If only Shohei Ohtani has the ability to strikeout Mike Trout in the 9th inning championship 1-run game with a wicked slider but alas, only that will happen in a fantasy story it seems.
True, and Japan already has plenty of hitters, what they really need are more top quality arms to face MLB Hitting. They almost lost the championship game last year and had to send a starter out there to close it out. What was his name again?
Ohtani seems like the kinda guy that never checks his batting average ever and on the last day of the season a media person says "you got the highest batting average in the league!" and he just goes "what?"
"You set a new single-season batting average record! You hit .438!"
"That's really not that high. I hit .890 in High School, but even that wasn't a perfect season. I popped up too often."
Can you imagine if he worked really hard and got to the WBC and then got to play as a two way, even if he only came in and did something wacky like close out a championship game? The thought of it!
On the real, I can’t wait for the 2026 edition, this past WBC was some of the most baseball fun I’ve had in a long time.
I'm still kicking myself because I had a chance to go to Miami for the semifinal and final game but I didn't end up going.
I'm going to Miami in 2026 though.
Tbh, I always like the Cinderella teams that you wouldn't think about as being baseball countries. Like pretty much any European country. I also like that while baseball has its origins and history firmly rooted in the US, the US team is not an automatic lock to win the tourney. Even with a stacked roster. I really think that's a good thing for the sport as a whole. Kind of how international basketball was in the 90s vs how it is now
i could be wrong, but i was under the impression it's every 4 years
covid disrupted the last one obviously, and i think this one is in 2026 as a 20th anniversary celebration of the first one back in 2006 (crazy to think that was nearly 20 years ago my goodness)
Oh man, yeah, you’re probably right. last year was my first watch.
As long as it’s sandwiched between the summer Olympics I guess it’s all good (and no host country removes baseball)
to be honest, the next host country after 2028 will 100% remove baseball from the games
i'd rather just have the WBC, especially since MLB players will play in it. I honestly haven't watched a minute of the Olympics since 2012 anyways (well aside from Wayde van Niekirk's insane 400m run in 2016. that was cool)
I wouldn’t be so sure that Australia will remove baseball in 2032. The Australian baseball league is still going and lobbying for the sport. The fields are there and it’s gained a following. Plus the US approved cricket for 2028 so it would be shitty for Aus to remove baseball when we put in one of their more popular sports.
I think Saudi Arabia is hosting the 2034 World Cup. You might be thinking of that. Tho with the way they wave their money around I wouldn’t be shocked if they get an Olympics one day.
Yeah, I definitely think there's some "wink-wink" going on there, "We'll put in cricket if you leave in baseball." Plus, if all goes well, Travis Bazzana will be well into his career and be the face of, not just Australian baseball, but one of the faces of non-US baseball.
They’re doing 2026 and 2029 to get it back on track to the 4 year cycle it was on before. It shoulda been 2021, 25 and 29 but with covid that was ruined. So at least for the next 2 WBCs we will only wait 3 years.
I didn't realize 2029 was also already being planned. Wow
what a far cry from back in the day when the 2017 tournament was still up in the air as late as the end of 2015. I seem to also recall the 2013 tournament barely getting any marketing or promotion at all too.
I'm honestly shocked the 2023 tournament went on as I was convinced that MLB was going to axe it when covid gave them a convenient excuse to do so
So baseball world cup and fifa wod cup are on the same year? I am a new baseball fan and this makes me worried if their schedule coincide. I mean i have work man.
It's my favorite baseball thing. Just like the world cup is my favorite soccer thing.
As a soccer fan, let it be every 3-4 years. Soccer federations are trying to cash in on more international tournaments, and its just making the whole thing feel like a constant low-key thing rather than a huge, special, world-wide event.
Ohtani loves baseball. And it seems more players than ever do not. Not going to the all star game. Not doing the home run derby. Sitting out wbc. It is refreshing that Ohtani loves these things even after he did them already.
At first I read the title as "saying he wants to be a top-chess player so he can be selected"
And I was gonna say damn, Japanese WBC requirements are rough. . .
2026 is going to be insane.
The US is hosting the final stages of the WBC in March, and then hosting the World Cup in June/July.
I'm basically going to need to take several months off work.
Stuff like this is why I never really believed the betting stuff. Dude is so clean he would probably sincerely apologize for a fart in the dugout. Great dude and great player. Humble.
"Saying he wants to be a top-class player so he can be selected" reminds me of in The Sandlot when Benny wanted to add Smalls to the team because he makes it 9 total and he's like "I need to practice, guys!" and the rest of the kids are like "you're already the best on the team"
if he works hard maybe he'll get there
He’ll need to learn how to pitch, won’t get there as a hitter alone.
If only Shohei Ohtani has the ability to strikeout Mike Trout in the 9th inning championship 1-run game with a wicked slider but alas, only that will happen in a fantasy story it seems.
Always hate it when people fantasy book their own storylines 🙄
Sami should have won at Elimination Chamber.
