What makes Shota Imanaga so Dominant?  

Shota was so good, he morphed into a righty

Gotta love Imanaga's energy. He's on fire. Hopefully he able to keep it up throughout the season. I want to see Cy Young.

I'm a Japanese baseball fan. Yamamoto pitched with more accuracy and intensity in Japan. He is getting better, but he is still not the pitcher he should be. I understand that Imanaga is a great pitcher, but I am sure that when he fully adjusts to MLB ball and the environment, we will see why he got a bigger contract than Imanaga.

Looking forward to Shota's interview! He's spoken about his pitching mechanics or shared his knowledge for young players in several clips, and you can find those on RU-vid but they are in Japanese. Let me know if you need those translated before interviewing him, as it might make the interview more interesting. For me personally, I'd like to know what part of his mechanics he's changed since he left Japan, and if he'd agree with the idea of MLB using pre-tacked balls.

Dropping a deuce on the outside part of the plate is a savage move and I respect it

Imanaga is relayively short in height, but his pitching gives the highest revolution (RPM), which makes it very difficult for any batter to connect the ball at the center of the bat.

Particularly great show, Ninja. Thanks!

Yeah, Cubs bullpen has been abysmal. Threw Imanaga out there in the 8th because he kind of had to.

Pitching ninja vid dropped, day gets instantly better 🔥

9:57 clip of yoshinobu instead of shota

15 mins of pitching ninja I am grateful

ITS SHO TIME!!!

Feel like with Shota it's either he just immediately got used to the MLB style or it's something to do with the pitching practices. Either way it's insane he's preforming as great as he is in MLB and it's only May.

I should point out Imanaga was teammates of Trevor Bauer the infamous at the last season in NPB and he said that he was greatly inspired by Bauer. Although Bauer isn't the greatest personality on the earth, considering how absolutely Bauer has engineered everything of himself into the pitching athlete utmost limit and the fact that Imanaga had been already known in Japan as putting the most disciplinary and thought into his pitching and philosophy in NPB long before Bauer exiled into NPB, it isn't surprising at all that Bauer was a great help for Imanaga overall. Also I suspect that one of his rather swift adjustment to MLB style from NPB style could be his some specific (of course I don't know what it would've been but in some sense the both is athlete of specific and probably love to nerding such things into death) learning from Bauer in his last season at NPB, especially considering that Bauer had (and still has, poor Bauer...) every intention to go back to MLB and been fully equipped to fight MLB mounds, and the fact that Bauer is generally rather open to tell his secret sauces when somebody ask him for them enthusiastically enough...

That Gil 92 mph change up is filthy with that slider strikeout on altuve is video game like

Fave baseball channel on RU-vid 👏🏻

Absolutely loving what we're seeing from Luis Gil so far - dude is electric. But there is something just so patently ridiculous about a *changeup* at 92-93, I love it.

love these! it would really help if you put the pitcher's line as they come (IP ER and Ks) as you say them as its hard to focus on the numbers and beauty of the pitches at the same time. thank you!!

Shota flew under the radar, while everyone was studying Yamamoto.

9:57 Ninja, you put a clip of Yamamoto instead of Imanaga 😂😂

Luis Gil getting it done 💪🏼 man making the most of Cole’s injury he’s being great.

Sandoval seems to be tunneling like an expert on the outside of the plate in these clips, juggling that change that turns into a ball (Ks swinging and weak contact), and cutters that do the opposite and break back in late (Ks looking and weak contact). That makes eyes go out there. Then he blasts a his flatter 97 on the inner half that is unhittable after playing spin the bottle out with the outside black. It's a recipe for success.

I don't like baseball, I like SHOTA!!!!

Why would anyone say a no hitter alert before a game even starts 😑

He's got X factor too. Swagger

I wish they would have said "coiling a deuce" on the plate.

Ive learned how to beat vegas take over on ks for any pitcher against mariners its foolproof

shhh, don't give away his secrets!

❤Shota❤

I know he just gave up his first run of the season, but can we start talking about Kirby Yates? Best part of the rangers bullpen

I think one over looked aspect of Shots is being a lefty, especially a lefty with a splitter. My theory why his fastball is so effective besides the obvious induced vertical breakkor lack thereof, is its plane. Im just guessing on numbers, but lets call a ball with no break, that comes over the plate perfectly parallel to the plate 0°, Shota's fastball comes in at say 5° angle from perfectly parallel, while most batters swing on a 10° or higher plane to the plate. This mis match in swing angle vs incoming ball angle is tough for hitters and a difficult adjustment for most hitters to make.(Again these numbers are arbitrary vut the concept is valid) I do think guys like Luis Arraez, who can easily modify their swing plane will have the most success against Shota. Look at the HR he gave up yesterday, it was a good splitter with an awkward swing that was in my opinion a lucky barrel...if Shota keeps executing like he has, I do think he will continue to be successful...of course the current level of success is unfortunately not sustainable.

Time stamps please🙏

song? 5:55

The Cubs have 2 ace level pitchers. The lefty Arrietta and Lester if you will.

Shota Imanaga has the lowest ERA in the major leageus at 1.08. If ya count folks that have made every start, I believe that is correct, but Sonny Gray has a .89 currently. Not to speak ill of Shota. Man can pitch.

Nah, it's all about the Ninja

When you say Shota keeps his fingers bent for his fastball grip. Can you explain a little more? Is it the second knuckle that's bent or at the tips?

9:20

Nasty!! Dropping deuces on the outside part of the plate should be an automatic forfeit of the game and a fine of ten dollars. At least. ⚾

GO CUBBIES🎉🎉

今永波に乗っているにワロタ！

Shota Will get exposed midseason!!

Yamamoto>>imanaga

I enjoy the fun voice in this channel, but I've had to stop watching the channel because the pitcher mentioned in the title is not the main subject. kinda clickbaity. and wastes my time.

Bring back Trevor Bauer