Would Ohtani dominate 50 years ago?

[jplarson]

I've read lively discussions about how certain players would do if transported to different decades and how they'd match up to yesterday's legends or today's stars. If you took present day Shohei Ohtani and put him in say the 1960s or 1970s Dodgers and got him up to speed on the rule-set for that day, would he play at a high level? Would he even be a two-way player?

[Canadacollects]

Originally Posted by jplarson

I've read lively discussions about how certain players would do if transported to different decades and how they'd match up to yesterday's legends or today's stars. If you took present day Shohei Ohtani and put him in say the 1960s or 1970s Dodgers and got him up to speed on the rule-set for that day, would he play at a high level? Would he even be a two-way player?

He'd blow his arm out and retire.

[Stifle]

Has anyone looked at his injury history. 50 years ago he would have gone through the Sandy Koufax treatment of popping codeine, ice baths, etc. Shohei has had numerous injuries that todays medicine has evolved enough to save careers. Ohtani wouldn’t have lasted in the 70’s very long. The expectations of a starter is to go nearly the entire game.

Final analysis, he probably would be out of baseball as a pitcher 50 years ago.

[cardsin47]

If he can hit and pitch now in the Bigs, no reason to believe he couldn’t in the past — the skills are the skills, no matter what the date is on today’s newspaper….

[rats60]

It depends on what he chose to do. If he was a pitcher, he would have gotten hurt as a rookie and been done. As a hitter he would have been solid putting up All Star numbers.

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by Canadacollects

He'd blow his arm out and retire.

Seems like option deux is the one for you!

[johnlocke36]

Originally Posted by rats60

As a hitter he would have been solid putting up All Star numbers.

We agree, assuming by all star numbers you mean he hit like .520 with 135 HR

[ThoseBackPages]

absolutely

[hermanotarjeta]

Yes, as long as he can stay healthy. His baseball fundamentals are excellent.

[majestik101]

Question is 50 years ago. Poll question is 60 years ago.

Pick one NN.

A better question is, "If Sadaharu Oh played in the MLB, would he be considered the greatest Japanese player ever?"

[JustRachel]

Originally Posted by johnlocke36

We agree, assuming by all star numbers you mean he hit like .520 with 135 HR

At least.
88 mph cheese with mediocre location would look like beach balls to him. He'd be getting the Barry Bonds treatment by mid-April, would break Bonds season IBB record by the end of May.
I don't think it would qualify as the first .500 season though, he wouldn't have the minimum ABs required.

[theredmenace]

The brutal realization that 50 years ago was 1974.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by JustRachel

At least.
88 mph cheese with mediocre location would look like beach balls to him. He'd be getting the Barry Bonds treatment by mid-April, would break Bonds season IBB record by the end of May.
I don't think it would qualify as the first .500 season though, he wouldn't have the minimum ABs required.

You clearly aren't a baseball fan. You could go 1 for 2 and win the batting title with a . 500 BA if you walked 500 times. Minimum for a batting title is plate appearances not at bats.

[JustRachel]

Originally Posted by rats60

You clearly aren't a baseball fan. You could go 1 for 2 and win the batting title with a . 500 BA if you walked 500 times. Minimum for a batting title is plate appearances not at bats.

I stand corrected.
And apparently insulted.
Have a nice day.

[corndog]

As a pitcher? No

Ohtani barely knows what a complete game is having pitched only one.

[cardsin47]

Originally Posted by theredmenace

The brutal realization that 50 years ago was 1974.

You’re right - that’s funny. When I read “50 years ago” I was 1st mentally picturing ( literally ) Gherig and Ruth in black and white photos … man I’m getting old!

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

Yes, as long as he can stay healthy. His baseball fundamentals are excellent.

As long as he can stay healthy ? That’s been problematic because he is injury prone therefore back 50 years ago his career would be in jeopardy.

[sportzluvr1]

They’d see his prowess both on the mound and behind the plate and determine him to be a warlock and set him on fire.

[hxcmilkshake]

Originally Posted by JustRachel

I stand corrected.

And apparently insulted.

Have a nice day.

Badge of honor lol

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[hxcmilkshake]

No Indian (err Native American) casinos back then so no.

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[rms13]

Originally Posted by Stifle

Has anyone looked at his injury history. 50 years ago he would have gone through the Sandy Koufax treatment of popping codeine, ice baths, etc. Shohei has had numerous injuries that todays medicine has evolved enough to save careers. Ohtani wouldn’t have lasted in the 70’s very long. The expectations of a starter is to go nearly the entire game.

Final analysis, he probably would be out of baseball as a pitcher 50 years ago.

Look at Koufax's last two seasons. He had 41 starts and 27 complete games in each season. That was 65 and 66 so a little longer then 50 years ago. Let's look at Nolan Ryan in 1974: 41 starts and 26 complete games. In 1974 there were 9 guys with over 40 starts and a lot more in the high 30s and 9 guys with over 20 complete games. So I agree there is no way Ohtani would have been able to pitch back then with the medicine at that time. Could he have made it as a hitter? Maybe. Would he have had the chance to play in MLB? Probably not. There is was only one Japanese player in MLB before 1995

[atk825]

I mean at the very least his ability to hit would have played 50 years ago. He's also apparently an elite fielder, something we may actually get to see later this year.

[imbluestreak23]

His 52 Topps would set records

[Stifle]

Since Ohtani had his first Tommy John Surgery in 2018 in his MLB rookie season, 50 years ago he would have been a one and done performer. Sad to utilize logic since he had an additional UCL surgery before this season and that would have ended it for certain.

The first Tommy John surgery was performed on Sept 25, 1974. I can remember T. John coming back and it was almost like a life saving surgery for pitchers. It’s amazing that we attempt to take players of today and place them back 50 years in the past. Many believe they would be dominant but in all seriousness, they were gifted to be playing in a era where these injuries didn’t result in the loss of a career. Ohtani most likely would have never come back after his rookie season.

The Poll states 60 years ago but the thread states 50 years ago ? Either way, he would have been a footnote of players with a abundance of skills being lost to injury.

[atk825]

Originally Posted by Stifle

Since Ohtani had his first Tommy John Surgery in 2018 in his MLB rookie season, 50 years ago he would have been a one and done performer. Sad to utilize logic since he had an additional UCL surgery before this season and that would have ended it for certain.

The first Tommy John surgery was performed on Sept 25, 1974. I can remember T. John coming back and it was almost like a life saving surgery for pitchers. It’s amazing that we attempt to take players of today and place them back 50 years in the past. Many believe they would be dominant but in all seriousness, they were gifted to be playing in a era where these injuries didn’t result in the loss of a career. Ohtani most likely would have never come back after his rookie season.

The Poll states 60 years ago but the thread states 50 years ago ? Either way, he would have been a footnote of players with a abundance of skills being lost to injury.

Frank Robinson had an elbow injury in 1959 that necessitated a move to first base for a year or so. Maybe Ohtani never goes two way (or he pitches through pain) but he almost certainly gets to hit and play the field if he can't pitch. In all likelihood, they would have killed his chances of either pitching or hitting since what the coach said went much more often back then.