bobby Clark in 1979).

In only his second start on the mound on April 8, Ohtani took a perfect game through 6? innings before allowing a hit. Overall, Ohtani pitched seven scoreless innings while striking out 12. Making his third start pitching on April 18 against the Boston Red Sox, Ohtani exited after two innings due to a blister on his right middle finger.

Starting off with damaged goods isn't comforting for both the player and organization BUT both fought through it. At the start Ohtani went on to be most impressive as a pitcher but injuries caused adjustments the Angels then featured him as a designated hitter.

A major turning point was in 2019, Ohtani played in his first game with the Angels since undergoing Tommy John surgery, batting as a designated hitter against the Detroit Tigers. In a June 13 game against Tampa Bay, Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to hit for the cycle in MLB history. On September 12, Ohtani's 2019 season prematurely ended after it was revealed that he needed surgery to repair a bipartite patella. He finished the season batting .286/.343/.505 with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases in 106 games.

His development and adjustment to the America's MLB (Major League Baseball) has stimulated thoughts the minds of many that in reality he could be the next coming of Babe Ruth. Ruth began his professional career at 19 years of age. He made his major league mark as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. During his six seasons with the club (1914-1919) he registered an 89-46 win loss record.

As great as he was as a pitcher Ruth wanted to play every day. His wishes were granted when he was traded to the New York Yankees where he also pitched five games during his 15 seasons with the franchise posting a perfect 5-0 record giving him a career 94-46 record on the mound.

The Yankees really benefited from his batting prowess where he went on the establish a career home run record of 714 of which 49 were hit while he was with the Red Sox. Ruth established the then thought of ultimate home record of 60 for a 154 game season in 1927 that has since been broken twice first by Hank Aaron followed by Barry Bonds.

Ohtani's growth is in progress but what has been established is his improvement since he played in Japan's professional league. The now 26-year-old started his professional career at 18 years of age. During his five seasons in Japan's professional leagues he achieved being:

5× NPB All-Star (2013-2017)

Pacific League MVP (2016)

2× Pacific League Pitcher Best Nine (2015-2016)

Designated Hitter Best Nine (2016)

Pacific League ERA leader (2015)

Pacific League Battery Award, with Shota Ono (2015)

2x Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize (2016) (2018)

WBSC Player of the Year (2015)

Coming off injuries Ohtani continues to surprise. At present he leads the league with 10 home runs and is tied with two others J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves. There is no question that at this point of the season it might be perceived as no big deal. What is happening is how well he recovers from an injury.

His pitching has been impressive but erratic due to a lack of control. He continues to throw fast balls at 100 mph and is striking out batters at an impressive rate. Ohtani knows his control need to improve but the awareness is a good thing.

Ohtani is a 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m), 210 pounds (95 kg) and pitches right-handed. With an overhand delivery, he throws a four-seam fastball averaging 97 miles per hour (156 km/h) (tops out at 102.5 miles per hour (165 km/h), an 86-88 miles per hour (138-142 km/h) forkball with late diving action, an occasional curveball, and a solid slider at 82-84 miles per hour (132-135 km/h). He posted a BB/9 (walks per nine innings rate) of 3.3 in his NPB career.

Ohtani is a left-handed batter and occasional outfielder known for being able to hit with home run power. Scouts have timed Ohtani running from the batter's box to first base in as little as 3.8 seconds.

Compared to his pro experience in Japan he was already hit more home runs 56-48 during the same four season span. More impressive is he has accomplished it while having missed numerous game with injuries and operations.

His pitching record in Japan was 42-15 with a 252 ERA including 624 K's. With the Angels he has a 5-3 record with 96 K's and a 3.88 ERA. In Japan Ohtani hit for an average of .286 with 166 RBI's. With the Angels his career average is .268 with 169 RBI's through May 5th.

Is Ohtani the next coming of Babe Ruth? The jury is out BUT… the Japanese sensation of a breath of fresh for professional sports. Stay tuned…

THIS DAY IN THE NBA

May 7, 1972 The Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 4-1 in the NBA Finals, capturing their first league championship since moving to Los Angeles from Minneapolis.

May 7, 1989 Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls got the ball on the right side of the court with his team trailing by one point in the closing seconds of a deciding Game 5 of their 1989 Eastern Conference First Round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jordan drove just inside the top of the key and while falling away from the basket to his left nailed an 18-footer over the outstretched fingertips of leaping Cavaliers’ defender Craig Ehlo for a 101-100 victory.

May 7, 1994 In one of the biggest upsets in NBA Playoff history, the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets eliminated the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics 98-94 in overtime in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series at the Seattle Coliseum. The Nuggets, who won the last three games of the series, became the first # 8 seed to upset a # 1 seed since the First Round of the NBA Playoffs went to a best-of-5 format in 1984. Nuggets center Dikembe Mutombo fell to the floor after grabbing the final rebound, clutching the ball as tears of joy streamed down his face.

May 7, 1995 Indiana’s Reggie Miller scored eight points (two three-pointers, two game--winning free throws) over the final 16.4 seconds of the game, helping lead the Pacers to a shocking 107-105 come-from-behind win over host New York in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The Pacers went on to win the series in seven games.

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