By Ed Piper
I just finished up watching Shohei Ohtani's start against China (on DVR) in the pool-play phase of the World Baseball Classic, and it was dazzling.
Smiles all around, as the 6'5", 210-pounder runs like a deer on the basepaths in addition to throwing and hitting at a level no single man has ever done--Babe Ruth did it as a "hobby" for a short time, nothing like this for multiple years.
I was imagining, just from my years playing youth and high school baseball: Dean Treanor, the "gringo" coaching the Chinese national team, started a 19-year-old pitcher against powerhouse Japan, winner of two WBC's. Why? "He throws strikes."
Well, in this one, he struggled at the start. Can you imagine looking in for a signal when you're pitching to one of the top Major League players, author of 35 homers and almost 100 RBI's last year for the Angels?
Then, the converse: Batters from the Chinese Professional Baseball League, whatever that is, having to confront the authoritative command of Shohei Ohtani, who varied his pitches from 100 mph for a four-seam fastball, down to 85 mph for a changeup during his four innings of work?
No, I can't imagine that. Like us Camarillo High Scorpions having to bat against a pro. Couldn't do it very well, if at all.
Through the 50-or-so pitches he threw--setting him up to pitch in the quarterfinals Wed., March 15, or Thurs., March 16--Ohtani, over four innings, didn't come close to allowing a run. Surprisingly, more China hitters put the ball into play, a few gobbled up as grounders by the able Japanese infielders, than expected (even the TV analyst commented on that).
Another, almost eerie, element: the Japanese fans, in appropriate Japan-style rooting, sat quietly as Japan's defense and pitcher did their work, only clapping politely when an out was made. Then, when Japan bats, they go crazy. Very different cultural approach.
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