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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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[♪ rock music playing,
Queen "We Will Rock You"]
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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[commentator 1]
Shohei Ohtani, he has done it, wow.
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[commentator 2]
Shohei, the unicorn, does it again.
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[commentator 3]
This guy's from another planet.
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[commentator 4]
With the paint on the four-seamer at 98.
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[commentator 5] Dive. On turn!
Right field, a bullet! And go!
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{\an8}[commentator 6]
He's the modern-day Babe Ruth.
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♪ Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise ♪
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♪ Playing in the street
gonna be a big man someday ♪
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♪ You got mud on your face,
you big disgrace ♪
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♪ Kicking your can all over the place,
singin' ♪
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♪ We will, we will rock you ♪
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♪ We will, we will rock you ♪
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♪ We will, we will rock you ♪
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[commentator 7]
Ohtani, a laser and it's gone.
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[commentator 8] Ohtani got it. He got it.
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[commentator 9] Oh, out call.
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[commentator 9 exclaims]
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{\an8}[commentator 10] First ball swinging,
and first pitch crushing.
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Got him!
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{\an8}[commentator 11]
Seven incredible innings on the mound
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{\an8}and he just smashes a baseball a mile.
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[commentator 12] Shotime.
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[crowd cheering]
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[♪ music stops]
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[Martínez]
Shohei Ohtani is the only player
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in modern MLB history
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with over 10 pitching wins, 40 homers,
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and 15 stolen bases in the same season.
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As the sole All-Star to be selected
as a designated hitter and pitcher,
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his strikeout and home run count
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surpassed records
set by Babe Ruth decades ago.
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This is the story
of the most unique player
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in baseball history.
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[♪ serene music playing]
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{\an8}Born in 1994,
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{\an8}Shohei Ohtani grew up in a small town
in Iwate, Japan.
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{\an8}No one expected a legend in the making
to come from such a rural area.
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I grew up in the countryside of Japan
with only a few baseball teams around,
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where most of the teams had never been
to big tournaments.
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I was sure plenty of other players
outshined me in talent.
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{\an8}[Martínez]
This is where his journey began.
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[Shohei] Sure, I wanted to become
a great baseball player,
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but had no conviction it would come true.
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[birds chirping]
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[Martínez] As a kid,
Shohei watched Major League Baseball
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and dreamed of playing there one day.
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[Shohei] We had a computer at our house.
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I definitely looked pitchers,
but also searched for sequence shots
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and videos of various players.
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You started being able to look up
these things online.
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That process had
a significant influence on me.
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{\an8}[commentator 1] Unemotional Ichiro Suzuki.
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And a ground ball back at the middle,
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and there it is,
he's the new All-time Hit King
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in Major League history number 258.
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- My, oh, my.
- [crowd cheering]
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{\an8}[commentator 2] Tonight,
it was Hideki Matsui who delivered.
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{\an8}[commentator 3] Randy Johnson
has thrown a perfect game.
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{\an8}[commentator 4]
Pedro Martínez is on the mound.
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{\an8}[commentator 5]
Barry Bonds has hit more home runs
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{\an8}than anyone who has ever played the game.
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{\an8}[commentator 6]
That may be in the upper deck.
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A mammoth home run by Ken Griffey Jr.
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[Shohei] Even as a kid it was obvious.
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The players in the MLB
were on a different level.
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Watching them on TV and other medias,
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Ichiro-san, Matsui-san, before them were
Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez…
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Barry Bonds, the list goes on,
Ken Griffey Jr.
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Even as a child, it was clear to me that
MLB was the place for top-tier baseball.
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I've always been the type
to take on challenges.
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I was inevitably drawn to see how far
I could make it in the MLB.
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{\an8}[commentator] Around the horn of the bases
from third to first, Matsui steps up.
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Getting to start on the left field tonight
at 259 average with 9 home runs.
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41 runs…
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I studied his batting form and this…
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I bet everyone's done it.
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[Shohei] I had a bat at home that I would
swing whenever I wanted to.
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I was just freewheeling back then.
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I'm very flattered.
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Knowing that Shohei, who has come so far
and has a huge presence in the MLB,
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looked up to me when he was
in little league is meaningful to me.
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I'm very happy to hear that.
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[laughs]
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I doubt he wants this.
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[exclaims]
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Thank you.
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This is awesome.
