1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream. I'm Richard Parks the third, the. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 2: Bases loaded in two outs to the bottom of the 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 2: eleven but tied Game four. 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: Well, this is postseason baseball at its finest, most stressful. 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: Last night, after ten and two thirds innings of baseball, 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: something insane happened. Oh my goodness walked in. The bases 7 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: were loaded, there were two outs and it was the 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: bottom of the eleventh inning at Dodger Stadium, loaded for 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: Andy Pye and again selection very poor, two out on 10 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: bases loaded to if we score, we win the National 11 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: League Division Series and advance to the Championship Series. And 12 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: the Phillies season is over. And guess what happened? You 13 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: o one pitch paus grounds. 14 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 3: It back to Kirk. 15 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 4: Ten scores and the Dodgers are going to the Championship dys. 16 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:28,199 Speaker 2: Oh wow, oh wow wow. 17 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: I mean, that's one of those moments that's gonna live 18 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 1: in history. Going into Game one, this NLDS was the 19 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: most hyped postseason series by far because it was the 20 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: two best teams of their era, dynastically speaking, at their peak, 21 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: with the biggest stars on both sides, the best pitchers, 22 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: the guys with the batting titles, the Biggest Sluggers. It's 23 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: got the East Coast versus West Coast thing going on. 24 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: These are legacy franchises. I mean even the uniforms look 25 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: good together. You got the Phillies red against the Dodger blue. 26 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: Philadelphia fans are always going nuts. Citizens Bank Park is 27 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: famous for that. So the atmosphere was guaranteed to be electric. 28 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: And there's also a sense of urgency because, on top 29 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,399 Speaker 1: of everything else, nobody's getting any younger here, and these 30 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: are athletes. Their window to perform at the peak of 31 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: their powers is very short, if not now. 32 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 5: When I think next round, Dodgers Phillies, that's a world series. 33 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: This is USA Today Beat writer and MLB insider Bob 34 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 1: Nightingale interviewed by the Bleed Loss podcast just before the series. 35 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 5: Because I thinks a coin flip, who's a better team. 36 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 6: Dodgers are Phillies right now. 37 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 3: Give a slight edge to Dodgers. 38 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 6: If they get past that round. How far do you 39 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 6: think they could get? 40 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 5: I think whoever gets that past that round wins the 41 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 5: world series. 42 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: World series, well, the most typed series, and it delivered, 43 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: especially in Game four. Last night's game. The deciding game, 44 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: which the Dodgers won in the most improbable way in 45 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: the eleventh inning by a score of two to one. 46 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 1: So today on the show, we're going to take a 47 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: look at that game and a little bit of the 48 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: rest of the series and take you through what happened, 49 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: and then after a break, we're going to dive in 50 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: and focus on one of the most compelling things we 51 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: saw in this series, which is sho hey Otani. The 52 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: Dodgers two way star on the mound for the first 53 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: time in the postseason, making history. But first, the Dodgers 54 00:03:39,200 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: win a wild wild NLDS Thursday, October ninth, twenty twenty five, 55 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: Dodgers Stadium, the NLDS Game four, Dodgers are up two 56 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,119 Speaker 1: games to one over the Phillies. They just need one 57 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: more to advance. 58 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: Defensive swing up and in with a fastball, and this 59 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 2: one starts with a bang lord Tyler Glassnow. 60 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: This was a pitchers duel. As we're games one in 61 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: two of this series, Game three not so much. But 62 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: we're not gonna talk much about Game three and the 63 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: Dodgers eight to three loss at home with Clayton Kershaw 64 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: getting shellacked. We're not gonna spend much time on that 65 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: at all, because we are going to the NLCS and 66 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: it's all thanks to the game four win. It was 67 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: Tyler glass Now for the Dodgers and Christopher Sanchez for 68 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: the Phillies. 69 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 2: Dodger fans get loud with two outs and they swinging 70 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: a mess in. Glass Now strikeout to end the first 71 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 2: and stranding rutters at the quarters. 72 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: Not very many hits. If there wasn't anything, it wouldn't 73 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 3: be really strung together. 74 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: Well, my co host Wesley Avula, both. 75 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 7: Pictures were dealing. Glasnow was dealing and Christopher Sanchez was dealing. 