1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hello. If you like what you hear, please rate and 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: review the show. However you can, I make this show 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: and provide it free of charge. This is what I 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: ask in exchange. Thank you for considering it, and thank 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: you for listening. 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: Bitch time for DoD You Base Bush. 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: Stadium, Saint Louis, Missouri, August seventeenth, twenty twenty four. 8 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 3: To think of him as one of the elite base dealers, 9 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 3: I think some people who know of his work, that 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: wouldn't be the top trait they would think about. But 11 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: he's been so valuable there. This year, Batani runs wrote 12 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 3: on a second base and there is number thirty six 13 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 3: for a show Hey Otani in the stolen base category. 14 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: Later that same day. 15 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 3: Soatani steals yet another base is second of the ballgame, 16 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 3: and it looks so casual for him. 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: And during the same game. 18 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 3: APO's crushed my field way back there and he likes 19 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 3: that's what not? 20 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 4: So Hey, I'm Tani, dooste. 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: And then the next day Tani on our rope to 22 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: right end of the bullpen and gone. 23 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 4: Deja vu for show Hey, Hey. 24 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: Believe it or not? Show Hey Otani has been slumping 25 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: of late, and yet with his unfathomable reserves of speed 26 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: and power. He is now on the precipice of making 27 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: baseball history. Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream. I'm Richard Parks. 28 00:01:52,880 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: Today's episode this is almost forty forty. You know every 29 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: baseball fan loves numbers. Let me tell you about a 30 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: few of my favorites. Sixty gotta love sixty. That's the 31 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: number of home runs Babe Ruth hit during his historic 32 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty seven season, one of the best offensive seasons 33 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: in baseball history. 34 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: A long one going out right. 35 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 4: The thing was backing up against the wall. 36 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: He can't get it him. Sixty homers was more than 37 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: any other team in the American League hit that year, 38 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: and by team, I mean all players combined, more than 39 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: the Red Sox entire roster. Sixty was a record that 40 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: stood for decades and it's still iconic. Sacenta porvida, my 41 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: next favorite baseball number. Let's go one down from sixty 42 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: to fifty nine. Fifty nine that's the number of scoreless 43 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: innings pitched in Oral Herscheiser's epic scoreless streak, a Los 44 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: Angeles Dodger record for the ages still unbroken to this day. 45 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: Oral's streak down the stretch in nineteen eighty eight helped 46 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: us win the Division that year, something nobody thought we 47 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: could do in a year that was so improbable. As 48 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 1: Vin Scully put. 49 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 4: It, Bryan two, the tonny bull, and who. 50 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: Could forget bulldog natching the last out of the World 51 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: Series that year with a punch out and getting mobbed 52 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: by his teammates with Vinnie on the call, got him. 53 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: They've done it, Like the nineteen sixty nine match. 54 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 4: It's the impossible dream re visited. 55 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: One final number for you, well, two, a number so 56 00:03:52,960 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: nice we say it twice forty forty forty forty home 57 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: runs and forty stolen bases in a single season by 58 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 1: a single player. Two numbers, one representing power, the other 59 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: speed together separated by a little hyphen and a combination 60 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: so rare that when I was growing up a baseball 61 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 1: obsessed kid, only one person had ever achieved this in 62 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: the history of baseball. 63 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: He's leaning a little bit right now. 64 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: Jose Canseco was the first to do it during his 65 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight MVP season, and to this day it's 66 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: been done just five times. Ever, you know, with those 67 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: other numbers, when the record's broken, the number two changes, 68 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: sixty turns to sixty one than sixty five, and sixty 69 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: six than seventy than seventy three. Who can keep up? 70 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: But the point is that the icon is revised. It 71 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: doesn't feel the same, But forty forty has the permanence 72 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: of a brick and mortar. Forty forty is a club. 73 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: It's the forty forty club. It's a very tough club 74 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: to get into, ultra exclusive. Many have attempted to enter, 75 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: only to be turned away at the door by the 76 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: bouncers known as the baseball gods. Only the best of 77 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: the best, during the best of their best seasons, have 78 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: ever gone beyond that velvet rope canseco bawds a rod. 79 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: The list is short and highly distinguished, and once you leave, 80 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: it's no easier to get back in. There isn't a 81 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: single player who's gone forty forty more than once, and 82 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 1: no Dodger has hit those numbers ever. But now, maybe 83 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: sometime this week, maybe even tonight, Shohei Otani is on 84 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: the verge of becoming the first Dodger in franchise history 85 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: to go forty