[chuckles]
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I'm not really the kind of person
who likes to ask for favors.
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- I will treasure this.
- [commentator] Pedro started to laugh,
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because, he said, "Well, you're right,
I wasn't feeling well.
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[Martínez] In 2009,
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Shohei watched Matsui and I
face off in the World Series.
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[commentator]
…to the left-handed hitting DH.
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[Shohei] Pedro Martínez is one
of my favorite pitchers.
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Particularly,
the earlier days of his career
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were what I really enjoyed watching.
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Seeing players like him and the handful of
Japanese players who made it in the MLB,
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facing off on the big stage of the
World Series was a special moment for me.
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Especially since
I was a fan of both players.
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[crowd cheering]
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[commentator] Pedro's pitch to Matsui.
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And a flyball in the right, down the line.
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Gone. Two-nothing, New York.
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[Shohei] Yes, I saw it.
A home run into the right field.
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Pedro Martínez might not be
a big-bodied athlete, but despite that,
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he efficiently imparts power to the ball.
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Not to mention his repertoire.
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[soft grunt]
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Compared to him,
I'm on the larger side of pitchers.
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My size actually makes it difficult for me
to pitch like him.
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I knew I needed to practice a lot more
to do what he was doing.
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If a pitcher with a large build
like mine can execute such moves,
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I believe that player
would perform very well.
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[commentator 1] Five strikeouts already.
Michael Busch, the batter.
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{\an8}Swing and a miss.
Michael Busch gets blown away with 100.
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{\an8}[indistinct shouting]
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{\an8}[commentator 2] Lowest opening average
in March and April since 1920s.
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So over 100 years. Minimum 770 innings.
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{\an8}And Shohei Ohtani
is at the top of the list.
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{\an8}Look at the names on there,
like Pedro Martínez and Bob Feller.
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- One, two. Eddie?
- [Eddie] Yes, he wins. Yeah.
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[commentator 2] Yes, he did.
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[commentator 3] Shohei Ohtani is
on the mound tonight
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and could be the right guy on the mound,
certainly for the halos tonight.
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There's the fastball getting a check swing
and a miss for strike three.
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[commentator 4] Shohei tying Babe Ruth
on the all-time strikeout list
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as far as the pitcher and hitter.
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Babe Ruth both at 501,
two-way stars The Babe and Shohei.
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[commentator 5]
Think Shohei is going to beat it.
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Peña swings and misses.
Nasty sweeper from Shohei.
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Second strikeout for Ohtani.
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{\an8}[commentator 6] Passes Babe Ruth now,
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{\an8}two-way stars
on the all-time strikeout list.
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[commentator 5] Really, nothing like it
in the history of Major League Baseball.
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I'm thankful for him
being a great example for me.
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[commentator]
Starting pitcher. Announcers. Fans.
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You got to love what you saw here tonight.
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Goes for the high fastball.
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Strikeout number 17 for Pedro Martínez.
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Throughout the long history of baseball,
there have been many pitchers.
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But delivering a smooth pitch like his,
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there aren't many pitchers
who can match that.
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Of course I'm probably biased.
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[chuckles]
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I'm really, really proud to see
where he comes from
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and how he actually had that dream
from so far out.
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{\an8}[Martínez] I grew up just like Shohei.
Just like that, open fields.
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{\an8}I was also very free to move around.
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I'd like to be outside,
exposed to nature and free spirit.
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But I also had the dream
of becoming a baseball player.
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You know who really deserve
a lot of credit?
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I think it's his parents,
for educating this kid.
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I mean, make him so committed
to what he wanted.
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My parents took me
to baseball practices every week.
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[Shohei] They let me pursue what I wanted.
I also took swimming lessons at that time.
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Mm.
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That was the role my parents fulfilled…
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How should I say this?
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[Shohei murmurs]
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They are wonderful parents,
but not my mentors.
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I really respect my parents
for who they are,
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but hearing the exact same words
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from a teacher I really respect
at school hits differently than
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hearing them from my parents.
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There's a difference to how
those words convey meaning to me.
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I love my parents
and am thankful for their support.
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[Shohei] I would never have been able
to do any of this without them.
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{\an8}But when it comes to the question
of the most influential person in my life,
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{\an8}that's a different story.
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Back when we were negotiating
to bring him to the Fighters,
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his mom was always there for us.