76 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 7: I mean he was giving it to the Dodgers. They 77 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 7: couldn't hit anything. They couldn't hit water out of a boat. 78 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 7: It was bad, bad, bad bad. Glasnow was locked in 79 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 7: for the most part. He did give up a double 80 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 7: du Schwarbian first sinning, but. 81 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: Got out of it, kept it up, kept it up 82 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 3: most of the game. 83 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 7: And the Dodgers, when they did get some hits, they 84 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 7: couldn't string them together. They would get a hit, get 85 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 7: a guy on, nothing would happen of it, nothing would 86 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 7: come from it. 87 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: These two starters were holding two of the best offenses 88 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: in baseball to goose Eggs Zero's first text I got 89 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: from West during this game. I hate this game. I 90 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: hate pitchers. 91 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 7: Duels for me personally incredibly boring until it's not after 92 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 7: that you know, you get later in the game. 93 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: Later in the game, the inevitable happened. Glasnow had gone 94 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: as long as he could go, and Dodgers manager Dave 95 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: Roberts had no choice but to go to the bullpen. 96 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: By far our biggest area of concern for this postseason. 97 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: And then in the seventh we brought she had. 98 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: In our strategy for dealing with our week bullpen has 99 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 1: been to mostly not use our bullpen guys, but instead 100 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: to use our starters, and so Glasnow was replaced by 101 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: Emmett Shehan, normally a starter in the seventh inning, and 102 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: this is when the Phillies drue first blood. 103 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 7: JT got that hit right off the end of the 104 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 7: bat that he is going to fall the base hit 105 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 7: JT Realmuto and. 106 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 3: Then he ate into a double play right after that. 107 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 2: Kepler on the ground. Freeman's out A second out there. 108 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 3: Man, she had missed it, and I think it goes 109 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 3: in the dugout. It does. 110 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 1: Emit Shean was covering first and was set up to 111 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: receive the ball for the force out that would complete 112 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: a double play. But as you've probably heard, baseball is 113 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: a game of inches, and this was the first illustration 114 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: of that truism in Game four of the NLDS, before 115 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 1: the one that dealt the fatal blow at the end. 116 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: We'll get to that in a moment. 117 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 7: Super frustrating because the throw was made, but it was 118 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 7: a little bit off Shean would have been. 119 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 3: I don't think his foot was on the bag In. 120 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: Trying to position himself correctly to get the force out 121 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: at first, Shean ended up missing the throw from second base, 122 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: and when it sailed into the Phillies dugout. That gave 123 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: the runner an extra base, meaning there was a man 124 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: on second in scoring position. 125 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: Hot one fair ball hits the line and in the 126 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: score is Kepler on his way to second, goes Castianos. 127 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 3: He's in there. 128 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 2: It's a double. The Phillies have grabbed the lead here 129 00:07:59,160 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: in game. 130 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: And cus Siano's double down the line and brought him in. 131 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 7: It just was like, what the At that point, I 132 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 7: turned off the TV like I couldn't watch, might have 133 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 7: changed the channel for a second, went and walked the 134 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 7: Dogs and then asked you, Richie, to let me know 135 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 7: when they were back. 136 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: But then the Dodgers responded. In the bottom of the seventh, 137 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: Alex Call walked and Keiky Hernandez, who's always doing something 138 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: in the postseason, got a base hit. 139 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 3: And it's a hot shot crop base hit. 140 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: Kik Hernandez got the change up, did not miss it. 141 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: It was first and second with one out, Andy Pajes 142 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: at the plate, he grounds out, but that advances the 143 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: runners to second and third and show Hayes coming up. 144 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 2: Now you got a decision too, and this is the 145 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: sign of all metrifspect right here, and they're gonna put 146 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 2: him one. 147 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: They intentionally walk show hay to load the bases so 148 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: that there's a force out at any base, but then 149 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: let her started up. Mookie Bets draws a walk. 150 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 3: That's how we got the run. That's how it tied it. 151 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: Up, and that's how we got our first run and 152 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 1: tied the game. 153 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 3: A run is a run, no matter what. 154 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: One run apiece. And we told you that we have 155 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: concerns about our bullpen, but then we had our secret weapon. 