Is Shohei Ohtani The FUTURE of Baseball?! | Outkick 360 

I have been a Houston Astros fan for years. When Othani came into the league I subscribed to MLB to watch the Angels. So I became an Angels fan in addition to the Astros. When Othani moves to another team I will become a fan of his next team. Yet I will also be fans of Houston and the Angels continually because I came to know the players. This is the power influence of Othani.

This was the most watched baseball game world wide in history. America may not care as much but the world does.

Agree. Shohei should be marketed better. He is a superstar

Even though OHTANI might not have the biggest media exposure in America, he’s EVERYWHERE in Japan and Asia in general. I know baseball and the mlb might not have the same exposure as the nba or nfl locally, Ohtani is already bringing tons of viewership to the league and sport globally. Not to sound harsh, but America isn’t everything and forcing a humble guy in Ohtani to be the face of baseball in America isn’t putting into consideration his own best interests. Just a side not, but the way the guy on the right says Ohtani’s name annoys me. At least pronounce the guy’s name correctly if you’re gonna talk about him for 15 minutes.

The most impressive athlete I've seen since Bo Jackson!

You guys are saying those that do care about Major League Baseball really only care about their team, so are all other sports. I lost my interest in baseball games about 25 years ago, but WBC brought me back to watching baseball games in the future. I don't think I'm not alone here. Shohei Ohtani is one of a kind and more than a baseball player. If you research about him what he likes and what he does privately besides his baseball games, you'd be very impressed. He is not a typical super star as you seen in sports world today.

I’m not a baseball fan but I got interested because of the hype around Ohtani. I want to learn more about baseball just so that I don’t miss out. In short: FOMO. It’s true, all you need is for people to know that what is happening is a big deal and they will look into it and find out. Bored people like to follow trends and people like greatness. People need to know the significance of what he is doing. This can happen through, billboards, news, late shows, etc. people just need to know whats happening

Well …… you both didn’t been to Asia He is all around TV commercial 😂

You guys are SO RIGHT about baseball ! No one knows about Shohei outside of baseball fans. No one knows Mike Trout outside of baseball fans. This has nothing to do with Star Quality of them. It has everything to do with the popularity of baseball in society.

I know baseball because SHOHEI OHTANI

Baseball as a whole owe Shohei a lot of gratitude for what he's doing to the game.

If Im Shohie after the season, Im going pass the contract talk with the GM and into the owners office and saying Hey partner!

You must be talking about the Anglo population in the US, because for all US citizens from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Japan, Korea, Cuba and Venezuela, these were the best games of the year! The success of the World Baseball Classic shows us the Tournament is bigger than the World Series itself.

Why do we need to get Ohtani to movie star status on TV every night in America? Why? He is a great baseball player from Japan. A lot of folks here like him, a lot more don't know / care who he is. That's OK. He will never be Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or any of the Kardashians. Not a problem. He is a unicorn, soon to be a billionaire unicorn. Hopefully, Ohtani along with his buddy Trout end up on a team where they can actually win, then their lives are complete. That should be enough. My guess is that's all Ohtani ever wanted anyway.

Yes, I believe that one moment changed everything

They should have voted him mvp last season not just look at WAR. Which could not evaluates a player with 2 roles for the team.

“Show high Ohtani” 😂

Is this a serious question? Of course he is....

Also having America's pastime being in the global stage is freaking awesome. America wins

Final WBC Game Epic Moment I hate to say it, but that final pitch of the U.S. vs. Japan in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) game made the Great Mike Trout look like an amateur hitter. I feel sorry for Trout on that strikeout. That is what these epic moments are all about. Either the pitcher gets the strikeout and wins the game or the batter hits a home run and keeps the game alive as we were at the top of the ninth inning. It could have gone either way. Had Shohei pitched a fastball right down the middle, Trout would have hit it out of the ballpark. Mike was expecting a 101-mph fastball right down the middle. Shohei knew what Trout was expecting, so he sneakily threw an 87-mph slider. Trout was never expecting that pitch and swung and missed it as he was confused expecting a pitch right down the middle. What an epic moment in the WBC finale game! Bottom line conclusion: The advantage that Shohei Ohtani has beyond all homerun hitters is that because he is a two-way homerun hitter and outstanding pitcher, he knows how to pitch to an outstanding home run hitter because he knows how a homerun hitter thinks. Hence, as a top-notch pitcher, he knows how to trick an outstanding home run hitter by outsmarting him as an outstanding pitcher. Do you see what I am saying?