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There was a sense
of generosity about his parents.
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They care for him a lot
and love him dearly,
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yet they always
let him decide for himself.
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His dad taught him the basics of baseball,
like playing catch and running hard.
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Teaching him those important things
had a huge impact on him.
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[♪ suspenseful music playing]
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[commentator] The 3-2.
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- Ohtani hits it hard and a diving stab.
- [crowd cheering]
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From his D's, the throw, not in time.
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Ohtani, big, strong and he's too fast.
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[Martínez] As a freshman in high school,
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Shohei mapped out his goals
on a "dream board".
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His dream was to be drafted first
by eight pro teams,
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which he planned to achieve
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by perfecting eight factors of his game,
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each with eight smaller goals.
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This included physicality, mentality,
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luck, control,
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and humanity amongst others.
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It's quite impressive.
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I'm more impressed about this,
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about how he had it in his mind
before then
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than what he's doing.
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Because it's hard to draw your dream
and go and achieve it.
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[Martínez] I-I wish, I wish I could have.
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But I never thought about it.
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I… I had so many uncertainties
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when it came to baseball
and it wasn't easy.
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And I know it's not easy for him,
but this is quite impressive
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to draw your dream…
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00:14:12,434 --> 00:14:15,437
in a piece of paper
and especially at such a young age.
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It's-- It's probably more impressive
than the things he's doing in baseball.
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00:14:22,736 --> 00:14:26,073
Wow. This should be
in the Hall of Fame already.
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00:14:27,700 --> 00:14:29,785
This should be in the Hall of Fame.
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[awkward chuckle]
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00:14:33,873 --> 00:14:35,708
This is embarrassing.
[chuckles]
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00:14:35,791 --> 00:14:39,628
Honestly… that was…
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00:14:40,170 --> 00:14:44,633
That was supposed to be something
between just me and myself.
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00:14:45,926 --> 00:14:48,304
I wasn't ready for that to be exposed.
[laughs]
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00:14:49,054 --> 00:14:55,144
I had hoped to keep that locked in a place
where no one could find it.
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00:14:55,227 --> 00:14:57,229
Oh…
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00:14:58,814 --> 00:15:02,067
2010? He would have been in high school.
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00:15:05,029 --> 00:15:09,199
First of all,
to be "drafted first by 8 teams"…
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00:15:09,783 --> 00:15:10,826
[chuckles]
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00:15:10,910 --> 00:15:13,621
I never had a goal that big.
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00:15:15,164 --> 00:15:17,541
He wrote this in his freshman year?
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00:15:19,835 --> 00:15:24,715
I doubt any other players in the league
could come up with a plan like this.
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00:15:25,674 --> 00:15:27,176
[commentator] He struck him out.
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00:15:27,968 --> 00:15:31,764
CC Sabathia with a complete game shut out,
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00:15:31,847 --> 00:15:35,893
{\an8}and this is his sixth complete game
as a New York Yankees…
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00:15:37,144 --> 00:15:38,270
Obviously writing this down
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00:15:38,354 --> 00:15:42,733
and being able to, you know,
to execute this plan is amazing.
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00:15:42,816 --> 00:15:46,737
I mean, I read everything he wrote down,
arm care and, you know, flexibility
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00:15:46,820 --> 00:15:50,491
and stability and all those things
that he has written down on that paper.
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00:15:50,574 --> 00:15:54,620
He's going to be in that
MVP Cy Young race every single year
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00:15:54,703 --> 00:15:56,789
and will definitely lead him
to the Hall of Fame.
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00:15:57,998 --> 00:15:59,041
[sucks teeth]
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In the early stage,
I think it helps to put in writing.
233
00:16:04,630 --> 00:16:08,008
People have a tendency to forget.
234
00:16:08,133 --> 00:16:12,680
Writing and posting notes
where you can see them is a simple act,
235
00:16:12,805 --> 00:16:18,769
but I think it's effective.
As you continue what you've written,
236
00:16:19,353 --> 00:16:24,358
the things you need to do
will eventually become second nature.
237
00:16:25,109 --> 00:16:30,698
There're many ways to go about it.
It's not about which one is right.
238
00:16:30,864 --> 00:16:32,992
This is simply one approach.
239
00:16:34,076 --> 00:16:36,161
I think it's worthwhile.
240
00:16:37,621 --> 00:16:42,876
What led to him kinda draw in his dream.