156 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 3: Come the eighth, they bring in Roki Sasaki. 157 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: Roki Sasaki, who log saves in both games one and 158 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: two in Philadelphia, and whose nickname in Japan, may I 159 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,839 Speaker 1: remind you was Kaibutsu the monster. 160 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 2: Bred and Marsh's retired Sasaki is blowing through the village 161 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: battle on the game and he strikes out real Muto 162 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: and rookie Sasaki six up, six down. 163 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: Unfortunately, the Phillies had a secret weapon of their own, 164 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 1: Jesus Lozardo taking a page from our book. Normally a 165 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: starter came in to pitch for the Phillies and he 166 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: had the dodger's number. 167 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 2: Ato Todi. At a call straight three, Luzardo just carves him. 168 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: Up, even into the bullpen. The pitcher's duel continued, and 169 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: after Sasaki got nine up and nine down, Bessie came 170 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: in and thank goodness he was a down. Here he 171 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: comes and a straight You had a massy. 172 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 6: Cut on a sider. 173 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 3: Bessie a stands tall. He strikes out. 174 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: It was one one through the top of the tenth 175 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: and then the bottom of the tenth, and still in 176 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 1: the top of the eleventh, which brings us to the 177 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: bottom of the eleventh when it all came crashing down 178 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: beautifully and tragically in that way that only baseball can be. 179 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 2: That PITCHI calls the gyro slider Tommy Edmond into left 180 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 2: field a base hit, and that's a base. 181 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: Hit up the middle. 182 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: keV on his way to third, Max Munsey has put 183 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 2: the winning run ninety feet away. 184 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: Tommy Edmund singled and was replaced by Hayesan Kim on 185 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 1: the bass paths and Max Munsey singled, and then keiy 186 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: A Hernandez worked a walk. Bases loaded. Andy Piece steps 187 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: in against o'riyan Kerkering. Kerkering, who is twenty four years old, 188 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: made sixty nine appearances for the Phillies during the regular season, 189 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: so he was a workhorse reliever, and he had a 190 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: very good three point three zero ERA, significantly better than 191 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: league average, and he was in the game at this 192 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: all important moment because he's one of the Phillies' best relievers. 193 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: Pa He steps into the box, Kurkering checks the runners, 194 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: stares in, gets the sign and comes set. He kicks 195 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: and fires a ninety six mile per hour sinker in 196 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: on the hands off the plate. Pa Hey swings straight 197 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: through it zho to one. He stares in, shakes once, 198 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: comes set and goes into his motion again. Another ninety 199 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 1: six mile an hour sinker Paye swings and he connects. 200 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: The pitch breaks Paye's back as the ball bounces back 201 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: toward the mound straight at Curkering. It takes one hop 202 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: and then lands just under his glove. He boots it. 203 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: But that's not the bad part. Picture the diamond from overhead. 204 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: The bases are loaded with two outs and everybody he's 205 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: on the move and they've been taking leads, so by 206 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: the time Kirkering is picking up the ball again, Haysan 207 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: Kim is halfway from third base to home plate, and 208 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: the two runners behind him are about halfway advanced too. Pajes, 209 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: on the other hand, is just getting out of the 210 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: left handed batter's box onto the base path as Philly's 211 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: catcher JT. Realmuto removes his catcher's mask with his right hand, 212 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: tossing it aside. He leaves his right arm outstretched and 213 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: points so that Kirkering can see him straight at first base, 214 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: where he's got more time to make a force out. 215 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: But instead of throwing to first or third or second, 216 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 1: Kirkering throws home badly way wide up the third base line, 217 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: and real Muto has no chance to get it. Haysan 218 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: Kim crosses home plate and his foot actually misses the plate, 219 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: but as the ball bounces around near the backstop, he 220 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: has more than enough time to double back and make 221 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,959 Speaker 1: sure he's touched home plate for real, to score the 222 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: deciding run of the game. You know, one pitch Paus 223 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 1: grounds it back to Kirkery be getting. 224 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 4: Winding good scores and the Dodgers are going to the 225 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 4: championship days. 226 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. 227 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 3: Wow. 228 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: I mean, that's one of those moments that's gonna live 229 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: in history. And that was right in front of him too. 230 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: He didn't even look at first. Even if you're not 231 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: looking at first, you kind of know where the runner 232 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: is up the line, and he's like halfway there maybe. 