Dave Roberts Compares Shohei Ohtani to Barry Bonds, Calling Dodgers Star Better at One Thing
The Los Angeles Dodgers are constantly being wowed by the talents of Shohei Ohtani.
From an MVP, World Series and the MLB’s first-ever 50 home run, 50 stolen base season in just the first of a decade-long contract with Los Angeles, Ohtani is already exceeding expectations in his second year with the Dodgers.
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Specifically, a Friday night thriller in Arizona that included a six-run ninth inning after being down, 11-8, to the Diamondbacks marked another level in the already otherworldly talents of Ohtani. With two on and the game tied with Ohtani at the plate, the three-time MVP slammed a three-run shot to put an exclamation mark on the 14-11 victory.
Manager Dave Roberts spoke after the game on the star power that Ohtani brings and made a comparison to a former teammate from his playing days, who is a seven-time MVP of the National League.
“Between him and Barry Bonds, they’re the two best players I’ve ever seen,” Roberts said. “I played with Barry. But what Shohei does in the clutch — I’ve never seen anything like what he does in the clutch.”
Bonds has the most home runs in MLB history with 762 and is an extremely flattering compliment to the Dodgers’ superstar, especially given the skipper’s comments on what Ohtani can do in clutch moments.
As a player, Roberts spent the 2007 season with Bonds on the San Francisco Giants, in what would prove to be the slugger’s final MLB season.
Ohtani has shown his ability to come alive in clutch moments and looks to continue doing so over what is already a special year for him. As both Ohtani and Bonds have proven to be some of the most prolific hitters baseball has ever seen, Ohtani has the advantage of also being a lethal pitcher when healthy.
While he still has yet to debut as a pitcher in a Dodgers uniform, Ohtani has a career ERA of 3.01 in MLB. Perhaps his clutch hitting will translate to the mound when he is healthy enough to throw.
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Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Yeah Bonds hit a ton of homers…Drug Induced homers after his head increased to the size of a pumpkin for using PED’s. Bonds was a great player before that and a sure Hall of Famer but frankly ruined his legacy with the drug use, which has kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He will have to die like Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson to be considered, and maybe not even then.