241
00:16:44,003 --> 00:16:47,589
And how is he able to put it all together,
242
00:16:47,673 --> 00:16:50,676
did he know his body that well?
243
00:16:50,759 --> 00:16:56,807
Did he know, uh, that he was going to be
that kind of athlete?
244
00:16:58,767 --> 00:17:04,356
I-- I'm so intrigued to know
how he prepared himself so well.
245
00:17:06,066 --> 00:17:08,736
It's just what came to mind.
[chuckles]
246
00:17:08,861 --> 00:17:11,780
I wasn't trying to think too hard.
247
00:17:13,323 --> 00:17:18,454
It was simply a list
of what was important to me at that time.
248
00:17:18,662 --> 00:17:23,250
I chose and wrote down
what I saw as being necessary.
249
00:17:24,043 --> 00:17:27,755
That's really all that was.
250
00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:36,638
[Martínez] At six, Shohei wrote
that his favorite sport was baseball.
251
00:17:38,348 --> 00:17:42,144
His dream job was to be a baseball player.
252
00:17:42,936 --> 00:17:47,399
And as an adult, he wanted to be ordinary.
253
00:17:48,025 --> 00:17:50,277
[players shouting indistinctly]
254
00:17:52,738 --> 00:17:54,656
This is from first grade?
255
00:17:59,620 --> 00:18:01,371
This really surprises me.
256
00:18:01,497 --> 00:18:07,461
You'll have to ask him why he wrote this.
I wonder what's behind his words.
257
00:18:07,961 --> 00:18:09,546
I'd love to know the answer.
258
00:18:10,214 --> 00:18:15,677
Does it mean, as a first grader,
he already felt that he wasn't ordinary?
259
00:18:17,179 --> 00:18:21,683
There must've been something
that made him stand out from others.
260
00:18:21,767 --> 00:18:25,354
What impresses me
is that even as a first grader,
261
00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:32,945
he has an understanding about humility,
that you shouldn't brag about yourself.
262
00:18:34,446 --> 00:18:38,617
It shows how he knew that actions
speak louder than words.
263
00:18:38,784 --> 00:18:43,872
His parents deserve even more credit
for what they've taught him.
264
00:18:43,956 --> 00:18:45,040
[exclaims]
265
00:18:46,208 --> 00:18:48,377
When I was reading, I…
[stutters]
266
00:18:48,919 --> 00:18:51,755
I said this is not, you know, normal.
267
00:18:52,673 --> 00:18:55,843
And certainly he's not just anybody.
268
00:18:55,926 --> 00:18:57,094
He's not normal.
269
00:18:57,177 --> 00:19:01,098
Now, I'm intrigued to really,
really get to know Shohei.
270
00:19:03,684 --> 00:19:06,103
I was just a normal kid.
271
00:19:06,812 --> 00:19:10,482
A slightly larger-than-average kid.
272
00:19:11,733 --> 00:19:16,363
Actually, I was probably way larger
than average in middle school.
273
00:19:19,283 --> 00:19:25,664
{\an8}[Martínez] At 18, Shohei was scouted
to be a pitcher in the US.
274
00:19:25,747 --> 00:19:32,337
However, a pro team in Japan made an offer
that caught his attention.
275
00:19:33,046 --> 00:19:39,720
He was given the opportunity
to be both a pitcher and a hitter,
276
00:19:40,554 --> 00:19:45,309
something that hadn't been seen
in over decades.
277
00:19:51,106 --> 00:19:55,235
I think when you really look
at that decision in 18,
278
00:19:55,319 --> 00:19:56,987
and not a lot of people
put a weight on it,
279
00:19:57,070 --> 00:19:58,822
but I do and I know Shohei does.
280
00:19:59,948 --> 00:20:01,241
[Balelo] That was a big decision.
281
00:20:01,867 --> 00:20:07,831
And I really believe that there could
have been two paths in a player's career.
282
00:20:07,915 --> 00:20:09,208
I really do.
283
00:20:09,291 --> 00:20:15,380
I think it's that sliding door
and it's door A or it's door B.
284
00:20:16,298 --> 00:20:19,676
And they allowed him to enter door A.
285
00:20:20,469 --> 00:20:23,680
And start in the big leagues,
and then we saw the rest from there.
286
00:20:23,764 --> 00:20:24,848
Did very well.
