The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 330

330. All-Star Break (3)

21st Century.

Baseball has changed rapidly. A sport with 170 years of history was undergoing significant transformations. Considering tradition’s usual resistance to change, this was quite remarkable.

At the heart of this change was Rob Manfred.

This New York lawyer exerted tremendous influence on Major League Baseball from the 2010s onward. The globalization of baseball, exemplified by the World Baseball Classic (WBC), and the shortening of game times, achieved through the pitch clock and restrictions on defensive shifts and pickoff attempts, sparked considerable controversy. However, these changes undeniably impacted the ‘modernization’ of baseball.

Manfred was particularly known for promoting star marketing, making the All-Star game a perfect stage for his vision.

Consider super rookies like Alexander McDowell and Choi Soo-won.

McDowell was a home run hitter threatening Aaron Judge’s 2022 record, while Choi Soo-won was a batting champion who broke Joe DiMaggio’s 87-year-old record. He was even on pace to challenge Ted Williams’s elusive .400 batting average, a mark that DiMaggio himself had pursued.

Strictly speaking, McDowell had already won Rookie of the Year the previous season, and Choi Soo-won was a seasoned player with a year in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] under his belt. Regardless, both were considered rookies in the MLB context.

“Wouldn’t it have been better if those two were on the same team?”

“Yes, it probably would have been.”

Did Manfred simply want to see an unstoppable powerhouse team?

That would certainly draw crowds. But Rob Manfred’s intentions went deeper.

What kind of stories resonate most with fans?

A story about the rise of an icon who will dominate a new era? That’s always compelling. Or a story about a retiring icon who dominated an era bowing out gracefully? Derek Jeter’s final season in 2014 exemplified that appeal.

But the most electrifying moments occur when a reigning champion faces a formidable challenger. And when that challenger defeats the established ruler, proving their worth to inherit the throne.

The new ruler inherits the previous era’s popularity and expands upon it. That transition is the hottest moment in sports.

On the pitcher’s mound, baseball itself seemed to materialize.

Mr. Baseball, the man who reshaped 21st-century baseball, took center stage.

[The All-Star game begins with the American League All-Star team at bat! Shohei Ohtani is pitching for the National League All-Star team.]

Shohei Ohtani.

The best baseball player of this era, who needs no introduction.

Early in his career, Babe Ruth was invoked to promote the ‘two-way player’ concept. But now, everyone recognized how Ohtani Shohei’s accomplishments dwarfed Ruth’s.

When he joined Major League Baseball, many believed that being a two-way player was only feasible in the minor leagues. They predicted he would soon have to choose between pitching and hitting in the majors. This sentiment was shared not only by casual fans but also by many league experts.

Shohei Ohtani defied their expectations.

After his MVP season and as he approached free agency, doubts resurfaced.

‘Maintaining such a demanding schedule is unsustainable. Maybe 3 years at most? Or perhaps 4. He’ll have to specialize in either pitching or hitting after a brief stint as a two-way player.’

And now…

Shohei Ohtani was named the starting pitcher and designated hitter for the NL All-Star team.

He recently celebrated his 34th birthday.

By season age, he’s in his 33rd season.

His peak might be behind him, but he was still firmly in his prime.

The very embodiment of baseball, who had dominated the league, prepared to face the American League All-Stars.

***

-Thwack!!!

A 97.1 mph fastball cut through the strike zone.

“Strike!!!”

It was a powerful fastball, but not unhittable. Domingo from our team, Juan Montero from Boston, and Sean Carpenter from Tampa Bay all threw harder.

“Studying up?”

“Yes. I wanted to get a good look at his pitches.”

“Good. Watching videos helps, but seeing it in person is even better. You haven’t played against Ohtani yet, have you?”

“No, we have a home game against them in the second half, but not yet.”

The man talking to me scratched his short beard.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun. Playing against that guy.”

“Did you have fun?”

“Me? I had fun. My only regret is that we were too unlucky.”

If Shohei Ohtani represents baseball in this era, then this man, who was talking to me like a friend, represented MLB in the era just before him.

Mike Trout.

A complete five-tool player in his prime, excelling in hitting, fielding, running, and possessing both power and arm strength.

His greatness is evident in his career accumulated WAR [Wins Above Replacement], a staggering 110.3, ranking 21st all-time. WAR is the most effective statistic for comparing players across different positions. Mike Trout is the 21st best player ever.