233 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: As the Dodgers emptied their dugout and ran onto the 234 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: field to mob their teammates who are on the base 235 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: paths in celebration, Kirkering stood stock still in front of 236 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: the mound in the exact location he had thrown the 237 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: ball from, bent over at the waist, hands on his knees, 238 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: head straight down. So the Dodgers are advancing to the 239 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: National League Championship Series. That's a best of seven series, 240 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: the winner of which owns the National League pennant for 241 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five and is headed to the World Series. 242 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: The Dodgers' opponent in the NLCS has yet to be 243 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: determined at the time of this writing. It'll either be 244 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: the Brewers or the Cubs, whoever wins Game five in 245 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: that series. After the break, will take a close look 246 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: at one of the most exciting developments we saw during 247 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: this NLDS, Shohei Otani on the mound in the postseason 248 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: for the very first time. Stay with us, all right, now, 249 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: I want to do a little segment on Show Hey 250 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: Otani as a pitcher, because we've just seen Show Hay's 251 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: postseason debut and he pitched great. And this at the 252 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: end of a year where we were seeing Show Hey 253 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: pitch as a Dodger for the first time. And so 254 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: if you've just been following the Dodgers, or if you've 255 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: just been following this show and are relatively new to baseball, 256 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: you might not know just how special and unique this is. 257 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: And I get asked a lot, but I guess because 258 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 1: I host a podcast called Dodger Blue Dream. Oh yeah, 259 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: I think I've heard of that show. Hey Otani. Guy, 260 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: He's special, right, he's like the Michael Jordan of baseball. 261 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: And I never know exactly how to reply because I'm like, yeah, 262 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: I mean, he's that good, So I guess he's like 263 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan. But he's actually more than that. He's like 264 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: two Michael Jordan's because he both hits and pitches simultaneously, 265 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: and he's really really great at both. So he's like 266 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: two generational talents in one player. And you might know 267 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: that Aabe Ruth also pitched and hit at the major 268 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: league level, and to some extent that is analogous, but 269 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 1: Babe Ruth basically stopped pitching in order to hit. All 270 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: of his greatest home run seasons came after he stopped 271 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: pitching regularly, and for example, shohe hit fifty five home 272 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: runs this year, one less than the league lead, and 273 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: he had a two to eighty seven er on the mound. Babe, 274 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: on the other hand, never hit fifty homers in a 275 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: year where he pitched. The closest was in nineteen nineteen, 276 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: he hit twenty nine home runs and he pitched one 277 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty three innings in his last year where 278 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: he was doing a significant amount of pitching, but all 279 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: of his thirty plus forty plus fifty plus home run 280 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: seasons came after he stopped pitching. Show Hay's doing both 281 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: at once. So let's break it down and appreciate for 282 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: a moment the two way player, the god that is 283 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: our show Hey Otani. When Sho hay signed to the 284 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: Dodgers in the twenty twenty four offseason, he also underwent 285 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: a major elbow surgery on his pitching arm, and so 286 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: during his first year on the team he would be 287 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: rehabbing from that injury and not able to pitch. In 288 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, show Hayes first year on the team, 289 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 1: we were only seeing him play one way, that is offensively, 290 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: and that was a beautiful thing to see. Otani Censor 291 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: of the Year. 292 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 4: The other way tis. 293 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: He hits towering home runs. He hit fifty four homers 294 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: last year, which was the most in the National League. 295 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 1: The next closest was Marcelo Zuna, who had thirty nine, 296 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: And to understand just how rare that really is, no 297 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: Dodger in the history of the Dodgers had ever hit 298 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: fifty in a season before. Never just thirty four players 299 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: in the history of the major leagues have ever hit 300 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 1: more than fifty homers in a season. Hank Aaron, who 301 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: passed Babe Ruth's all time career home run total and 302 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: now sits at number two on that list behind Barry Bonds, 303 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,360 Speaker 1: never hit fifty in a single season, So fifty four 304 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: homers in his first year as a Dodger pretty significant. 