287
00:20:26,350 --> 00:20:29,478
But if he would have been in door B,
288
00:20:29,561 --> 00:20:34,942
and he would have started possibly
in the minor leagues,
289
00:20:35,025 --> 00:20:37,778
we have no idea
what could have come from this.
290
00:20:38,362 --> 00:20:41,698
They might have labeled him
just as a pitcher, just as a hitter.
291
00:20:41,782 --> 00:20:44,493
We might have not been able to see
292
00:20:44,576 --> 00:20:50,082
this special situation develop
the way it did.
293
00:20:50,165 --> 00:20:52,000
[♪ upbeat music playing]
294
00:20:52,084 --> 00:20:54,753
[Shohei] The offer to play
as a two-way player
295
00:20:54,836 --> 00:20:58,173
first came from the Nippon-Ham Fighters.
296
00:20:59,716 --> 00:21:03,804
Initially, I had hoped to go directly
to the US after high school.
297
00:21:05,097 --> 00:21:08,225
Back then, aside from the Fighters,
298
00:21:08,308 --> 00:21:14,481
all of the other Japanese teams
only wanted me as a pitcher.
299
00:21:14,940 --> 00:21:19,069
There were also offers from some US teams,
300
00:21:19,528 --> 00:21:23,115
but they also only saw me as a pitcher.
301
00:21:23,991 --> 00:21:30,956
It was very clear that no one really
seemed interested in me as a hitter.
302
00:21:32,374 --> 00:21:36,586
So the Fighters were the only team
to propose such an idea.
303
00:21:38,046 --> 00:21:41,800
I thought it through and made my choice.
304
00:21:41,883 --> 00:21:44,594
[deep breath]
Ah…
305
00:21:45,262 --> 00:21:51,601
In the end, that was the path
I decided to pursue in my career.
306
00:21:52,185 --> 00:21:57,441
It's important to develop your own style.
As I listened to Shohei,
307
00:21:57,733 --> 00:22:02,738
I could see that he was more confident
as a hitter than a pitcher.
308
00:22:03,155 --> 00:22:08,368
It seems he had been aware of the choices
he was making from the beginning.
309
00:22:11,913 --> 00:22:14,333
{\an8}[Matsui] So in that sense,
310
00:22:15,250 --> 00:22:19,796
{\an8}it appeared that he was the one who wanted
to continue on his own volition,
311
00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:25,844
and the Fighters provided the environment
for him to pursue his challenge.
312
00:22:26,136 --> 00:22:28,305
That's very intriguing to me.
313
00:22:29,848 --> 00:22:31,433
{\an8}[commentator] And to the count.
314
00:22:32,309 --> 00:22:36,271
Darvish sets the pitch
in their strike three called…
315
00:22:36,855 --> 00:22:43,278
Since Shohei couldn't have been posted
to MLB without the Fighters' approval,
316
00:22:44,071 --> 00:22:46,823
I'm sure he had discussed it
for a number of years.
317
00:22:47,908 --> 00:22:49,242
{\an8}[Balelo] You know,
there's 30 teams over here
318
00:22:49,326 --> 00:22:52,120
{\an8}and all 30 teams scout
what we call the Pacific Rim.
319
00:22:52,204 --> 00:22:55,415
And, uh, it was pretty well-advertised
320
00:22:55,499 --> 00:22:57,709
that Shohei was really looking
to come over
321
00:22:57,793 --> 00:23:00,629
and play in Major League Baseball.
322
00:23:00,712 --> 00:23:03,757
And he really had a strong desire
out of high school
323
00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,344
before he became a Fighter, to come over.
324
00:23:07,427 --> 00:23:11,932
Mr. Kuriyama had a very good rapport
with Shohei and the family,
325
00:23:12,015 --> 00:23:14,267
and so they came to an understanding
326
00:23:14,351 --> 00:23:17,187
that whenever Shohei felt like
it was time to come over
327
00:23:17,270 --> 00:23:19,689
and get an opportunity
to play in the United States,
328
00:23:19,773 --> 00:23:25,070
that they would grant him and honor that,
you know, his wishes to come over.
329
00:23:25,695 --> 00:23:27,948
And his story was a great story.
330
00:23:28,031 --> 00:23:30,242
Nobody wants to grow up
just being a pitcher.
