Hammerin' Who? The real home run king

Arlie Latham · 05-29-2006, 05:32 AM

Sadaharu Oh hit 868 homers in 9250 at bats while playing for the Tokyo Giants. Let's see Barry break that record.

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/ohsactuals.htm

http://www.robsjapanesecards.com/756.jpg

Skipaway · 05-29-2006, 06:11 AM

That's in a totally different setting though. It's like comparing CFL to NFL.

Arlie Latham · 05-29-2006, 06:16 AM

Ichiro has shown just how well the greatest Japanese player of his generation would do in the big leagues.

I have no doubt that Sadaharu would have clouted many many "Sayonaras" if given the opportunity to play in the United States and 162 games a year.

Skipaway · 05-29-2006, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlie Latham

Ichiro has shown just how well the greatest Japanese player of his generation would do in the big leagues.

I have no doubt that Sadaharu would have clouted many many "Sayonaras" if given the opportunity to play in the United States and 162 games a year.

I think so far all the Japanese players have shown that while pitching, fielding, and hitting for average translates well from Japan, power numbers tend to shrink. I guess Oh would still be a great hitter in the MLB, but probably something like 500-650 homeruns.

marc · 05-29-2006, 06:44 AM

Yeah, no way does he hit 800+ homeruns, my guess would be he would have hit about 400 which of course is still very impressive.

Cooleyvol · 05-29-2006, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlie Latham

Ichiro has shown just how well the greatest Japanese player of his generation would do in the big leagues.

I have no doubt that Sadaharu would have clouted many many "Sayonaras" if given the opportunity to play in the United States and 162 games a year.

Ichiro is the Japanese exception to the rule, however. Not every Japanese player is as talented as he.

Skipaway · 05-29-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooleyvol

Ichiro is the Japanese exception to the rule, however. Not every Japanese player is as talented as he.

I don't think Ichiro is really an exception. His power numbers suffered the same way Matsui did. His batting average didn't suffer as much, and neither did Matsui.

You can even say the same for players like So Taguchi, who got a bit of power when he was in Japan, but his batting average is pretty much the same in both leagues.

Shinjo lost even more power when he was in the MLB, but his batting average didn't suffer as much either.

Overall, Ichiro just looked the most impressive because hitting for average is his main strength.

canadiancreed · 05-29-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipaway

That's in a totally different setting though. It's like comparing CFL to NFL.

not entirely. If this was a true analogy, the Japanese game woudl say have only three balls and two strikes for batters, and the fields would be 10% larger. Or some other rule change

metsgeek · 05-29-2006, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

not entirely. If this was a true analogy, the Japanese game woudl say have only three balls and two strikes for batters, and the fields would be 10% larger. Or some other rule change

I don't agree. The players are taken from a smaller pool, thus the competition is a bit less. The top players would still be great, but their numbers would be inflated a bit. We've seen the same thing with the most recent expansion here.

I agree that Oh would hit about 400-500 HR.

Circle Of Friends · 05-29-2006, 09:21 AM

It's like comparing NFL Europe to the real NFL.

thomasthomas · 05-29-2006, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

not entirely. If this was a true analogy, the Japanese game woudl say have only three balls and two strikes for batters, and the fields would be 10% larger. Or some other rule change

And of course a foul ball hit into the stands would be worth a single point.

Jestor · 05-29-2006, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasthomas

And of course a foul ball hit into the stands would be worth a single point.

We'll have that when Maximum Baseball! comes along.

Jason · 05-29-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipaway

I don't think Ichiro is really an exception. His power numbers suffered the same way Matsui did. His batting average didn't suffer as much, and neither did Matsui.

You can even say the same for players like So Taguchi, who got a bit of power when he was in Japan, but his batting average is pretty much the same in both leagues.

Shinjo lost even more power when he was in the MLB, but his batting average didn't suffer as much either.

Overall, Ichiro just looked the most impressive because hitting for average is his main strength.

I can't believe I'm about to do this but....Skipaway's right on this lone issue.

darkhorse · 05-29-2006, 02:08 PM

Oh had a pretty decent sample size of at bats against MLB competition during his lengthy career.