Give the man a candy bar already

MLB has always done a terrible job at marketing their players. I don’t expect them to change any time soon

Present, guys

Your NFL draft comment was silly. Lol.

Unfortunately what they say is absolutely true. But it don’t help MLB growth and enthusiasm if media guys like him do not “beat up” on MLB.

I agree with you so please pronounce his name right 😂

Great point about media exposure. We see too many commercials with Boban, but not with Shohei. Things need to change.

It’s not even a question 😅

Americans don't give a flying F about soccer, yet more people know about David Beckham than Shohei Ohtani. Did anyone see the interview where THE Pedro Matinez thanking Shohei Ohtani for being alive?! History is being made right now!! Still many people don't know who Pedro Martinez is, and many people NOW don't know who is Shohei Ohtani. Dude even pronounced "Show High" Ohtani... WTH. So what's wrong with that? That's just Americans being American. Damn sad.

I disagree with virtually everything you two have said. You don’t know, and admitted it. At least pronounce his name correctly.

He needs to get off the Angels and go to team that can actually make the playoffs

My wishlist for baseball, more Shohei Ohtani, more Tim Wakefield more Pat Venditte in the future.

this is like two years late😅

Sho hi ?😂😂

And he bunt too.

Dudes - can not even pronounce his name right. Lol. That tells you a lot of things.

...well said👏👏👏〜

First of all, if you're going to talk about the subject, at least the time to learn how to say Ohtani's name correctly. His name is pronounced Sho-HAY, not Sho-HI. I've heard so many people say that Ohtani brought them back to baseball after they have stopped watching 15 years ago. I've also heard people who say they don't watch baseball at all, but they started following him every game to watch his amazing performances. Ohtani's recognition is growing everyday, and tournaments like the WBC will only raise his popularity all over the world. Even though Ohtani has played for the past 5 years, people have only begun to recognize his greatness. Yes, the major league needs to do a better job of promoting Ohtani. No, Ohtani doesn't need to make commericals with celebrities to raise his profile. He has everything advertisers want- young, good looks, charisma, super talents, and a STUD. His English is improving everyday, so I don't think it will be a problem if has to say a couple of lines in commercials. There are several reasons why baseball has seen a decline in popularity in the United States. Firstly, the pace of the game is often criticized for being too slow and boring. In an age where people are used to getting instant gratification and constant stimulation, a sport that can last for several hours with little action can be hard to keep up with. Secondly, the rising popularity of other sports, such as basketball and football, have drawn fans away from baseball. These sports have been marketed more aggressively and have adapted to the changing interests and habits of younger generations. Thirdly, the cost of attending a baseball game has risen considerably in recent years, making it less accessible to the average fan. The price of tickets, parking, and concessions can add up quickly, making it difficult for families to afford a day at the ballpark. Finally, the lack of diversity in the sport has also been a factor. Baseball has historically struggled with issues of race, and the sport has been slow to attract and retain players from diverse backgrounds. This has resulted in a less diverse fan base, which can make the sport less appealing to younger generations who value diversity and inclusivity.

5:50 Hearing this, I'm thinking some Americans really do only care about themselves. In football terms, imagine thinking EPL is bigger than World Cup, calling World Cup only some random tournament. So nonsense and ridiculous.

No, hes not the future of baseball, he's obviously the present.

STOP COMPARING JUDGE TO OHTANI. COME ON😂😂😂

250 mil is a bit too little for ohtani

He should stop using interpreter. Nobody care his english is not that perfect. He has great charm and humor when he talks. I know it is too much to ask him, but i want him to save Baseball itself... We need MLB to become national sports again...

ohtani dont do much commerical even in japan

This is such a trash take.