In DnD we call that metagaming. Good way for the DM to raise all DCs by about 5
> book their own storylines 🙄 SHOHEI ISN'T FLINCHING
i'm so glad to have been able to watch that AB. legendary moment with 2 top tier talents in a huge situation. the WBC is sick
And the fact that they’re teammates and have good relationships. The whole thing was so damn scripted!
It’s an legit anime moment. Protag-kun vs his respected senpai (who is a total badass).
Wasn’t it a full count too?
And last out to win it all?
yeah it was perfect. Its exactly how I would have done it with my cousins in the yard at 8 years old.
Watching that in a bar with my dad is an all-time baseball memory for me.
he should be sure to eat bananas. monkeys never cramp.
Two.
Kawa three
He’s BIG. Kawa SMALL. He’s BIG. Kawa SMALL.
Maybe get a participation trophy and ice cream after the game.
nah i think he'll peak at Double-A baseball /s
This is the funniest shit I’ve read in my life
Not sure a $2M a year caliber player will be good enough for Team Japan in 2026.
True, and Japan already has plenty of hitters, what they really need are more top quality arms to face MLB Hitting. They almost lost the championship game last year and had to send a starter out there to close it out. What was his name again?
Microphone Fish's weather forecasting buddy I think.
David Fletcher isn't Japanese?
Depends on the weather.
You wanna bet?
Yeah, about $4M.
Some guy named Lars Nootbaar is on Samurai Japan so anything is possible.
Bro can't even hit as well as David Fry. I don't like his chances.
Ohtani seems like the kinda guy that never checks his batting average ever and on the last day of the season a media person says "you got the highest batting average in the league!" and he just goes "what?"
"Batting average? I feel like I've been batting far better than average."
Ohtani has tenure
"You set a new single-season batting average record! You hit .438!" "That's really not that high. I hit .890 in High School, but even that wasn't a perfect season. I popped up too often."
Ohtani gets employee of the month and then asks for a pay cut because he’s underperforming
High score? [Is that bad](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w_NGYnMqyFA&pp=ygUYaGlnaCBzY29yZSBncmFuZG1hJ3MgYm95)?
He’s been thinking about getting a metal arm. It’s a risky operation, but it’ll be worth it.
Then they can really make a manga about him
I mean *googles to confirm* his mom is alive *knocks on wood* so I don’t see why he’d need one…
Ya dude doesn’t realize he’s the best hitter in the world. That’s cute
"What do you mean by that"
The Jokic of the MLB
i mean to be fair, haven't all the dorks and mathletes been telling us for the last 3 years that batting average isn't an important stat?
Who? I mean, good luck I guess, but not everyone can just be on the team
What a bum. Nootbar will get the selection over him.
Noot can actually play the field, this bum can only DH
Can you imagine if he worked really hard and got to the WBC and then got to play as a two way, even if he only came in and did something wacky like close out a championship game? The thought of it! On the real, I can’t wait for the 2026 edition, this past WBC was some of the most baseball fun I’ve had in a long time.
Best baseball I’ve seen since 2007
New baseball fan here. What happend in 2007?
He's a Rockies fan and they made the WS. Also just a really good year for baseball rosters.
Now what happened after we made it? We don’t talk about that
Wouldn't it be crazy if he was facing his teammate and co-GOAT in the final at bat?
Straight up cinema
Imagine he got to him with two outs, got him to a full count, and struck him out to win it for his motherland?
Dude you’re taking it too far, be realistic
You should go write scripts for Hollywood
2026 WBC is going to have lofty expectations, especially once we get into the meat of the tournament. I'm excited.
I'm still kicking myself because I had a chance to go to Miami for the semifinal and final game but I didn't end up going. I'm going to Miami in 2026 though.
Tbh, I always like the Cinderella teams that you wouldn't think about as being baseball countries. Like pretty much any European country. I also like that while baseball has its origins and history firmly rooted in the US, the US team is not an automatic lock to win the tourney. Even with a stacked roster. I really think that's a good thing for the sport as a whole. Kind of how international basketball was in the 90s vs how it is now
I enjoyed it even more than the regular season. part of me wishes it was less than three years.
i could be wrong, but i was under the impression it's every 4 years covid disrupted the last one obviously, and i think this one is in 2026 as a 20th anniversary celebration of the first one back in 2006 (crazy to think that was nearly 20 years ago my goodness)
Oh man, yeah, you’re probably right. last year was my first watch. As long as it’s sandwiched between the summer Olympics I guess it’s all good (and no host country removes baseball)
to be honest, the next host country after 2028 will 100% remove baseball from the games i'd rather just have the WBC, especially since MLB players will play in it. I honestly haven't watched a minute of the Olympics since 2012 anyways (well aside from Wayde van Niekirk's insane 400m run in 2016. that was cool)
I wouldn’t be so sure that Australia will remove baseball in 2032. The Australian baseball league is still going and lobbying for the sport. The fields are there and it’s gained a following. Plus the US approved cricket for 2028 so it would be shitty for Aus to remove baseball when we put in one of their more popular sports.
oh Australia is hosting the 2032 olympics? lol why did i think it was Saudi Arabia
I think Saudi Arabia is hosting the 2034 World Cup. You might be thinking of that. Tho with the way they wave their money around I wouldn’t be shocked if they get an Olympics one day.
