PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Let’s face it, you didn’t listen to Babe Ruth play. You may never have heard of Bullet Rogan who starred in the Negro Leagues from 1920-30. Friday night the Pirates face a player unlike any in the history of the sport.
The Bucs are in Anaheim for a late start, 9:38 first-pitch on 93.7 The Fan. It’s worth staying up. Not just because with a win the Bucs go put together a winning streak, but they will face the greatest, most unique baseball talent you’ve ever seen. Better than Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey, even Roberto Clemente. For all of us, there has never been a player like Shohei Ohtani.
Babe Ruth had a 1.75 ERA in 1916 winning 23 games for the Red Sox, but he only hit three home runs that season. By the time Ruth was hitting 50 homers, his pitching days were over. Even with the Pirates over the last few decades there have been several who discussed pitching and hitting at the pro level-John Van Benschoten-the first-round pick hit and pitched in the minors for roughly one season. Bucs 2021 third-round pick Bubba Chandler could have been a quarterback at Clemson, is uber talented, he’s given up the idea after failing as a hitter.
In the last three seasons, Ohtani has pitched 402.2 innings striking out 514 while hitting 115 home runs. Let’s look those seasons
2021
· Hitting-led MLB with 8 triples and intentional walks-20, hit 46 HR, 100 RBI, 26 stolen bases, .965 OPS, 103 runs
· Pitching-23 starts, 130.1 innings, 3.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 156 strikeouts
2022
· Hitting-30 doubles, 34 HR, 95 RBI, .875 OPS
· Pitching-led the majors in strikeouts per nine innings 11.9 (219 total), 2.33 ERA in 28 starts with a 1.01 WHIP
2023
· Hitting-leads majors with 35 HR, 7 3B, .678 slugging, 1.075 OPS, 246 total bases with a .306 average and .397 on-base percentage.
· Pitching-in 18 starts leads the majors allowing only 6.2 hits per nine innings, has a 3.50 ERA, 1.1 WHIP, 139 strikeouts in 105.1 innings
These are video game numbers. Actually, no programmer would have allowed for a player like this. Have hitters had better seasons than Ohtani, sure Aaron Judge did last year. Justin Verlander had a better season as a pitcher.
Bonds set the MLB record for home runs in a season and career, forget for a second if he cheated, but he couldn’t pitch. Nolan Ryan set the all-time strikeout record by a pretty wide margin, but he couldn’t hit. What Ohtani is doing right now has never been done before. Previously mentioned players, Ruth and Rogan played in segregated leagues. Never has MLB been more open to the best athletes in the world, yet in this day of specialization, he owns baseball.
There is speculation the 29-year-old could be the first player to sign a contract worth a half-a-billion dollars. He’d should be, no other player in the history of the game has ever been worth more.
What Ohtani is doing is generational, legendary, trail-blazing. Friday night you have a chance to watch and listen to the greatest talent to ever play against the Pirates.