Shohei Ohtani (大谷翔平) News: What stats would Ohtani have to put up to win NL MVP?

Intro This week in Shohei Ohtani News. We're going to talk all about him the week he had, how possible it is or is it possible for him to win an MVP award this year as a dh? And the New news about his former translator that has come out and created quite the stir in the media. So Alex, let's start there. Yeah let's start with the mizuhara news. And it came out a couple of days ago that EPA has pled guilty to bank and tax fraud and everything that this entire investigation that we all talked about dove into EPA, pled guilty and is now facing up to just over 30, I believe, 33 years in jail. So we'll have to talk about here. The first of that being that is again, this situation sucks. It is sad. He is now facing 30 years in jail. But you know what I when I step back and look at this situation, I think of a few things. One how this situation was handled by Shohei and his team being one of them. I look back to fairly early on when he went public in front of the camera and was very more candid than I thought. Most people thought he would be at his Presser and came forward and spoke publicly. I thought I was impressed by that. And I've been impressed with how it's been handled ever since this was handled so quickly in the grand scheme of things, really unheard of. How quickly it all came together, how quickly the investigation was launched, how quickly it came to a resolution. And next thing you know, EPA is pleading guilty to all of it. And I just think luckily, Shohei was surrounded by a great team very quickly and able to come to this resolution. But I do want to say one thing to, you know, the response. I don't know if response is the word, but the narrative out there, when this all came about, there's really two sides, as there is, to everything, right. And half or more than half are saying this is an awful situation. I feel heartbroken for Shohei. This is this just sucks. And then there's the people that run with the narrative of ebay's a fall guy. My God. Here's what I would say to that. And I hope this finally puts a little bow on it all. There is not dollar amount in the entire world for some fall guy to face 30 years in prison. This is a bit of a different story if we're talking. Yeah, he's going to he's going to jail for 30 days or there was a plea deal involved and he's not going to jail. He's facing up to 33 years in jail. To think that there was some fall guy involved here is absolutely ridiculous. Again, I'm glad this is seemingly coming more and more to an end and more to a resolution after he does plead guilty. And I'm just thankful that one Shohei is raking and the Dodgers are playing well and this is and 2 that this is seemingly quickly we're talking like a month just under a month. And a half ago. This all came about for it to be done. And ending this quickly just speaks volumes to the team he had put around him and to his entire team. How do you pay someone back Yeah how do you pay someone back $16 million, especially if you're in jail possibly for 33 years? I mean, the whole situation is just like absolutely horrible because like, I don't think you're going to get that kind of money back. And you lost the best friend and you got completely screwed over by someone that you thought was family. And it's just again, it's heartbreaking the whole situation. Like, as shitty as it is for ohtani, obviously epay to be with someone that close every single day and to be able to do something like that, like that is mentally insane. Like when you think about it, it's just it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. Yeah so it does. It's weird. It just it is weird to have, like, spent a good bit of time around him and both of them and spent a lot of years around both of them. It's an eye opening. It's an eye opening thing. I hope for everyone to, you know, like to think that this could happen is scary. That's next to you and with you all day, every single day, you think you know someone. And that's how he was able to do it because he just weaseled his way. That's the heartbreaking that's the heartbreaking part of it, where, you know, he was the liaison, the middleman between the his agent talking to shohei, everything went through everything. And what resulted was, unfortunately, him lying to absolutely everyone and show his life and his life and everyone's life. So just to put a little bow on it, ebay has pled guilty, is facing up to 33 years in jail. And luckily, this is all coming to a close. And Shohei had a great team around him and and they reacted quickly to this and and here we are. Toy Porsche The other craziest thing about this to kind of transition out is with all of this going on and how crazy this whole scandal has been. Ohtani is one of the hottest players in baseball right now. And just this past week, he gifted his manager, Dave Roberts, a toy porsche because he officially passed him as the Dodgers all time home run leader for a Japanese player. Yeah, this was great. So we have been talking for a couple of weeks. He's getting closer and closer to the All time dodgers, Japanese born home run record, which was owned by Dave Roberts, his manager with seven Yeah Shohei passed that and the toy porch was funny because he obviously gifted Joe Kelly and his wife a new Porsche for giving him the number giving him his number 17. So for passing Dave Roberts, he also gave him a Porsche. And if you're watching, you can see the picture of it in the wall. It is a little toy, miniature porsche, which is great. So loved that, loved the week. Shohei had just mashed for 67 four homers, eight rbis, a 1.625 OPS raising his season stats on the year he's hitting 355 with 11 homers, 27 rbis, nine stolen bases, a 1.103 OPS. Just remarkable. The season that he's having is remarkable. What Clayton Kershaw all time great in the dugout the other day was talking about him and said, I don't