Shohei Ohtani Potential Market

[trogdor]

I'm honestly pretty high on him and have been picking up his stuff but what is everyone else's opinions? Curious what others think.

Do you think he will always be second place to Trout or will the Japanese market appeal/ pitcher & batter play make it so his cards are highly desirable?

[ucLAkers]

No disrespect but I just don’t see it after the injuries. He is popular....but he is made of glass. I think he would be second to Max Muncy if he was on the Dodgers....nowhere near Trout regardless if he can pitch.

[speedyjg13]

It all boils down if he can can rebound and stay healthy after Tommy John surgery. I follow the Angels like crazy. He's pitched twice already during the Angels intersquad games and has not been impressive no control, alot of walks

[gmoney328]

Maybe just have the guy hit???

[BigL7370]

I think it was reported or Tweeted he was trying to be too careful because he was pitching to his teammates.

He'll always be second fiddle to Trout unless in Japan, but always be a curiosity, especially if he has a season where he does well at the mound and at the plate.

[speedyjg13]

Angels announced he will only pitch on Sunday

[Rage]

I believe in Shohei's ability to adapt, remember spring training 2018?

Also he has his own thread:
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1265718

[HRoark]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

It all boils down if he can can rebound and stay healthy after Tommy John surgery. I follow the Angels like crazy. He's pitched twice already during the Angels intersquad games and has not been impressive no control, alot of walks

Control is always the last thing to come back after TJ. If he struggles and his prices fall even further, I'm buying. He just turned 26.

[PejaD]

I feel like they are under-utilizing him through only pitching 1x per week on a likely strict pitch count and also DHing 3-4 games per week. He has true 5 (or can you say 6 with pitching?) tool potential, but will only be a part-time "position player" who never takes the field. If he suffers another serious injury while pitching, I could see them taking the Babe Ruth route and just making him an everyday position player (RF?).

I wish he stays healthy and becomes an everyday player who closes games. Though, I think that has been unprecedented above the NCAA level.

[tonedef2oo8]

Injury prone and that ship sailed

[speedyjg13]

Originally Posted by PejaD

I feel like they are under-utilizing him through only pitching 1x per week on a likely strict pitch count and also DHing 3-4 games per week. He has true 5 (or can you say 6 with pitching?) tool potential, but will only be a part-time "position player" who never takes the field. If he suffers another serious injury while pitching, I could see them taking the Babe Ruth route and just making him an everyday position player (RF?).

I wish he stays healthy and becomes an everyday player who closes games. Though, I think that has been unprecedented above the NCAA level.

As an Angels fan, this is what I rather have. Make him the closer and put him in the lineup every game. Stop babying him so much.

[Trueblue]

There's a lot of negativity here. I'm an optimist, here's why:

Ohtani has always had slow pre-season starts, even in Japan. Look at 2018 spring training when everyone on blowout (and the world) was crapping on him for getting hit by Mexican league guys. What did he do when the season actually started? Oh yes, you know.

Ohtani has really had one major injury, which he went under the knife for and is now fixed. Rest have been nagging injuries, but wait. Is he really more injury prone or is he just doing an ish ton more work than anyone else and getting nicked up? For those that don't consider how much work it takes to be a major league hitter and a pitcher, perhaps you should. He isn't an alien that has prenatal abilities to hit any pitch and throw 100mph with no practice.

There may be a day where he does one or the other, but I'd like to see him do both until his body doesn't allow it. Is that 2-3 years or 5+ years? Nobody knows, but it is very exciting.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by trogdor

Do you think he will always be second place to Trout or will the Japanese market appeal/ pitcher & batter play make it so his cards are highly desirable?

Ohtani is already a legend in Japan from his high school tournament days and NPB time. Also, Asian people in all markets tend to like him. How many 6'4 Asian dudes do you know that can throw 100 and hit 500ft bombs? I love Ichiro, but Ohtani is the true physical pinnacle of an eastern athlete.

He doesn't need to compete with Trout.

[majestik101]

That ship has sailed. Made of glass, TJ surgery. injury prone... the list goes on and on

[Archangel1775]

If this dude starts off hot on both sides of the ball and can sustain, he can very well win the MVP in this short season.

[majestik101]

Originally Posted by Rage

Also he has his own thread:
https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1265718

Nah that thread doesn't deliver.

This is the way

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1198498

[awz50]

Originally Posted by majestik101

Nah that thread doesn't deliver.

This is the way

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1198498

That thread was a mix of every emotion

[Vdm2018]

Wanted to pick up 2018 Heritage black chrome, but no $$$

[MaeseChrome]

Well his prices have boosted a ton in the last 7 days it seems. A card that didn't bust $30 last week went for 120+ this time around, and every staple card seems to have bumped a solid 33-50%.

I think people finally realized just how low his prices were on some of his key cards. Wish I would have been able to pick up a few more of them, ha.

I think Ohtani has a huge ceiling and he is already pretty close to his floor (at least a few weeks ago).

[richcowcow]

You lost us when you kind of insinuated he is better than Ichiro. Have you seen Ichiro's arm, hitting, speed, defense. Guessing u got lots of Ohtani. He can pitch and hit, but give me Ichiro every time. And popularity in Japan, no contest!

Originally Posted by Trueblue

Ohtani is already a legend in Japan from his high school tournament days and NPB time. Also, Asian people in all markets tend to like him. How many 6'4 Asian dudes do you know that can throw 100 and hit 500ft bombs? I love Ichiro, but Ohtani is the true physical pinnacle of an eastern athlete.

He doesn't need to compete with Trout.

[ucLAkers]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

Ohtani is already a legend in Japan from his high school tournament days and NPB time. Also, Asian people in all markets tend to like him. How many 6'4 Asian dudes do you know that can throw 100 and hit 500ft bombs? I love Ichiro, but Ohtani is the true physical pinnacle of an eastern athlete.

He doesn't need to compete with Trout.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by richcowcow

You lost us when you kind of insinuated he is better than Ichiro. Have you seen Ichiro's arm, hitting, speed, defense. Guessing u got lots of Ohtani. He can pitch and hit, but give me Ichiro every time. And popularity in Japan, no contest!

I never insinuated that Ohtani is better than Ichiro at baseball. In fact, at this juncture, I would disagree with that statement.

I said he is the PHYSICAL pinnacle of an eastern ATHLETE. Please read before looking for reasons to get upset.

[zbaseball21]

I like how everyone says he's made of glass but he had Tommy John surgery in Oct 2018 and goes on to play 106 games in 2019. Two more games than he played in his rookie season.

I'll take it.

[tonedef2oo8]

Originally Posted by MaeseChrome

Well his prices have boosted a ton in the last 7 days it seems. A card that didn't bust $30 last week went for 120+ this time around, and every staple card seems to have bumped a solid 33-50%.

I think people finally realized just how low his prices were on some of his key cards. Wish I would have been able to pick up a few more of them, ha.

I think Ohtani has a huge ceiling and he is already pretty close to his floor (at least a few weeks ago).

Most everything has gone up this week. Talk to us in a few weeks when he sinks like a rock again.

[Neal]

Not made of glass at all …. I like his upside based on his fan base alone.

I can see Ohtani consistently hitting 25+ and winning 10+ every year ….