305 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: And on top of that, because he wasn't pitching, Shohey 306 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: was focusing on stealing more bases. There they go, throw 307 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: it to third, beats him, but he got his sign. 308 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: He stole fifty nine bases last year, second overall in 309 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: the National League behind Elie de la Cruz, who is 310 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: one of the fastest players I've ever seen play baseball. 311 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: And to understand how rare that is, only seven Dodgers 312 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: in the history of the Dodgers have ever passed fifty 313 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: stolen bases in a single season since nineteen hundred. The 314 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,879 Speaker 1: last Dodger to do it was De Strange Gordon in 315 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen. And Mookie Betts, for example, who is a 316 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: five tool player, meaning among other things, he runs the 317 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: base as well and is fast. Mooki's career high of 318 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: stolen bases in a single season thirty eight, not fifty, 319 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: not even forty and so with those two totals, the 320 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: fifty four home runs and the fifty nine stolen bases, 321 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:53,239 Speaker 1: Shohe went fifty to fifty in his first year as 322 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: a Dodger, the first player ever in the history of 323 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: the game to do that. Five other players have gone 324 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: on forty forty. And if you want to hear more 325 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: about this, you can check out our episodes This is 326 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: Almost forty forty forty forty Vision and shohe O Tani 327 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: fifty to fifty Ichibon, which we just republished on the 328 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: feed a couple weeks ago. And he did all of 329 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:19,719 Speaker 1: this while rehabbing from his second major elbow surgery, building 330 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: himself back up to become a starting pitcher at the 331 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: major league level again. Which brings us to twenty twenty five, 332 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: the first year we got to see show Hay on 333 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: the bump aka the pitching mound as a Los Angeles Dodger, 334 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: and even though he was pitching at an elite level 335 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: this year, he continued to wow us offensively. Show Hey 336 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 1: hit fifty five home runs this year, one more than 337 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: his total last year and finishing second in the National 338 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: League behind Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies who hit fifty six, 339 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: and that made him just the sixth player in Major 340 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: League Baseball history to hit fifty home runs in two 341 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: consecutive years. But show hey only stole twenty bases in 342 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, and sure, that made him the first 343 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: player in history to hit fifty homers and steal twenty 344 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,719 Speaker 1: bases in two consecutive seasons. But come on, I mean, 345 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: why didn't he go fifty to fifty again? The answer 346 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: is because he was pitching again. 347 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 3: Otani's ready, Trout's ready. 348 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 2: Three to two, Hey, stretch him out, Otani strikes out Trout, 349 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 2: and Japan's back on top of the baseball world. 350 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: How when sho He first came to the major leagues 351 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen, he was mostly thought of as a 352 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: better pitcher than he was a hitter. 353 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 5: Sho Hey Otani decided not to go straight to the 354 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 5: major leagues, even though he didn't put a little bit 355 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 5: of thought into it. 356 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 3: Twenty years old, facing this lineup, just some. 357 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 5: Dead red gas right back or no goes down swinging. 358 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: You can find highlights of him striking out seven major 359 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: League baseball stars when he was just twenty years old 360 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: to two. 361 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 5: Pitch to ben Zobrist, swings and misses for strike three, 362 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 5: bold strike three to Carlos Santana. Thought that might have 363 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 5: been a little in and how over the top of 364 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 5: that this week strikes out, seventh strikeout to this point 365 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 5: for Otani. 366 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: For Otani, it's like we got to see a whole 367 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: new player in twenty twenty five. Show Hey the pitcher, 368 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,199 Speaker 1: And now you're starting to understand he's not just Michael Jordan. 369 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: He's to Michael Jordan's And you're probably thinking, how on 370 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: earth did this happen? How did we get here? What 371 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: is the story of show Hay the two way talent? 