Imagine a player recording four extra-base hits in a World Series game for the first time in over 100 years, then walking five times in the same game to make it a perfect 9-for-9 base.
And then realize that the performance was by far the weaker of that player’s past two home games.
Well, that goes for Shohei Ohtani, who had his best game ever the week before in his previous game at Dodger Stadium, hitting three home runs in three official at-bats and recording the same on-base percentage of 1.000, while also striking out ten and pitching six shutout innings.
In those two games – the deciding game of the NLCS and the first Dodgers home game in the World Series – Ohtani had an on-base percentage of 1.000, a slugging percentage of 3.429 and an OPS of 4.429.
Add in an ERA of 0.00 and they represent the two best consecutive home games ever played, or very likely ever will be played.
Some claim that Ohtani is the greatest talent since Babe Ruth, but they have no arguments for that. And even Ruth didn’t throw and hit at the same time that often.
Ruth is really the only one close as an all-around player comp, and he did it in the segregated era. There’s no other real comp, but if you break down what he does into categories, here’s what I came up with for Comps:
1. Hitting comp: Juan Soto. Aaron Judge comes to mind first because of the alien power. But honestly, Judge’s 172 OPS-plus puts him somewhat ahead. As a career hitter, Juan Soto is tied with Ohtani with a 160 OPS-plus and ahead of Stan Musial (159), Hank Aaron (155), Willie Mays (155) and Joe DiMaggio (155).
2. Pitching comp: Roger Clemens. Ohtani’s career 143 ERA-plus is also Hall of Fame worthy and puts him in a dead heat with Clemens, who threw many more innings but also cheated like crazy. Ohtani understandably throws far less than he hits, but the score of 143 puts him ahead of Max Fried (141), Chris Sale (141), Christy Mathewson (136) and Randy Johnson (135).
3. Basic Steal Comp: Ronald Acuña Jr. He and Acuña combine power and speed. One is the only man 50-50 (Ohtani), the other the only man 40-70 (Acuña).
4. Marketing comp: the other 779 MLB players combined. Yes, the rest of the league might be the best comp. We only have estimates for Ohtani’s value off the field, but it’s rumored that Ohtani generates well over $100 million – perhaps almost $200 million (by some estimates) – in marketing and sponsorship dollars for the Dodgers, while also making almost $100 million for himself. If the off-court value of every other player is combined, it could come close to Ohtani. Maybe.
5. Salary composition: Mark Leiter Jr. Ohtani will be paid $2 million this year. Leiter, the Yankees reliever who left their division series roster, is actually slightly higher at $2.05 million. Among the players on the World Series teams, Ernie Clement ($1.97 million), Alex Vesia ($2.3 million), Brusdar Graterol ($2.8 million) and Nick Sandlin ($1.63 million) are all in the ballpark. Of course, Ohtani has been deferring the remaining $68 million each year.
#proof #Shohei #Ohtani