because right now the guy with the second best strikeout rate in the league is also the number one hitter in the game. with the injuries too.

with the injuries Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez, Shohei Ohtani has become the number one force in baseball at the plate.

This needs to be properly recognized.

Let's show some respect and do a little digging in.

I mean, when you saw him in his rookie year, it became obvious that Shohei Ohtani in his aged 23 season could actually pitch and hit successfully in the U.S. major leagues.

But to what extent, I don't know how many of this saw this coming on the mound and I maintain he's a better pitcher than hitter.

He started the year with a 0.64 a over his first five starts,

he's had some rough starts since his walk rate is near a career high, but he has not missed a start all year.

That's a first this season, he has 95 innings halfway through the season and are a nine war that's runs allowed per nine with an innings component mixed in, he is 10th best in baseball.

His strikeout rate is a career high and is second only two.

Spencer strider of the Braves in the majors.

But where he started the year as a premier pitcher, it's now at the plate where he is separated himself.

Otani leads all of baseball in home run.

Oh PS plus and total bases.

He also leeds in triples and he's second in RBIs.

I don't know why the total bases thing blew my mind, but it did leading the league in total bases means you are showing up every day and producing,

it's the mark of excellence and consistency.

I want to underline this halfway through the season.

Otani has 205 total bases.

He's on target for 400 total bases for the year.

Not many guys outside of Colorado and the fellows from the testosterone era have done that stands.

Hank Aaron Jim Rice 1978 the MVP year, but this guy could do it what he's also pitching.

If you recall a previous essay on this show, we said we've yet to see peak Shohei Ohtani,

that's the ultimate season that he could have, you know, with him hitting the way he did in 2021 0 PS plus an, er, a and his OH PS plus that's hitting 1 57 2021.

Er A is still quite good 1. 41.

That's not bad but is not quite his hitting then last year it was his pitching, that was better.

His, er, a plus is 1 72 100 is league average, by the way.

So both numbers are great but now his hitting those down, down, so too speak, everything's relative to 1 44.

So could you combine, this is what I was wondering.

Could you combine the, oh PS plus the 1 57 the, er, a plus of 1 72?

Like a true greatness this year.

The, oh PS plus career high.

Weigh up 1 82.

That's an MVP right there.

Best hitting year by far.

Er, A is down, so to speak to 1 44 but he's kind of regained his stride on the mound.

I think this number is going to be shooting higher and higher, higher is better.

This will, there's so much that this guys producing right now.

Hes hitting 300 for the first time.

His K rate is the best it's been and he should set a career high in innings pitched while leading the majors in total bases.

He leads the majors in an war by a wide margin.

There's the top five right there.

He could finish Dan o'dowd with a 12 win season that would put him up there with the best of all time.