372 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: When he was growing up, show Hay was what in 373 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: Japan is known as a yakiyu show, a baseball obsessed kid. 374 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 1: As with so many players who make it to the 375 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: major leagues, it all started with his parents. Tou Otani 376 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: played baseball at the amateur level. Toro was an outfielder 377 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: in an industrial league in Japan, playing for a team 378 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:24,160 Speaker 1: sponsored by the local Mitsubishi plant in Oshu, about three 379 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 1: hundred miles north of Tokyo, where shohe grew up. But 380 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: according to an article I found online, after a shoulder injury, 381 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: At twenty five, Toru took a step back from baseball 382 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: and went to work full time at the factory. Shohei's 383 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: mother was also athletic. She played badminton at an advanced level, 384 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: and Shohey's older brother also played baseball. Shohi's dad has 385 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: been quoted as saying that he felt like he was 386 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,239 Speaker 1: too busy with work to teach Shohei's older brother how 387 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 1: to play. They didn't even have time to play catch 388 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: because of that. Toro has been quoted as saying, I 389 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 1: was determined to teach show Hay baseball as hard as 390 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: I could. That's the translation that I found online. Toro 391 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: was still working at the Mitsubishi plant the night shift, 392 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: but he carved out the time on weekends to play 393 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: baseball with show Hay. Toro's coaching was thorough. One article 394 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: reads the advice he gave to his son as a 395 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: pitcher was to adopt a clean form and place his 396 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 1: fingers firmly on the seam of the ball when pitching. 397 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 1: As for batting, his father taught him to strike with 398 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: the meat of the bat. So early on, at the 399 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: very beginning, we already see show Hay playing two ways. 400 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: This isn't unusual, though not at this early stage. Every 401 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 1: little kid both pitches and hits in little league. Even 402 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: I did both, and it's common for all the very 403 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: most talented, dedicated, and fortunate kids who make it all 404 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: the way to the major leagues to come up as 405 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: two way players. Through the early stages, a lot of 406 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 1: major leaguers were little kid pitchers who ended up moving 407 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: to other positions and vice versa. Sometimes this happens at 408 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: as late a stage as in the minor leagues. When 409 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: you're drafted, major league teams ask you to decide is 410 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: it going to be pitching or hitting? But nobody has 411 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: ever played two ways at the major league level. But 412 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: that was young Shoh's dream. 413 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 6: Gonna. You know, I feel like I was more talented 414 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 6: as a hitter growing up, and it was hard for 415 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 6: me to pitch, actually, so I feel like I'm more 416 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 6: of like a hitter who could learned how to pitch 417 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 6: more than the pitcher learning how to hit. 418 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 3: What was the word du fish that you used in there. 419 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: While at Hanamaki Higashi High School, when Shohei was just 420 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:04,200 Speaker 1: eighteen years old, show he threw a pitch that registered 421 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 1: at one hundred and sixty kilometers per hour. That's ninety 422 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: nine point four miles per hour. That set a record. 423 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: So it's a big deal to throw one hundred. If 424 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: you do it, pretty much guarantees that you can make 425 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: it to the big leagues as a pitcher. And at 426 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: this point, Shohey is still in high school. His senior year, 427 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: that same year, he hit a gargantuan home run on 428 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 1: his high school field that sailed way up over the 429 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: fence and over a cops of trees behind it that 430 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: is still talked about to this day. This is when 431 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: sho Hay first proved that he could excel at both 432 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: hitting and pitching simultaneously. It was metaphorically speaking nito ru, 433 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: the two sword samurai fighting style that's used to describe 434 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 1: a two way player in Japan. It's an advanced fighting style, 435 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: and in the baseball context, at the tender age of eighteen, 436 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: shohy had already proved that he could excel at it. 437 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: He even preferred to do both simultaneously, and that became 438 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: his goal to take that all the way to the 439 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: big leagues. Otani was different from the beginning, said Jim Allen, 440 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: a Westerner who's covered baseball in Japan for more than 441 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: thirty years. He was going to hit and pitch, and 442 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: there was such controversy about it in Japan, fans loved it. 443 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: Out of high school, young Shoh held the press conference 444 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: announcing that he would be going straight to America, an 445 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: unprecedented move for a young Japanese baseball player who hadn't 446 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: even gone pro. Show Hay had interests from many Major 447 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: League teams, including the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Dodgers, 448 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: but specializing at a specific position is just part of 449 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: the deal if you want to be in the major leagues. 