How Shohei Ohtani Is Disrupting Baseball
Major League Baseball, is home to the game’s best players, so is it truly so surprising that ‘amateur’ Shohei Ohtani is causing such a disruption? Thought of as the best player outside of big-league employ, this Japanese two-way player is just 23 and already making his mark in the baseball world. With his new position on the Los Angeles Angels, it’s practically impossible to ignore his disruptive presence, so here, we’re exploring deeper into just who Shohei Ohtani is, and how – or rather why – he’s having such a disruptive effect on the baseball industry.
Who Is Shohei Ohtani?
Ever since the initial hype around just who Ohtani was going to sign with for the 2018 MLB, the 23-year-old has captured the hearts and minds of baseball fans worldwide. Despite being under 25 and technically still classed as an amateur because of it, Ohtani went on to sign with the Los Angeles Angels despite speculation suggesting he’d be better off with the Yankees, The Red Sox, or even the Texas Rangers. Of course, this wasn’t to be, but only this year’s gameplay will truly tell us if he’s made the right decision.
Born July 5th 1994 in Iwate, Japan, Ohtani previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the NBP Pacific League, and was even the first pick of the Fighters in the 2012 draft. His career so far has proved not only promising, but successful too, and while the entire sport is filled with successful players, what’s so special about this particular one?
What’s So Special About Him?
Shohei Ohtani showed promise from a high-school age, where he threw the fastest pitch by a high school pitcher. This throw was an incredible 160km/h (99mph) and his skill was so great, in fact, that he even claimed that he was going to go straight to the MLB despite the thousands of dollar he could’ve lost in doing so. Ohtani is a two-way player, with a throwing speed averaging at 102mph and a pretty good batting record too, which is just one reason among many that he’s proving to be quite the disruptive presence in the sport. The bets are already rolling in for the MLB, with Ohtani expected to be high up there in the odds as a leading player this season.
His double play is one of his best but arguably most difficult skills to place. With his abilities in pitching and batting, placing him in one or the other would certainly be wasting the potential in the other, and it’s for this reason that the MLB, and fantasy baseball alike are starting to suffer confusion and, as mentioned before, plenty of disruption. Knowing everything about Shohei Ohtani isn’t exactly necessary, but understanding just why he’s such an important addition to the MLB is certainly a good place to start. After all, this young, international addition to the Los Angeles Angels already has eager fans and professionals on the edge of their seats.
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Baseball is a big part of the baseball culture, and now more than ever, questions around the gameplay are starting to arise. To understand just why these problems around Shohei Ohtani and the fantasy gameplay are arising, we’re looking into just what fantasy baseball is, and why Shohei Ohtani is proving to be a disruption.
What Is Fantasy Baseball?
Fantasy Baseball is the sport’s answer to ‘fantasy football’ and is equally, if not more, fun. This game allows players to manage their very own roster of league baseball players, collecting the right players and putting them with the right managers to get the best stats. Scoring points against other players is the aim here, but the gameplay isn’t always as simple as just collecting and building the right stats. Here’s a more in-depth look at the gameplay:
- Player Selection
Player selection is the stage in which you get to form your very own baseball team, filled only with the players that you want to have. Your major league players and their stats are what will get you those much needed wins, so you’ll have to keep your fingers crossed that those players play well in real life – yes, really. The stats on fantasy baseball are the stats of the players in their real time games. In other words, pick the best, and hope that they stay the best if you want to keep winning your fantasy baseball games!
- Stakes
While not all fantasy leagues have money involved, many do in fact require an entry fee or an ante that you could win back at the end. Charges can be applied before the season begins, and throughout for activity such as trades or acquisitions while the season is in progress. As the season ends, the overall winners will receive a cut of the overall pot, however the non-profit leagues are often played simply for the pride of being able to claim victory.
- Gameplay
Gameplay will differ from league to league, however the most popular form of play is the head-to-head format in which individual players will go up against a different team every week. The teams with the most points at the end of the season will have a playoff not unlike the MLB postseason, and the winner is the one that, of course, doesn’t lose. However, the rotisserie style of play is gaining popularity too. Statistics compiled by players are ranked by category, and at the end of the season, the team with the highest cumulative rank wins.
The statistics you’re likely to see include; team batting average, total home runs, total runs batted in, total stolen bases, total wins, total saves, team earned run average, and team WHIP.
How Are They Dealing With Shohei Ohtani?
Now we know just what fantasy baseball is, the question remains as to why Shohei Ohtani is affecting the game. The simple answer is this; Ohtani is every player’s dream, and keeping gameplay fair while including him within fantasy baseball could prove to be a struggle. However, CBS Fantasy Baseball has done their bit and found a way to make it work.
Players can revel in the incredible stats that Ohtani provides, however to level it all out, you can only use the stats from one of his skills at any one time. In other words, if you choose Ohtani’s hitter stats, any pitches he makes in a match won’t affect your stats or gameplay.
The disruptive nature of such an incredible player is one that is not only down to Ohtani, but down to the changing nature of the game. A once stubborn and unmoving sport, Baseball is starting to adapt and change with innovative young players, and Ohtani is certainly proving to be one of the best. How he’ll prove to shine this season has yet to be seen, but to find out, watch this space.
