Ex-Braves star gets brutally honest on Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is in the middle of a historic season in his first year donning the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. Ohtani may not have suited up on the mound all season long after suffering an elbow injury last year, but he continues to find new ways to impact the game. He has become one of the best speed demons in the entire MLB, and combined with his elite power production at the plate, he is on track to become the first player in history to have at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
At the time of writing, Ohtani has hit 47 home runs and stolen 48 bases, and with 16 games remaining on the season, the 30-year-old designated hitter has plenty of time to become the founding member of the 50-50 club.
There is no greater respect than one coming from a true legend of the game. During a guesting on Foul Territory TV, Atlanta Braves legend Andruw Jones, who was a legitimate power and speed demon during his peak in the MLB, gave Shohei Ohtani his vote of confidence in the NL MVP race.
“I think the thing this kid is doing is unbelievable. It’s special,” Jones said. “I think so, yeah, [he’s the MVP.]”
"The thing this kid is doing is unbelievable. It's special."@andruwjones25 picks Shohei Ohtani for MVP and talks about what he saw from him as an 18-year-old in Japan. pic.twitter.com/LobVfkpP85
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 12, 2024
The Braves legend revealed that he had been keeping tabs on Shohei Ohtani back in his playing days in Japan. He thought that his bat wouldn’t come around and that his long-term future was to solely become an elite starting pitcher, but his first season with the Dodgers has shown that he remains an elite player even without his contributions on the mound.
In fact, Jones believes that Ohtani even could have become one of the best outfielders in the game had it not been very overwhelming for him in terms of workload.
“He is a great outfielder. He’s impressive. I saw him and I was like, he’s a great player. He’s got all the tools. He’s tall, speed was there all the time. His bat was shaky and I was like, ‘Man, maybe this guy would just want to stick with pitching. But he changed it. He made the adjustment and we’ve seen it,” Jones added.
What Ohtani is doing for the Dodgers in 2024 should not be taken for granted. It’s hard to think of how Ohtani can top what he’s doing should he actually be the first member of the 50-50 club, but his impending return to the mound next season means that there is more greatness in store for the most unique player in MLB history.
Shohei Ohtani’s power and speed combo dwarfs that of Braves legend Andruw Jones’
Andruw Jones was a rare true five-tool outfielder. He was consistently one of the best defensive center fielders in the game during his heyday with the Braves, and he also hit the ball hard on a regular basis. Of course, injuries were the main reason why Jones’ prime was cut short.
But even before his sudden decline, Jones wasn’t quite able to put together a season with a combination of as much speed and power as Shohei Ohtani has given the Dodgers in 2024. His career-high in home runs came in 2005, when he hit 51 long balls, but he only stole five bases that year — a far cry from his career-high of 27, which he set in 1998.
Jones of all people would know how difficult it is to hit 50 home runs or steal 50 bases in a single season. In fact, only five players in MLB history are part of the 40-40 club before Ohtani joined them this season. This is simply ridiculous stuff from the Dodgers star, and fans better enjoy every single minute of this historic chase.
The post Ex-Braves star gets brutally honest on Shohei Ohtani appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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