331
00:23:30,325 --> 00:23:34,246
If you look at, you know,
youth sports and high school baseball,
332
00:23:34,329 --> 00:23:38,792
the best player is usually the shortstop,
the pitcher, the best hitter
333
00:23:38,875 --> 00:23:40,377
and all these different things in one.
334
00:23:40,460 --> 00:23:42,003
And like I said, I mean, you know,
335
00:23:42,087 --> 00:23:44,005
he's making it so kids
don't have to choose
336
00:23:44,089 --> 00:23:47,384
and, you know, making it so kids can be,
you know, both
337
00:23:47,467 --> 00:23:52,431
and pursue that dream as, you know,
being a dual, a hitter and a pitcher,
338
00:23:52,514 --> 00:23:54,683
because that's how you start playing
the game.
339
00:23:54,766 --> 00:23:58,603
And that is our dream as kids
is to, you know, hit home runs
340
00:23:58,687 --> 00:23:59,771
and to strike guys out.
341
00:23:59,855 --> 00:24:02,441
And this guy is both in one.
342
00:24:02,524 --> 00:24:06,278
So, you know, he's living out,
I think, every baseball player's dream.
343
00:24:09,030 --> 00:24:12,951
That's definitely not the case
at a professional level.
344
00:24:13,034 --> 00:24:14,911
It's possible until high school.
345
00:24:14,995 --> 00:24:16,997
[Matsui hesitates]
346
00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:21,376
[Matsui] In high school, they don't
play games every day like the pros do.
347
00:24:21,877 --> 00:24:24,546
Maybe at a tournament it could happen.
348
00:24:25,172 --> 00:24:28,550
At the high school level,
349
00:24:29,301 --> 00:24:35,015
a player who can play any position, pitch,
and hit well is likely to lead the team.
350
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:41,980
Once you reach the professional level,
you have to make a decision.
351
00:24:42,522 --> 00:24:46,318
It's very normal to choose
a specialty to focus on.
352
00:24:46,902 --> 00:24:52,199
The biggest reason was their proposal
to let me try both.
353
00:24:52,282 --> 00:24:55,035
[Shohei] I hadn't thought
of that possibility.
354
00:24:56,244 --> 00:25:00,957
Until then, there weren't any teams
that considered me as a hitter.
355
00:25:01,208 --> 00:25:04,836
Amidst all this,
when Kuriyama-san suggested that
356
00:25:05,128 --> 00:25:10,967
I try for both, it got me thinking,
"I could give it a try."
357
00:25:11,218 --> 00:25:14,763
That's where the whole conversation began.
358
00:25:16,223 --> 00:25:22,479
Had he chosen one position, I assume he
would've thrived in the US much sooner.
359
00:25:22,562 --> 00:25:24,606
When it came to doing both…
360
00:25:25,732 --> 00:25:26,858
[mutters]
361
00:25:26,942 --> 00:25:30,320
…there was a question
of how far he could really go.
362
00:25:31,488 --> 00:25:35,408
I wanted him to truly excel at both,
at a level where
363
00:25:35,951 --> 00:25:38,620
he can compete in the MLB.
364
00:25:38,703 --> 00:25:43,625
He had the potential, and I was
determined to get him to that level.
365
00:25:45,919 --> 00:25:48,213
[sighs]
I sometimes wonder…
366
00:25:50,298 --> 00:25:56,012
Was he truly convinced that I could
genuinely become a two-way player?
367
00:25:56,513 --> 00:26:02,227
I would love to know the truth
about what he thought back then.
368
00:26:02,644 --> 00:26:09,609
I see him as one of the very few people
who believed in me,
369
00:26:10,277 --> 00:26:13,905
but did he see it
as a 100% attainable goal?
370
00:26:14,072 --> 00:26:15,782
Or maybe, at that point,
371
00:26:16,074 --> 00:26:21,997
the team was just trying to test
things out and see the outcome.
372
00:26:22,789 --> 00:26:29,546
{\an8}When I chose to join the MLB, some members
of the ball club actually told me,
373
00:26:30,213 --> 00:26:33,300
{\an8}"We never really thought you could do it."
374
00:26:34,009 --> 00:26:39,264
{\an8}I can totally understand.
So perhaps, for Kuriyama-san as well,
375
00:26:39,681 --> 00:26:45,020
it's understandable if it was simply
a strategy to recruit me to their team.