450 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: MLB teams ask their two way prospects to choose a 451 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: focus either pitching or hitting, even before developing them in 452 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 1: their minor league systems. Show Hay had the talent to 453 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: go to America fresh out of high school, but it 454 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: would be at the risk of maintaining his two way style. 455 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: Apart from the implausibility of the idea of a player 456 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: excelling both as a hitter and as a pitcher professionally, 457 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: which had never been done before, there were real risks. 458 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: Let's talk a little. 459 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 2: Bit about a couple areas of his body that could 460 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 2: be affected by hitting and pitching. 461 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: The risk of injury goes way up. Yeah, so we've 462 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: seen an uptick and oblique injury and hitters in the 463 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 1: past couple of seasons in Major League Baseball. And then 464 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 1: from an organizational standpoint, you're dealing with a player who 465 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: is so young, his prefrontal cortex hadn't fully developed yet, 466 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: and you're making an investment. And if you're letting him 467 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: play two ways, you're risking diluting his potential of excelling 468 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: at either of these two things. But MLB teams were 469 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: still interested in show Hey. He was just that good. 470 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: And in the meantime, the Nipon ham Fighters, a team 471 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: in Japan's Nipon Professional Baseball League, the MLB equivalent in Japan, 472 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: went through the process of drafting show Hay, which was 473 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: their prerogative based on the various rules and regulations of 474 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 1: Japanese baseball. The ham Fighters put together a presentation entitled 475 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: the Path to Realizing sho Hey Otani's Dream, and to 476 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: quote an article from MLB dot Com, it was a 477 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: carefully calculated sales pitch about the travails of rookie ball 478 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: players in the States. They put together a video, said 479 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: Robert Whiting, who's written extensively about baseball in Japan. It 480 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: showed the really tough stuff that young minor leaguers have 481 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: to go through, and especially what Otani would have to 482 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: go through, the lack of Japanese restaurants, the eighteen hour 483 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: bus rides, things like that. But it also highlighted how 484 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: he would be an instant star with Nipon ham. Whiting continued, 485 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: how family and friends would be there, how he would 486 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: have this comfortable cocoon and they would help him train 487 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: to get to the major leagues as a two way player. 488 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: Aine ekl American holde come thing, not that you kill. 489 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 1: Young Shohei decided to stay in Japan. Gonenkan ariato Ariato. 490 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: Otani's pitching stardom was meteoric according to MLB dot com, 491 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: but his average was low, as was his slugging percentage. 492 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: But in terms of hitting, it wasn't clicking right away 493 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: for show Hey after he went pro, and he was 494 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: quicker to prove himself as a pitcher than as a hitter. 495 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 1: Mad to get this guy on the way. In twenty fourteen, 496 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: he had an opportunity to pitch on the world stage 497 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: against major League baseball stars in an exhibition game. Otani, 498 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: the course has had high price for all parts off 499 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 1: my spook. We'll see you play in the field and 500 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: in this tournament, and he struck out Yasiel Puigue, Justin 501 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: Morneau and Evan Longoria. 502 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 3: Writes book Pig Upitsu. 503 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: But the following year he struggled even more at the plate, 504 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: hitting just two two. According to MLB dot Com, he 505 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: did not put both sides of his game together until 506 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, four years after going pro. That year, Otani's 507 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: slash line was three twenty two, four, sixteen, five eighty eight, 508 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: and he hit twenty two home runs, and as a pitcher, 509 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 1: he had a one eighty six er and struck out 510 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: one hundred and seventy four in just one hundred and 511 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: forty innings. He was named MVP of the Pacific League 512 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: and he led the hand Fighters to a Japanese series title. 513 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: Shotani known as the Japanese Babe route. 514 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 2: He's going to be a difference maker. 515 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: He's coming to America, to America, the America, the America, 516 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: and he's been playing both sides of the game ever since. 517 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: Dodger Blue Dream is written and per used by me 518 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: Richard Parks, the third My co host is Chef wes Avula. 519 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 1: Original music in this episode by William Ryan Fritch, Jonathan Snipes, 520 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,760 Speaker 1: The Blasting Company, and by me. This episode was story 521 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: edited by Caitlin Esh production assistance from Tyler Hill Dodger. 522 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,279 Speaker 1: Blue Dream is produced in partnership with iheart's My Cultura 523 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: podcast network. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, 524 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.