✹The PERENNIAL Shohei Ohtani Thread✹

[Trueblue]

Lot of pressure to use Sho as the closer for playoffs. JH Jr. Was especially emphatic.

At this point, every team is going to feel like they have a chance once they get into the dodger pen. Imagine what Shohei pumping 102 with three knee buckling pitches will do to their optimism.

Don't hate the idea but I worry about what it does for his body and mechanics long term..

Honestly think it would have been ideal for Roki to find himself and use him to bridge to the 9th. Doesn't look likely now without a huge turnaround. Lot of questions left.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by blackvodka

I would be very surprised if Otani didn't win another MVP. It was his to lose and no one really took it from him.

PCA and Schwarber deserve some consideration, but there won't be enough there for either of them to win.

MLB just doesn't really have that voter fatigue that the NFL and especially the NBA has.

Sent from my motorola razr 2024 using Tapatalk

When you're talking about using the NL OPS leader to close out games or help lead your rotation, you have to feel silly to suggest any other player as a serious candidate. Should be unanimous again.

[blackvodka]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

When you're talking about using the NL OPS leader to close out games or help lead your rotation, you have to feel silly to suggest any other player as a serious candidate. Should be unanimous again.

Exactly. To win the MVP from Sho you really need a special season and no one has that.

Just like 2023, even when he got hurt, there wasn't anyone who stepped up and really made a statement to claim the MVP. Seager really was the only one who made you think a little, but it still really wasn't enough.

Sent from my motorola razr 2024 using Tapatalk

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

When you're talking about using the NL OPS leader to close out games or help lead your rotation, you have to feel silly to suggest any other player as a serious candidate. Should be unanimous again.

There just really isn't anyone in the NL that has eye-popping stats that can compare to Ohtani outside of maybe Schwarber. But his biggest knock (aside from his BA) is that he is also a DH. If Schwarber was playing passable RF, he'd have a better (albeit still very long) shot at MVP, but since he's a DH and Ohtani has his stats PLUS pitching, no shot.

PCA simply doesn't have the offensive numbers to be MVP, no matter how much of a wizard he is in CF. No one is winning MVP with a BA (voters still care about BA) barely above .250 and a sub-.800 OPS. If PCA could have put up a 40/40 season like he was on pace to earlier this year, that might have at least netted him a couple 1st place votes, but he'll be lucky to get 30/30 at this rate. He's OPS'ed .500 the past month. yikes

The ONLY question left about the NL MVP race is if Shohei will win unanimously again.

[al3xmac10]

Last year, Shohei reached 50 HRs on 9/19.
I think he will do it 10 days earlier this year.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by al3xmac10

Last year, Shohei reached 50 HRs on 9/13.
I think he will do it 10 days earlier this year.

He's shown he can rack up the dingers in bunches this year. If the O's had given him anything to hit his last 3 AB, almost guarantee he would have hit at least 1 more yesterday.

[buddycunningham]

GOAT-TAHNI

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

[Mhphillips7048]

I will always collect Ohtani, but I wonder about others.
Do any of you think that people will stop because of
"Ohtani fatigue" similar to what I have read about
Voter fatigue?

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by Mhphillips7048

I will always collect Ohtani, but I wonder about others.
Do any of you think that people will stop because of
"Ohtani fatigue" similar to what I have read about
Voter fatigue?

If anything, it'll be due to price/risk (priced out, too risky [aka not as much upside at XX price], etc).

[BigMac]

i really hope they dont move ohtani to the pen.. when he is 100% he's the best SP they have dont really want them messing with that.. i dont really care if dodgers lose this yr due to not having any legit options in the bullpen (whens the last time they had a strong bullpen)

[finfangfan]

Are they really considering moving Ohtani to the bullpen? Wouldn’t the logistics for that be harder than scheduling days for him to SP ahead of time? For example, how would he warm up to pitch the bottom of the 8th if he is batting in the top of the 8th?

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

There just really isn't anyone in the NL that has eye-popping stats that can compare to Ohtani outside of maybe Schwarber. But his biggest knock (aside from his BA) is that he is also a DH. If Schwarber was playing passable RF, he'd have a better (albeit still very long) shot at MVP, but since he's a DH and Ohtani has his stats PLUS pitching, no shot.

PCA simply doesn't have the offensive numbers to be MVP, no matter how much of a wizard he is in CF. No one is winning MVP with a BA (voters still care about BA) barely above .250 and a sub-.800 OPS. If PCA could have put up a 40/40 season like he was on pace to earlier this year, that might have at least netted him a couple 1st place votes, but he'll be lucky to get 30/30 at this rate. He's OPS'ed .500 the past month. yikes

The ONLY question left about the NL MVP race is if Shohei will win unanimously again.

It would take a hallucinatory mental gymnastics enthusiast to not vote for the Asian guy come October.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

It would take a hallucinatory mental gymnastics enthusiast to not vote for the Asian guy come October.