Even at 37 years old, Trout could still be expected to contribute an average of 2 to 3 WAR per season if he remained healthy. His final record would likely place him somewhere between Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig.

In fact, in the future I returned from, Mike Trout’s name was right below Ted Williams.

“Yeah, we were too unlucky……”

The icon of the previous era and the ruler of the current era.

There was a time when these two players were in their prime, playing alongside each other on the same team. And they never reached the postseason.

“Anyway, you probably already know this, but the fastball isn’t his best pitch. If you had to pick one, it’s closer to his ‘weakness’.”

“Yes, I know. The sweeper and sinker. The changeup. And……”

“The splitter.”

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

[The 5th pitch! A perfectly placed sweeper induces a swing and a miss! Rafael Devers, the American League All-Star team’s leadoff hitter, strikes out swinging!]

The sweeper, a variation of the slider.

It was the pitch that currently defined Shohei Ohtani. Essentially, it was a slider that maximized horizontal movement. In extreme cases, the ball appeared to be heading inside before sharply breaking out of the strike zone.

[Now, Aaron Judge steps to the plate! Aaron Judge is up.]

“I’ll head over now.”

“Alright, rookie. It won’t be easy, but watch him closely and try to make something happen. Hopefully, I’ll get my turn too.”

“Yes.”

I stood in the on-deck circle, observing Shohei Ohtani.

He’s definitely big and tall.

There have been many two-way players since Shohei Ohtani.

In terms of roster flexibility, two-way players were valuable, like super-utility players. Some even had a similar short-term impact as Shohei Ohtani. But no one has sustained it as long as this man.

[Shohei Ohtani winds up for his first pitch!]

-Clang!!!!

[Aaron Judge! He makes contact! A pulled ball! But it stays in the infield. Third baseman Jeremiah Wilde catches it easily for an infield fly out.]

[Shohei Ohtani gets two outs quickly. Now at the plate is the American League All-Star team’s third hitter. Choi Soo-won. Choi Soo-won is coming up.]

[Super rookie Choi Soo-won is having a phenomenal season. What will he show us against Shohei Ohtani today? This is a matchup that many Major League fans have been eagerly anticipating!]

[Yes, that’s right. Before the All-Star teams were finalized, there were about three scenes I was hoping to see the most. This is the first of those scenes.]

[Oh, I see. What are the other two scenes then?]

[Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll see those two scenes in this All-Star game. Because they require Choi Soo-won to pitch.]

[You wanted to see a matchup between pitcher Choi Soo-won and hitter Shohei Ohtani. And a matchup between Choi Soo-won and Alexander McDowell.]

[Yes, that’s right. In fact, Choi Soo-won’s pitching skills aren’t quite at their level yet, but it’s a strangely anticipated prospect.]

A massive physique.

Thickness, like height, is largely innate. But if you had to choose which requires more effort, it’s definitely thickness. Ohtani’s height is mostly genetic, but his muscular build is at least 70% the result of his own dedication.

And that powerful physique is the key to Shohei Ohtani’s longevity as a two-way player, unlike others. Of course, I’m not just referring to his physical conditioning.

The baseball-obsessed kid who dreamed of becoming the best player in the world never wavered, even after achieving success.

A dream transforms into a goal as you approach it. That’s why Shohei Ohtani maintained the same lifestyle after success as he did before, in order to achieve his dream, which had become his unwavering goal. The word ‘stoic’ perfectly describes him.

Isn’t that extraordinary level of self-discipline the secret to his 16-year career as a two-way player since his debut?

Shohei Ohtani on the mound gripped the ball.

A face that looks younger than his age. He’s at the age where he could grow a beard, but he insists on a clean shave, giving him a youthful appearance. It’s a face that makes you wonder if he should have played for the Yankees instead of the LA Dodgers.

First pitch.

A surprise fastball.

-Thwack!!

But it was a little low and outside.

96.9 mph.

156km/h [kilometers per hour]. It’s fast, but with so many right-handers throwing 100 mph [miles per hour] these days, it’s not an overpowering fastball. It was even a bit ordinary. If that pitch is in the zone, I can definitely hit it.

Second pitch.

Same location. Same pitch.

After a brief 0.2 seconds to track the ball, I realized after about 0.22 seconds…

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

It was the same location, but not the same pitch.

It was a sinker.

I glanced up at the scoreboard.

97.3 mph.

So, a sinker faster than a four-seam fastball.

Shohei Ohtani on the mound looked at me and smiled slightly.

Normally, I would have thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’