remember him even being this good in Anaheim. I don't remember him ever being on this kind of tear. This is unbelievable. Every ball that he hits, he's just so strong. I don't get it. I don't think anybody does. He's just amazing. And that's a future Hall of famer, a guy that's been around the game for a long, long time that has seen a lot of really good baseball in his life. And even he is in absolute awe of what Shohei Ohtani is doing on a baseball field. Well, you have to remember, this is one of the most Shohei Ohtani NL MVP is one of the most dedicated, focused players we have ever seen. He is a two time, unanimous MVP, two way player, something we had never seen before. So now he's not only still recovering from getting his non Tommy John Tommy John surgery to get back on the mound, but he is solely focused on hitting right now. And we knew something special was going to happen this season when all of that focus, all of that great energy was just going to be honed in on him at the plate. OK but Ben, a d.h., a soul, has never won an MVP. So what would it take for Ohtani to win NL MVP this year just as a d.h.? Well, a DH has never won MVP. Like you said, it has never happened. There have been two dogs that have finished second in the MVP voting, Paul Molitor and David Ortiz. Now there has been, again no d.h. to ever win MVP, but there has never in the history of baseball been an MVP or been a designated hitter like Shohei Ohtani. And what do I mean by that? I don't just mean like there's never been a player like Shohei though. True it's not exactly what I'm saying. One, it's interesting that Shohei the reason he's just saying Yeah is because of what you just said. He's a two way player. He's injured. He's not pitching this year. He had, he just got Tommy John, he just got elbow surgery. So he can't throw. I do think that matters. Part one. I think that matters. Part two. He is Shohei Ohtani. And I do think that matters. I think it matters. And this could be this could be off base. But I think it matters that he is the biggest superstar that baseball has. OK that he it could help him. I think it helps him that he's the biggest superstar of the game has that he brings what he does to the baseball world that he just had the offseason that he did, where he just became the highest paid player in North American sports history. I that he's the greatest player that we've ever seen. I think all of that helps him because you look down at the ballot and you see a guy like Shohei Ohtani and it's like, whoa! That name. That name means something. Not that. Not that Mookie Betts doesn't. Not that Ronald Acuña jr. doesn't. But you look down and you see Shohei Ohtani. It's like, man, I'm, I'm, I'm able to check the box right now on what could possibly be the greatest player that has ever played the game of baseball. That's part two. Part three being. He might steal 40 bags this year. And we that is something that is very rare out of a designated hitter role. The the record, if you will, for a dh and I'm going to I'm going back and thinking if they were at the designated hitter position for over 100 games in the year. Shohei is going to be 162 or however many games he ends up playing this year. He ain't going to play a game other than in the da role unless he plays a game or two in the outfield at the end of the year, which I don't think is going to happen. But these other guys are, you know, Paul Molitor played over 100 games and a troll one year, so I'll say that's a full. We'll say that he did he Stole the record is 31 stolen bases OK Other Stats so in this year the year he came in second 1993 he hit 332 hit 22 home runs, 111 rbis, Stole 22 bases, had a 5.6 war. The all time record for a full time, if you will, is 31 stolen bases. I think Shohei is going to break that. I think Shohei is going to break the record for most stolen bases for a dh ever. That's not something you normally see, right? A designated hitter isn't typically going to steal you a bunch of bases. They're the big Papi's of the world. They're the they're the JD Martinez's of the world. He had a year with the Tigers where he was predominantly that. He was unbelievable. There are the Jordans of the world, the Edgar Martinez's of the world. Guys that aren't stealing your 10 bags, Shohei might steal you 40. So I look at that year with Paul Molitor. There was a year with David Ortiz, the year that he came in second that he put up some numbers that you would argue were good enough. 300 average, 47 homers, 148 RBIs and a 5.2 war. So the last two guys I mentioned, David Ortiz and Paul Molitor. Couple of things in common there. One, they came in second in the MVP voting. Two, both of them had a war in the fives. And if you might be confused exactly about war. Join the club. But essentially it is there's a lot of different things that go into it that, you know, position being one of them, being a designated hitter Hurts your war. You start at a disadvantage. So 5.2, 5.6 and that war range is what second in the MVP voting. Shohei Ohtani is on pace for a war over 10 out of the role. There's only been a few 10 plus war seasons in history and Shohei has had a couple of them. He's on pace this year for solely a DH he's had a 10 plus war season before because he's a pitcher and a hitter. As solely a currently on pace for over a 10 war. So I do think the conversation. Is one to have and I'm glad we are having it. I think there is a possibility for him to win the MVP award. But what gets interesting to me with this year is let's look at the two front runners. One being shohei, one Mookie Betts. So yeah, the interesting thing to me is you have one of those guys playing shortstop, a premier position on the field, where war is helped when you're playing shortstop, the other playing. So they're on opposite ends of the spectrum. You're going to vote for a if, let's say they're neck and neck. The shortstops getting that vote because he's playing