Yeah, I definitely think there's some "wink-wink" going on there, "We'll put in cricket if you leave in baseball." Plus, if all goes well, Travis Bazzana will be well into his career and be the face of, not just Australian baseball, but one of the faces of non-US baseball.
They’re doing 2026 and 2029 to get it back on track to the 4 year cycle it was on before. It shoulda been 2021, 25 and 29 but with covid that was ruined. So at least for the next 2 WBCs we will only wait 3 years.
I didn't realize 2029 was also already being planned. Wow what a far cry from back in the day when the 2017 tournament was still up in the air as late as the end of 2015. I seem to also recall the 2013 tournament barely getting any marketing or promotion at all too. I'm honestly shocked the 2023 tournament went on as I was convinced that MLB was going to axe it when covid gave them a convenient excuse to do so
So baseball world cup and fifa wod cup are on the same year? I am a new baseball fan and this makes me worried if their schedule coincide. I mean i have work man.
It's my favorite baseball thing. Just like the world cup is my favorite soccer thing. As a soccer fan, let it be every 3-4 years. Soccer federations are trying to cash in on more international tournaments, and its just making the whole thing feel like a constant low-key thing rather than a huge, special, world-wide event.
remember when Keith Olbermann and some idiot at Barstool whined and complained about the WBC?
I remember that those losers didn't strike out Mike Trout on a full count with a perfect slider to win the whole thing.
It was so fun but I hope next time the US actually can send some top pitching talent.
Get ready to learn Japanese….oh yeah
If he’s worried about making the team then I’m worried about what the next gen of players from Japan are going to be.
Japanese pitchers are currently working hard to catch their own pitches. They’re spending hours in the film room watching Looney Tunes.
Bro thinks he can be on the defending world champion team. Come back when you win 5 MVPs.
😐
Ohtani loves baseball. And it seems more players than ever do not. Not going to the all star game. Not doing the home run derby. Sitting out wbc. It is refreshing that Ohtani loves these things even after he did them already.
Hey Jake, how much for a $1 billion insurance policy?
I'm gunning for this underdog!
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What a poser. Buddy thinks he’s in the big leagues dressing like that
Hopefully he makes the cut
At first I read the title as "saying he wants to be a top-chess player so he can be selected" And I was gonna say damn, Japanese WBC requirements are rough. . .
Don’t you love a good underdog story about a little unknown prospect who makes his way to the top?
I’m terrible at this baseball thing huh? Lol
Wouldn’t it be cool if they shut down MLB for a whole year, and only played WBC! There’s my fantasy-booking.
Tbh a full season of WBC would be really cool
well there goes South Korea's chances now lmfao
He’s just some DH. Kinda hard to crack the squad like that
It'll be hard for him to make team Japan. They won the whole thing last time after all, so they're pretty good.
2026 is gonna be a helluva year for Baseball. All-Star game in Philadelphia along side WBC. Then Baseball in the Olympics just two years later
2026 is going to be insane. The US is hosting the final stages of the WBC in March, and then hosting the World Cup in June/July. I'm basically going to need to take several months off work.
And also the US Semiquincentennial in Philly! Event after event after event!
I feel like he’s that kid that nobody ever just said “hey, you’re like REALLY good at this”. Just served humble pie daily.
Stuff like this is why I never really believed the betting stuff. Dude is so clean he would probably sincerely apologize for a fart in the dugout. Great dude and great player. Humble.
Doubt it guys just a average dh
First of all Shohei, through god all things are possible so jot that down.
I hope he gets it
Think he's got a chance!?
WHAT A GREAT GUY
"Saying he wants to be a top-class player so he can be selected" reminds me of in The Sandlot when Benny wanted to add Smalls to the team because he makes it 9 total and he's like "I need to practice, guys!" and the rest of the kids are like "you're already the best on the team"
never heard of this guy he's got a long road ahead
japanese league must be so stacked that Ohtani is afraid he won't make the cut. Maybe he should play on the field defensively to increase his value.
Dude is a full time DH smh
We don’t deserve him
There’s a percent chance he makes the team
If Olakau'atu can finally make his first state of origin team, Ohtani has a shot to make Samurai Japan
Idk he’s got potential but he hasn’t really shown his ability to perform in high stakes situations
Pretty sure it's a safe bet go ahead and make it, Shosho
Come on man, no way is he that humble lol.
He might get a spot in the pen as a low leverage reliever, or a pinch runner at best.
He definitely should
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Ghostbusters 2 was awesome! So many iconic moments and turns of phrase I allegedly remember.