"Oh played 110 exhibition games against major leaguers, either in October or November or during spring training. He had 338 at bats and hit for a .260 average with 88 walks for a .413 on-base percentage. He also slugged 14 doubles, no triples and 25 homers among his hits, for a .524 slugging average."

abailey3313 · 05-29-2006, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiki

Oh's legendary career has led baseball fans in many countries to wonder how well he could have done had he played in Major League Baseball. While the differences between Major League baseball and Japanese baseball are pronounced—the parks in the Japanese leagues tend to be far smaller, the season is shorter, and, typically, managers during Oh's career used a three-man starting rotation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadahar..._an_MLB_career

darkhorse · 05-29-2006, 02:17 PM

Sadaharu's MLE's were compiled at the second of the links posted below. Good article.

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright12.html

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright13.html

Code:

Games    	AB  	Hits    	2B  	3B    	HR  	TB  	walks  	avg  	OBP    Slg
2995 	       9939   	2778 	       372   	39     527     4809   	2235   .279    .412   0.484

Jason Moyer · 05-29-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipaway

That's in a totally different setting though. It's like comparing CFL to NFL.

Or the major leagues in the 20's and 30's to now.

canadiancreed · 05-29-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metsgeek

I don't agree. The players are taken from a smaller pool, thus the competition is a bit less. The top players would still be great, but their numbers would be inflated a bit. We've seen the same thing with the most recent expansion here.

I agree that Oh would hit about 400-500 HR.

Actually I trying to compare the difference in rules between the two different leagues. Obviously it failed.

disposableheros · 05-29-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Actually I trying to compare the difference in rules between the two different leagues. Obviously it failed.

nah, i picked up what you were puttin down

Spielman · 05-29-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Sadaharu's MLE's were compiled at the second of the links posted below. Good article.

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright12.html

http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright13.html

Code:

Games    	AB  	Hits    	2B  	3B    	HR  	TB  	walks  	avg  	OBP    Slg
2995 	       9939   	2778 	       372   	39     527     4809   	2235   .279    .412   0.484

That certainly seems believeable. A no doubt HOFer, but not the greatest power hitter of all-time.

05-29-2006, 05:32 AM	#1
Arlie Latham Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Cornfields Posts: 472	Hammerin' Who? The real home run king Sadaharu Oh hit 868 homers in 9250 at bats while playing for the Tokyo Giants. Let's see Barry break that record. http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/ohsactuals.htm http://www.robsjapanesecards.com/756.jpg

05-29-2006, 06:11 AM	#2
Skipaway Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Where you live Posts: 11,017	That's in a totally different setting though. It's like comparing CFL to NFL. __________________ Jonathan Haidt: Moral reasoning is really just a servant masquerading as a high priest.

05-29-2006, 06:16 AM	#3
Arlie Latham Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Iowa Cornfields Posts: 472	Did I mention he hit 868 homers? Ichiro has shown just how well the greatest Japanese player of his generation would do in the big leagues. I have no doubt that Sadaharu would have clouted many many "Sayonaras" if given the opportunity to play in the United States and 162 games a year.

05-29-2006, 06:44 AM	#5
marc Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,505	Yeah, no way does he hit 800+ homeruns, my guess would be he would have hit about 400 which of course is still very impressive. __________________

05-29-2006, 02:08 PM	#14
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	Oh had a pretty decent sample size of at bats against MLB competition during his lengthy career. "Oh played 110 exhibition games against major leaguers, either in October or November or during spring training. He had 338 at bats and hit for a .260 average with 88 walks for a .413 on-base percentage. He also slugged 14 doubles, no triples and 25 homers among his hits, for a .524 slugging average." __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."

05-29-2006, 09:21 AM	#10
Circle Of Friends Banned Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 39	It's like comparing NFL Europe to the real NFL.

05-29-2006, 02:17 PM	#16
darkhorse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: fort worth, tx Posts: 10,850	Sadaharu's MLE's were compiled at the second of the links posted below. Good article. http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright12.html http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/an...lbright13.html Code: Games AB Hits 2B 3B HR TB walks avg OBP Slg 2995 9939 2778 372 39 527 4809 2235 .279 .412 0.484 __________________ "The Human Torch was denied a bank loan."