shortstop. But then let's add in the fact that and again, Mookie is having one of as of right now, if the season ended today and these are the numbers he put up are on pace, one of the greatest seasons of all time. But let's just say, Mookie ends up playing just an average MLB shortstop, maybe average to slightly below average in that range. And then you have Shohei being a d.h., but. Not a like we've ever seen before. So I do think that narrows the field just a little bit. We're not talking an elite shortstop or even a really good defending shortstop. We're talking an average. We're talking an average MLB defensive shortstop, which, by the way, we're going to give points or points are due. The guy was a right fielder. The guy played second base. He's now on his own saying, I will help the team and go play the premier position of shortstop. Such a stud. Insane such a stud. Then you have Shohei. He could steal 40 bags this year. No, d.h. has ever won it. I think this is the year where it absolutely could happen. But it's going to take it's going to take a lot, Alex. Triple Crown It's going to take I think for me, if he wins a Triple Crown. That that could be a really big boost in Ohtani's direction. Now, he currently leads the league in batting average. He's first he's tied for second in home runs at 11th. He's 13th in RBI. And as you said, he could potentially steal what you say 40 bags. You thought he's currently 10th with nine. Yeah so if Ohtani wins the triple crown, I think that would be the biggest help for him to be. That one step over Mookie Betts, who's actually, as you said, playing the elite position on the field as well. Yeah, I put together some numbers of where I think my prediction of where he could win MVP, but he is on pace. If we could put that stat back up in the wall for a second. Again, I mentioned 5.2 war and I think 5.6 for the two MVPs that came in second. Shohei is on pace for an 11.7 war currently. That's what he's on pace for. So if he's going to do that. Yeah I don't see how you can't give him the MVP award. My prediction for statistics. Yeah I think if he can hit 325. With 50 homers. 120 RBIs and steal 40 bases. That's where I think it's big. If he can get into the 40 club and with these numbers, the 5040 club, those 40 stolen bases would be the most of all time for a designated hitter. If you're hitting 50 homers hitting 325, you'll have an OPS over 1,000 on the year. That's what I think wins him. The MVP. 4040 breaking an all time record. I think he absolutely can win the MVP. The the MVP at that pace. Yeah that's close. We'll see. I say Triple Crown. You say 40. 40 yeah, but I think he goes 50. I think he can get 50, 40 50 homers, 40 stolen bases. Obviously entering the 40 club. We saw Acuña do that with the 80 stolen bases last year. So at Dodger Stadium they gave him the base. Was that at Dodger Stadium they signed a base. I remember it was a big moment at Dodger Stadium. They gave him the base. I think it was the I think it was a milestone home run for him that he did at Dodger Stadium because I think it was a grand slam. And he had like just had a kid. He had just gotten married. Yeah I think it was like literally the night before he got married. Right we'll figure it out. But I think it was I don't know. TV Series All right. Well, before we wrap up this week in Shohei Ohtani news, we've got some more news. But in the entertainment side of the world for Shohei ohtani, because it was announced by Lionsgate that they are in early stages of an Ohtani gambling scandal TV series. Of course, this is as Hollywood as you can get. He arrives in La playing for the Dodgers. This happened right after their first game of the season and there's already a TV show in the works about it. I'm glad that they I'm glad that they felt the need to mention the early stages. I'd be a bit concerned. How long have you known about deep in it? It's almost done. It's like, wait a second, how long have you known? Yeah, of course. They're in the early stages. Of course, this is happening. There is absolutely going to be something. Whether this comes to fruition or not, it would be huge. There is going to be something that comes out. It is. It's one of the it's from what I from what I read about it, it's they were they were phrasing it around this being the biggest gambling story in baseball since Pete Rose. So obviously there's going to be a story that comes out about it. And we'll see. We'll see if it ends up coming to fruition. Do you think he needs approval to be able to make this happen? Like I have no like there's so much going on for Ohtani this year. It's like, hey, now we're going to make a TV show about you. That's crazy. Now, OK, we do obviously, a lot of content around ohtani, so who knows, maybe we would be in it if we were in it. Who would play you in this series? This is a good question. Yeah mean, who would play me? I'm going to go. I'll go with Jake Gyllenhaal. OK Jake Gyllenhaal. OK also, maybe a little young Jim carrey. If he can travel back in time many, many years, you would see it. Look at an old school photo of Jim carrey. You'd see it. I mean, Jim carrey was one of my faves back in the day. Ace Ventura. Are you doing, like, ace ventura? This is a very ace Ventura. Look ace Ventura. Might be. It might be my Halloween costume. Ooh, that's a good one, because I love ace Ventura. OK what about you? Who's playing you? N/A I get mila kunas a lot. Maybe she's. I like that she has a good sense of humor, and she's weird. I like a good, like, you know, cool, weird, good sense of humor that makes one of you, right? Megan family guy. Ted that 70s show. I feel like those are, like, all vibes. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. All right. That's good. So a lot happening, a lot happening in the world of Shohei this week. And that is why we have this segment which, if you haven't heard, is my favorite segment this week in Shohei Ohtani News.