"I don't think Shohei Ohtani can be No. 1 because he is a pitcher" - MLB Network reporter Alanna Rizzo shares her hot take on reigning AL MVP and LA Angels Superstar
In what is certainly a controversial take on things, MLB Network's Alanna Rizzo stated that reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani cannot be the number one player in Major League Baseball...because he is a pitcher.
In the segment, Rizzo Report, of the show High Heat that is shown on the MLB Network, Rizzo claimed that Ohtani could never be the top player in the league. This is coming off the back of the MLB Network's Top 100 Players List, wherein Ohtani overtook his Los Angeles Angels teammate and former American League MVP, Mike Trout, for the top spot.
🥴Alanna Rizzo:
"I don't think Ohtani can be #1 (player in baseball) because he's a pitcher."
😐🥴 https://t.co/VsTJSgzSzr
"I don't think Ohtani can be No. 1 because he is a pitcher" - Alanna Rizzo H/T @mlberrors
The pause at the end of the statement by the show's host, Christopher Russo, who looked bamboozled by the claim, was pointed out by the same user who posted the video.
That long pause by Chris Russo lol
"That long pause by Chris Russo lol" - @mlberrors
However, this wasn't the first time that Alanna Rizzo was under fire for her comments about Shohei Ohtani. The reporter once compared the reigning American League MVP to New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom in a "fantasy" scenario.
Who is the better overall player in all of baseball: Jacob deGrom or Shohei Ohtani? 🤔
#HighHeat | @alannarizzo | @MadDogUnleashed https://t.co/y1pjM9haLC
@NYNJHarper If deGrom had as many ABs as Ohtani this year, it would be interesting to come who was the “better” two-way player, in that small of a sample size.
"If deGrom had as many ABs as Ohtani this year, it would be interesting to come who was the “better” two-way player, in that small of a sample size." -@alannarizzo
This is certainly an interesting, albeit controversial take by the media personality. She got called out immediately on Twitter for these seemingly partisan claims. With the season looming closer, it would be interesting to see if the reporter can prove herself correct.
Breaking down Shohei Ohtani's historic season
As many had already claimed, it wasn't since Babe Ruth that a two-way player has dominated the big leagues. We take a look at Shohei Ohtani's 2021 season, that proved to be one for the history books.
Shohei Ohtani's wins above replacement (WAR) -- the metric that measures the impact of a player and his contributions to the team -- was nine (9.0). This is outstanding stat as the next two players on the list are Zack Wheeler and Carlos Correa who had 7.8 and 7.2, respectively, both far off Ohtani's numbers.
Babe Ruth's 1919 season is often talked about as the greatest of all-time. During that historic season, Babe Ruth recorded 29 home runs and 30 strikeouts (in the dead ball era) in 133.1 innings pitched. Ohtani on the other hand, had 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters in 130.1 innings pitched, numbers which are almost mind-boggling.
Stealing base is a dying art in the Majors. Sabermetrics and statistical analysis prove that it doesn't add value, and even decreases the chances of scoring a run. This, however, didn't stop Ohtani as he became the only other player in MLB history besides Jose Canseco, to record 45+ HR and 25+ stolen bases in a season. He finished with a tally of 26.
Shohei Ohtani also led the league in triples with eight. He became just the sixth player in league history to record more than 45 HR and 8 or more triples in a season after Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Jim Rice, and Jimmie Foxx.