1.5NEW YORK, NY – There is no denying that Shohei Ohtani put on one hell of a show in the clinching game of the N.L. Championship Series. But to crown him as the best baseball player ever shows how stupid we’ve become as Americans.
Back in 1977, a guy named Reggie Jackson took 3 swings and produced 3 homers to bring a championship back to the Bronx. He had the month of October named after him, along with a candy bar. To this day, any real baseball fan knows it was L.A. Dodgers pitchers Burt Hooton, Elias Sosa, and Charlie Hough who served up the taters to Reggie.
A few days after Ohtani went yard 3 times, no one remembered the Milwaukee Brewers pitchers names who he victimized. Ohtani has a long way to go to make people forget “Mr. October.”
In a sport where one is guilty till proven innocent, Ohtani is lucky he’s still playing. When he was linked to gambling, his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara took the fall. MLB had no problem suspending players like Tucupita Marcano of the S.D. Padres or Michael Kelly, Sacramento A’s, Jay Groome, Padres, Jose Rodriguez, Philadelphia Phillies, Andrew Saalfrank, Arizona Diamondbacks, Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians, Luis Ortiz, Guardians and even an umpire, Pat Hoberg. In MLB’s eyes, these recent suspensions labeled them guilty till proven innocent.
Ohtani gets a pass because he’s Ohtani, the greatest thing since Babe Ruth. Heavens forbid if MLB starts any static with Japan if it suspends their Super Duper Star. America needs to wake up and realize that even though Ohtani is doing what “The Babe” did, he’s no Babe Ruth.
In his 8 Major League seasons, Ohtani has driven in over 100 runs a total of 3 times. He’s played over 150 games 4 times. He has 1050 total hits. On the mound, he’s started 100 games and won 39 of them. I’m not saying he stinks, but we bow to him as though he’s the greatest of all time.
Before MLB treats Ohtani as an untouchable by giving him a pass, and even changing the rules for him when he’s relieved from the mound, and allowing him to continue hitting, they need to remember Randy Bass.
Bass was a former Major leaguer who went to Japan and became a stud. In 1985 and 1986, he was a Triple Crown winner. He also was the MVP in 1985 and won a Japan Series Championship. That same year, Bass entered his last game needing one home run to tie the legendary Sadaharu Oh’s mark of 55 home runs in one season. Bass’ team, the Hanshin Tigers, were playing the Yomiuri Giants, who were managed by Oh. He was intentionally walked 4 times so Oh can maintain his record.
Can you imagine that same scenario happening to Ohtani? It would have created Pearl Harbor II. Japan’s Baseball League Commissioner turned a blind eye on Bass’ free passes. In 1988, Bass was released by the Tigers cause he returned to the U.S. when he found out his son Zach was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The team claimed Bass was not given permission to leave Japan. His release was a ploy so the team can be free of paying any medical benefits to little Zach.
The final results were Zach having surgery and recovering, and Randy being blackballed from Japanese Baseball and labeled a trouble maker.
As MLB continues to roll out the red carpet to Japanese players, the rules in Japan allow only 4 foreign players on its 25 man roster.
So go ahead Commissioner Manfred and cater to the Japanese sensation, who can do no wrong through your eyes, while you accept the extra yen.
