"He’s an animal" - San Francisco Giants pitcher rattled by Shohei Ohtani's hitting, claims he is the reason for moving to NL
"He's an animal" is how new San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Cobb described playing against Los Angeles Angels generational talent Shohei Ohtani.
Alex Cobb is departing the LA Angels after signing a 2-year, $20 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Cobb, who spent last season pitching for the Angels in Anaheim, knows firsthand how good his former teammate Ohtani is.
Alex Cobb said he trained with Shohei Ohtani for a few weeks over the offseason. "When he trains, he wants to beat the world record. That's not exaggerating. He'll ask, `What's the world record?'"
"Alex Cobb said he trained with Shohei Ohtani for a few weeks over the offseason. "When he trains, he wants to beat the world record. That's not exaggerating. He'll ask, `What's the world record?'" - @ Andrew Baggarly
“Watching him hit a first-pitch curveball out the other day in a Spring Training game gets you a little rattled. He’s an animal. Another reason I went to the NL. Of course, I pulled him first up,” said Cobb when referring to his decision to sign with the Giants. The Giants and Angels will not play each other this year as the former plays in the National League, while the latter plays in the American League.
Shohei Ohtani really is an animal
Alex Cobb had an impressive season in his own right in 2021. The right-handed pitcher had an ERA of 3.76, a WHIP of just above 1.2 and went with eight wins and three losses on the season.
Ohtani, who is a decade Cobb's junior, outdid his departing teammate. The Japanese whiz finished the season with a record of 9-2. He also bested Alex Cobb's ERA and WHIP for a team-best 3.18 and 1.0 respectively.
What makes Ohtani so notable is that he is just as much a menace to opposing pitchers as he is to opposing batters. While simultaneously logging the aforemnetioned pitching stats, Shohei Ohtani hit 46 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also had an OPS of .965, making him the stuff of pitcher nightmares.
How’s this for an introduction: Alex Cobb squares off vs. Shohei Ohtani in SF Giants debut bayareane.ws/386c4MZ
"How’s this for an introduction: Alex Cobb squares off vs. Shohei Ohtani in SF Giants debut" - @ Mercury News
Cobb faced the Angels in Spring Training on Sunday. He pitched 3.1 innings and did not allow a run. He faced Ohtani twice, walking him intentionally in both instances. It may be a while before the two players see each other again. Like many of us, Alex Cobb will only watch and see if Shohei Ohtani reaches the potential we all know he has to become one of the best players in baseball today.
