Shohei Ohtani (Page 2): Yep, that doesn't seem right. But they didn't become billionaires by spending their own money :sm19:...

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Mac wrote:

One thing that bugs me is that the Billionaire owners who pay players millions of dollars want tax payers—people who do actual productive work—to pay for their ball parks and stadiums.

Yep, that doesn't seem right. But they didn't become billionaires by spending their own money

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Linda From Maine wrote:

Yep, that doesn't seem right. But they didn't become billionaires by spending their own money

“Workers of the world arise.”

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

Mac wrote:

One thing that bugs me is that the Billionaire owners who pay players millions of dollars want tax payers—people who do actual productive work—to pay for their ball parks and stadiums.

So true

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

I'd love to eavesdrop on his next contract negotiations. Could he be the first billion-dollar sportsman?

https://www.mlb.com/player/shohei-ohtani-660271

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

mr spock wrote:

He'd look great in a Mets uniform.

Nah, his colors are red and white. Phillies for sure!

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

So why don't the other 99% of MLB pitchers learn how to bat?

Pitchers are the only position in baseball where pitchers are given a pass by their team when up to bat. Also, get rid of the designated hitter rule. Return to those thrilling days of yesteryear!

dlwhawaii Loc: Sunny Wailuku, Hawaii

I watched him play during the World Baseball Classic, Samurai Japan (侍ジャパン), and he was awesome. Several other Japanese players were as well. It it extremely unusual to find a pitcher who can bat or vice versa a batter who can pitch.

foodie65

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

Look for him to wear a Yankee cap

foodie65

Mac wrote:

One thing that bugs me is that the Billionaire owners who pay players millions of dollars want tax payers—people who do actual productive work—to pay for their ball parks and stadiums.

and we poor suckers always pick up the tab

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

May follow in Babe Ruth's shoes. He had a great bat and a great arm. But he produced more batting every day instead of pitching in a rotation once every 4-6 days. Maybe he could play first base on "off days".

wapiti Loc: round rock, texas

mr spock wrote:

For those of you who don't recognize the name he's a baseball player who pitches and bats. Last night he pitched 6.1 innings, gave up 1 run and struck out 10
He also came to bat three times and had 3 hits with TWO home runs!
He will be a free agent at the end of this year and is expected to sign a contract worth in the neighborhood of
A HALF A BILLION dollars. You can be sure whoever signs him will take damn good care of him.

Dodgers!

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

He hit his major league leading 29th home run yesterday

clemente21

bobbyjohn wrote:

So why don't the other 99% of MLB pitchers learn how to bat?

Pitchers are the only position in baseball where pitchers are given a pass by their team when up to bat. Also, get rid of the designated hitter rule. Return to those thrilling days of yesteryear!

That is because teams deem a pitcher to be more valuable to win games than a hitter. The latter has three or four chances to help the team, while with the former every hitter he gets out is one less chance for the other team to score. That said, there have been a few pitchers that were decent hitters -Steve Carlton, Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson, to name a few (and the Babe, of course).

As far as I am concerned, if Ohtani keeps hitting and pitching the same way he has, he should be the MVP every year. Just because he wins games from offense as well as from the defensive side. Aside from being among the best from either side as well. And if money is used as measure of the value as a player vs. his peers, then he should be paid accordingly. But that's just me.

Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

I believe the Dodgers are interested!

dustie Loc: Nose to the grindstone

47greyfox wrote:

I read this morning that people shouldn’t be surprised if bidding for him reaches $600m. And the Dodgers are favored. In a few years, baseball be limited to a 1/2 doz rich, big markets teams, and some also runs. Just like the general population. Money has ruined sports.

Money, the love of money, has ruined so many things and so many people, in the whole range of social strata levels.

The '94-'95 MLB strike and all that controversy, unfortunately took MLB out of my list of interests.

I can pay a small amount of attention to college and little league, though knowing some of those players will eventually end up in the MLB big time dampens my interest, unfortunately.