Shannon Sharpe strikingly compared Japan’s Shohei Ohtani to American baseball legend Babe Ruth, claiming that the two-way Los Angeles Angels outfielder is better than the New York Yankees legend because of playing in an “integrated system”.
In hosting the latest episode of Fox Sports Undisputed alongside Skip Bayless, the three-time Super Bowl champ noted how blessed sports fans have watched top-tier competitive sporting events over the past six months.
“Skip, the last two world events… I don’t know if we can get any better. The World Cup and we did,” she remembers [Kylian] Mbappe and Lionel Messi score the goal and then go to the extra goal [time] Then it goes to PKs.
Then you get the World Baseball Classic. Showtime Ohtani gets to face fellow Mike Trout. And that’s what you want. You get two of the best [MLB] players. Yes. what do you have? let me show you.
“Skip, it’s… I don’t want to say but I’ll say ‘yeah it’s better’ because Babe Ruth didn’t play in an integrated system. He didn’t face the best players because there were some really good black players that he didn’t get a chance to face.” [Ohtani’s] Facing the best black players, Latino players, whoever the player is…”
Three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe, 54, compared Japan’s Shuhei Ohtani with American Babe Ruth on the final episode of “Undisputed” on Tuesday.
Otani and Team Japan lifted the WBC Cup after defeating Team USA in Miami on Tuesday
Ruth is undoubtedly considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time despite playing during the era of racial segregation in America
After playing 22 seasons of professional baseball, from 1914 through 1935, Ruth began her MLB career as a left-handed star player for the Boston Red Sox. However, he achieved new levels of fame as a tired outfielder for the New York Yankees.
Ruth is considered by many to be one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture, and undoubtedly by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. However, this award is widely disputed due to black players having to play in the Negro league, while the “Bambino” played during the segregation era.
Ruth was eventually elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, a year after his retirement in 1935, as one of the five inaugural members, receiving 95.13 percent of the vote in favor of his inauguration (first ballot).
“Skip,” Sharpe said of Ohtani, “historically he’s great.” It transcends greatness, whatever you want to say is the Pantheon.
He is for Japan what Messi is for Argentina. is what portugal [Cristiano] Ronaldo. […] It’s that big, skip. I mean it is everything.
Sharp added that Ohtani is ‘better than advertised’ due to his versatile skills at the bat, in the outfield and at the mound, comparing the 28-year-old to an exceptionally well-made movie trailer role.
“You know how they show you the trailer, and then it feels like a good movie,” said the 54-year-old. And then you go and watch the movie. They say the trailer doesn’t do it justice.
Whatever we use to describe Ohtani, we don’t do him justice. Because he’s great as a pitcher and then you now go to the other side of the plate. So how many times do we get the best pitcher to be the best hitter, or the best fielder.
Otani was voted tournament MVP after hitting . 435 with one homer, four doubles, eight doubles, and 10 walks while going 2-0 with a save and a 1.86 ERA on the mound, striking out 11 in 9 2/3 innings.
Ruth hit his first home run during his tour of Japan at Meiji Shrine Stadium in Tokyo in 1934
Then, Sharpe, of course, made the football analogy, well aware that being a regular starter on a team without necessarily playing a major position, having played NFL tight end for 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos .
“Skip, you know sometimes how a quarterback isn’t necessarily the best player, but you know he’s more valuable,” said the first NFL tight end to accumulate over 10,000 yards.
It is valuable. its the best. It’s everything,” he said, referring to Ohtani. Will we see him again? I don’t know. i doubt it. I mean, it took that long for us. I mean, I can’t bear to hear the stories. Not many people are alive to see Babe Ruth and his exploits. But to watch this guy…if he’s 24, he could be the first person to land a $500 million contract. He could literally make $50 million a year and his salary would be an understatement.
And that’s the skip thing… because it’s in Anaheim. We don’t get a chance to see this greatness on display as if it were [on the] Los Angeles Dodgers. Whether in New York, or with Boston with the Red Sox.
Sharpe pointed out that US sportscasters aren’t doing Oktani justice by not showing his talent and skills as often on TV, due to the fact that the Japanese two-way player is a member of the LA Angels — a team that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2014.
Referring to Japan’s 3-2 victory over the United States on Tuesday, in which Otani delivered a dominant display, Sharp said, “Skip, look what he did. He went by Mookie Betts, MVP. Mike Trout, MVP. Goldschmidt, MVP.” He did.
“What do you want… Skip it, it’s like if I’m at the Super Bowl, I want to see Jerry Rice and I want to see Deion [Sanders] Go head to head. […] Money is at stake. We throw a fade.
‘what do you have…’
Ohtani was voted WBC Most Valuable Player after hitting . 435 with one homer, four doubles, eight RBIs and 10 walks while going 2-0 with a save and a 1.86 ERA on the mound, striking out 11 in 9 2/3 innings pitched.
Japan joined the Dominican Republic in 2013 as the only undefeated champion of Major League Baseball. The Samurai Warriors won 7-0 and outscored opponents 56-18, reaching the final for the first time since winning their first WBCs in 2006 and 2009. No other country has won the title more than once.
Japan will also receive $3 million in prize money, while the United States will receive only $1.7 million. Half of it goes to the players, and the other half goes to the National Baseball Association.
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