376
00:26:45,228 --> 00:26:48,648
If I failed to do both,
I could opt for just one.
377
00:26:49,024 --> 00:26:53,653
I knew those were generally
the expectations around me back then,
378
00:26:54,654 --> 00:27:00,952
but I was willing to take a bet
on my determination to make it work.
379
00:27:01,494 --> 00:27:05,373
It naturally makes me wonder
Kuriyama-san's… well,
380
00:27:06,416 --> 00:27:09,336
his true intention at that time.
381
00:27:10,128 --> 00:27:14,132
How much faith did he have
in my potential?
382
00:27:17,594 --> 00:27:23,266
[Shohei] From the Fighters' perspective,
I can see it was a win-win either way.
383
00:27:23,475 --> 00:27:27,937
Either of the result
should have been a success for them.
384
00:27:28,021 --> 00:27:32,609
If my hitting failed,
they could simply use me as a pitcher.
385
00:27:33,151 --> 00:27:38,490
Once drafted, I would be at the mercy
of whatever the team decided to do.
386
00:27:39,616 --> 00:27:43,328
Given that,
I figured I might as well take the chance.
387
00:27:44,287 --> 00:27:46,581
I felt I could pull it off.
388
00:27:46,956 --> 00:27:50,919
I was happy to have the opportunity
to prove it.
389
00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,888
I was very sure he could do it.
390
00:28:01,971 --> 00:28:04,808
Shohei as a hitter and a pitcher,
391
00:28:04,933 --> 00:28:09,437
I had no doubt that both aspects of him
would be the best in Japan.
392
00:28:10,021 --> 00:28:12,273
[Kuriyama]
That was one side of my intention.
393
00:28:12,774 --> 00:28:16,569
Mr. Yoshimura,
the GM of the Fighters back then, and I
394
00:28:17,153 --> 00:28:20,198
had extensive talks
and came to a conclusion.
395
00:28:20,323 --> 00:28:21,574
We had five years.
396
00:28:21,950 --> 00:28:25,036
If Shohei didn't make it
to the MLB in five years,
397
00:28:25,620 --> 00:28:28,581
then we'd failed him,
that's how much talent he had.
398
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,251
That's how we went about it.
399
00:28:34,045 --> 00:28:36,089
{\an8}[camera shutters clicking]
400
00:28:37,549 --> 00:28:41,386
{\an8}[Shohei] My ultimate dream was to make it
as a player in the MLB.
401
00:28:42,721 --> 00:28:45,348
While that final goal didn't change,
402
00:28:46,808 --> 00:28:53,732
another dream emerged within me,
to become a successful two-way player.
403
00:28:55,275 --> 00:29:01,823
With a new aspiration, I aimed to thrive
as a two-way player on the global stage.
404
00:29:09,622 --> 00:29:13,084
Darvish-san had left the Fighters
before I joined.
405
00:29:13,793 --> 00:29:18,214
So I ended up inheriting
his jersey number 11.
406
00:29:18,882 --> 00:29:22,051
- [Shohei] There was some tension there.
- There was.
407
00:29:22,802 --> 00:29:27,974
Some people thought it was too early
for the number 11 to be passed on.
408
00:29:28,141 --> 00:29:31,019
It's a special number to the team,
409
00:29:31,102 --> 00:29:35,732
and to Darvish-san.
It was an honor to get to wear it.
410
00:29:37,567 --> 00:29:40,820
It felt different from any other number.
411
00:29:41,988 --> 00:29:44,949
Yes, there were some issues about this.
412
00:29:45,658 --> 00:29:50,497
[Darvish] I knew that the scouts and
the team had done their research on Shohei
413
00:29:51,164 --> 00:29:54,375
and it showed how high
their expectations were.
414
00:29:54,959 --> 00:29:57,545
Number 11 isn't mine to begin with.
415
00:29:57,629 --> 00:30:01,508
[Darvish] It was just the number
I pitched with.
416
00:30:01,716 --> 00:30:05,178
Some said, "Shohei hasn't earned it yet."
417
00:30:05,345 --> 00:30:07,931
But I never saw it that way.
418
00:30:08,431 --> 00:30:09,432
Rather,
419
00:30:09,766 --> 00:30:15,730
I knew the team valued the number,
so when they passed it to him so soon,
420
00:30:15,897 --> 00:30:21,569
it made me very excited and eager to see
the kind of exceptional player he was.