forty and just the sixth player all time. 86 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: With his two home runs and two stolen bases in 87 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: the Dodgers series against the Cardinals over the weekend in 88 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: Saint Louis. Show Hay is sitting at thirty nine home 89 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: runs and thirty seven stolen bases as I write these words, 90 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: one home run and three stolen bases away, and he's 91 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: stolen three bases in a single game before. He just 92 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 1: did it earlier this month in Oakland, and he seems 93 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: to hit one out just about every day. So I 94 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: want to slow down for a moment and pause here 95 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: and appreciate it as it unfolds, because life is short, 96 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: and baseball history is being made in front of our 97 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: very eyes. While styles of play have come and gone 98 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: over the years, throughout the history of baseball, one thing 99 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: has remained fairly consistent. A player who hits a lot 100 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: of home runs does not steal a lot of bases. 101 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: The combination of speed and power and the skill it 102 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: takes to turn those things into homers and steals is 103 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: found only in the very best players. There's this term 104 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: five tool player. It means a player who hits for average, 105 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: hits for power, has speed, can throw, and can field. 106 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: Somebody who excels in all of those areas is a 107 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: baseball rarity. Barry Bonds was one of those players. Ken 108 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: Griffy Junior was two, and the most famous and prominent 109 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: five tool player of all time was probably the hey kid. 110 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: Willie Mays work is. 111 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 2: A terrific crime watcheter. 112 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 4: But they're going really he turns and makes. 113 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: I'm a regular. 114 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: Come on he. 115 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 2: Way back, way back. 116 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: Mays, who passed away earlier this year, is widely known 117 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: as the most complete baseball player ever. But even Willy 118 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: Mays never went forty forty. He did go thirty thirty, 119 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: something only forty seven players have ever done, but never 120 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: forty forty, and that illustrates just how rare an achievement 121 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: this is. Here. He is. 122 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 4: Sho hey Otani. 123 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: Most designated hitters are slow and plodding, but show Tan 124 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: he isn't most designated hitters garbage steel. 125 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 4: Tani again reaches out, smacks it to short. There's kim, 126 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 4: there's still guts now. The first is later. You see 127 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 4: one of the tools that is probably underappreciated, just given 128 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 4: everything that he does. He's got great speed, a horn speed. 129 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: Show Hay already holds the single season record for most 130 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: stolen bases by a DH in twenty twenty one, twenty 131 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: five of show Hay's twenty six total steals came as 132 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: a DH, and that was the most bassis show Hey 133 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: had ever stolen in a season until twenty twenty four. 134 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: This spring, knowing he wouldn't be pitching, Shoey decided to 135 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: redouble his focus on his running game instead, and after 136 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: stealing four bases in the month of April, he's picking 137 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: up the pace. He stole twelve in the month of July. 138 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 3: Thani and He's base stealing threat are on first. 139 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: Most players who have gotten this close to forty forty 140 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: usually haven't done so until very late in the season, 141 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: and there is. 142 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,839 Speaker 3: Number thirty six for a show Hey Otani and the 143 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 3: stolen base category. Zani steals yet another bagas show. 144 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 1: Hay's pace is unreal, He's basically gone thirty thirty over 145 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: the last eighty or so games. That's like an entire 146 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: historic season's production in just half a season's games, and 147 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: with more than thirty games left to play, it's plausible 148 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: that Shohey might become the first player to ever get 149 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: to forty five forty five. He might even get to 150 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: fifty to fifty if he does it. Would be hard 151 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: to argue with the case for show hay is becoming 152 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: the first ever designated hitter MVP. There's something sublime about 153 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: watching this rare talent unlock level after new level of 154 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: mastery of the game that I love. How does he 155 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: do it? To quote Sublime? Who taught you those new tricks? Damn? 156 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 1: I shouldn't start that talk? And when will he go 157 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: forty forty? Will it be tonight tomorrow? To quote Sublime again, 158 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: Life is one big question when you're staring at the clock, 159 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: and the answer is always waiting at the ballpark forty 160 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: forty club to freedom. So I take that walk and 161 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: I know, oohoo, I'm not coming back. I'll see y'all 162 00:11:47,679 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: down at Dodger Stadium. Dodger Blue Dream is written and 163 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: produced by Me Richard Parksid. This episode was story edited 164 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 1: by Jordan Bass. Original music in this episode by William 165 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: Ryan Fritch, The Blasting Company, and by me. Please rate 166 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: and review Dodger Blue Dream, however you can or share 167 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: it with one friend today. Thanks for listening.