PCA disappeared from the race

[seanrs1]

Originally Posted by Mhphillips7048

I will always collect Ohtani, but I wonder about others.
Do any of you think that people will stop because of
"Ohtani fatigue" similar to what I have read about
Voter fatigue?

In general card prices are correlated to demand. The more demand, the higher the prices. Ohtani demand long term will depend on Ohtani's performance as a player...and how much of a legend he becomes. Of all the current players Ohtani's uniqueness makes him a legend right now. The question is how legendary will Ohtani end up once his career is over?

I venture to guess his demand will be similar to other legendary players of the past like Ruth, Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Ripkin Jr., Griffey Jr., Pujols etc.

So I would not expect any collecting fatigue now or in the future!!!

[Trueblue]

Shohei is starting to become LA's Kobe Bryant of baseball. There's like six or seven Sho themed giveaways this year and every single one has lines wrapped around the stadium. He's only been with the team a year and change and over half the stadium has his jersey on. It's unheard of in baseball - maybe since Fernandomania, but like permanent.

[ThoseBackPages]

he may be on the verge of passing Hobby Griffey

i know what i am saying when i say that, but i believe it to be true

[Twalk1975]

Originally Posted by Mhphillips7048

I will always collect Ohtani, but I wonder about others.
Do any of you think that people will stop because of
"Ohtani fatigue" similar to what I have read about
Voter fatigue?

I will admit that I rarely ever keep more than a select few of my favorite cards of players after they retire. It's not happening anytime soon with Ohtani though, so I haven't really thought about it.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

he may be on the verge of passing Hobby Griffey

i know what i am saying when i say that, but i believe it to be true

He already has, which is a crazy thought, but makes absolute sense given what he's already accomplished.

With that said, there's still a lot of Ohtani cards. Fantastic for collectors though, just need to be meticulous if you're strictly "investing" in his stuff, especially during bear markets (but even during such markets, there's still opportunities).

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

He already has, which is a crazy thought, but makes absolute sense given what he's already accomplished.

With that said, there's still a lot of Ohtani cards. Fantastic for collectors though, just need to be meticulous if you're strictly "investing" in his stuff, especially during bear markets (but even during such markets, there's still opportunities).

that makes sense, well said

[seanrs1]

Right now there is more hobby demand for Ohtani than Griffey Jr. Will that be the case 20 years from now? My guess is yes, since a lot of Ohtani demand comes from Japan.

Assuming a 4th MVP this year, this is going to put Ohtani is another category of modern players. Bonds is the only other player with more than 3 (But I assume the last 4 are due to performance enhancement).

Its interesting to think about the rest of Ohtani's career and how many MVP's he could win. I think next year is going to be very telling. This year he has been MVP like with the bat while still rehabbing on the pitching side, but is not going to match his WAR total from last year. The expectation was this year the bat this year might be affected by rehabbing and pitching. Clearly the lack of stealing compared to last year has been affected by him pitching this year.

It Ohtani puts up a 10 WAR year next year both hitting and pitching we will know he is still in his prime. Otherwise he may have peaked during 2024 (at least WAR wise). Not saying Ohtani has peaked physically. His 120mph HR and throwing 101/102 tells me he is still in peak physical form.

Regardless of how much WAR he puts up in the future he is already a legend. I expect card prices to also rise in the future as the legend keeps on growing.

[ThoseBackPages]

Sean, you may want to check in on how high end Griffeys are doing

[okumeister]

The more and more we see Dodgers succeeding in marketing Ohtani, it really makes me realize how bad Angels were in that aspect.
Dodgers have much bigger market to begin with, but still.

[dodgerfanjohn]

Like others said, number of MVP's is already legendary (assuming he wins this year as well) and largely unprecedented (other than the roid poster boy).

I'm starting to see movement in the low end Ohtani side, particularly Topps Now graded cards from 2018 and the 2017 off season. The signing card still seems to be in the $175 range in psa 10, but theres been a few $250 sales on ebay as well. The Soto/Ohtani combo card also is experiencing some strong demand.

I think skys the limit for Ohtani. THe fourth mvp is going to trigger a small jump and if he has a great season hitting and pitching next year.....If he wins another WS, even moreso.

In terms of demand he will perhaps pass even Mantle. Thats going to help prices on his cards a LOT. Keep in mind Mantle had a LOT of help on those Yankees teams. Ohtani just has to remain the biggest name...and he will.

[SaveMeTheGum]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

he may be on the verge of passing Hobby Griffey

i know what i am saying when i say that, but i believe it to be true

I'm here for it!

[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by okumeister

The more and more we see Dodgers succeeding in marketing Ohtani, it really makes me realize how bad Angels were in that aspect.
Dodgers have much bigger market to begin with, but still.

Dodgers and Angels are like David and Goliath.

OC market 3M vs. LA 10M.