421
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:26,950
{\an8}[CC Sabathia] Like I said,
I mean, him being able to play
422
00:30:27,033 --> 00:30:30,537
{\an8}those, those first couple of years
in Japan as a hitter and a pitcher
423
00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:32,789
to set him up perfectly
to be able to come over here
424
00:30:32,872 --> 00:30:35,458
and have the confidence
and have the routine
425
00:30:35,542 --> 00:30:36,751
to know what he's doing,
426
00:30:36,835 --> 00:30:39,462
to be able to do both of those things
at a high level.
427
00:30:39,546 --> 00:30:42,006
So I think, you know,
he did the perfect thing
428
00:30:42,090 --> 00:30:45,510
of not coming over here when he was 18,
right out of high school,
429
00:30:45,593 --> 00:30:49,722
and being able to develop and learn
how to have the right routine
430
00:30:49,806 --> 00:30:52,392
to come over here
and make this impression on everybody.
431
00:30:54,644 --> 00:30:59,899
While people know how hard it is
to become a professional ball player,
432
00:30:59,983 --> 00:31:03,778
Shohei needs to work twice as much
to reach that level.
433
00:31:04,445 --> 00:31:06,406
[Kuriyama] His ability wasn't the issue.
434
00:31:06,489 --> 00:31:08,992
His body would be the one
to reach its limit.
435
00:31:09,075 --> 00:31:13,329
I had to figure out
how to balance the two.
436
00:31:13,413 --> 00:31:15,915
That was one of the crucial points.
437
00:31:16,124 --> 00:31:18,585
I never told Shohei what he needed to do.
438
00:31:18,668 --> 00:31:22,630
As he kept pushing forward,
I was just there for him,
439
00:31:22,839 --> 00:31:26,718
making sure he had
a clear path to move on.
440
00:31:27,594 --> 00:31:30,889
He was doing his thing.
My job was to back him up.
441
00:31:31,055 --> 00:31:35,894
What he was trying to achieve
wasn't something you can teach.
442
00:31:36,686 --> 00:31:39,314
[crowd chanting]
443
00:31:42,775 --> 00:31:43,902
[crowd roaring]
444
00:31:43,985 --> 00:31:48,281
[commentator in Japanese]
102.5 mph, a new record!
445
00:31:48,364 --> 00:31:50,074
[crowd cheering]
446
00:31:50,158 --> 00:31:52,410
[♪ upbeat music playing]
447
00:31:52,493 --> 00:31:54,871
[crowd cheering]
448
00:32:02,879 --> 00:32:08,426
[Martínez] At the Nippon-Ham Fighters,
Shohei broke boundaries and records
449
00:32:08,509 --> 00:32:13,806
in hopes of one day making it
to the majors.
450
00:32:14,682 --> 00:32:17,352
{\an8}[bird chirping]
451
00:32:20,730 --> 00:32:25,526
{\an8}He must have been really, uh, confident.
452
00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:27,320
Normally, you don't…
453
00:32:27,946 --> 00:32:29,781
you don't know what's going to happen.
454
00:32:29,864 --> 00:32:31,240
You're not confident.
455
00:32:31,783 --> 00:32:34,577
You can dream about it
and chase your dream.
456
00:32:35,453 --> 00:32:37,705
But I guess Shohei was unique
457
00:32:38,581 --> 00:32:42,168
every time he thought about
what he wanted to do
458
00:32:42,251 --> 00:32:44,045
because sometimes we want it.
459
00:32:44,128 --> 00:32:45,380
Yes, we want it,
460
00:32:45,964 --> 00:32:47,340
but not all the time we get it.
461
00:32:48,591 --> 00:32:50,885
Hmm…
462
00:32:52,470 --> 00:32:58,101
Maybe he thought he had what it took.
He felt he could pull it off.
463
00:32:59,727 --> 00:33:05,274
But I think he was more driven by the idea
of doing what no one else had.
464
00:33:05,608 --> 00:33:09,445
At least for me,
that would have been the case.
465
00:33:10,863 --> 00:33:13,199
You'll never know until you try.
[chuckles]
466
00:33:14,784 --> 00:33:17,578
Going for what nobody's done before…
467
00:33:17,829 --> 00:33:21,874
Maybe 100 years ago, there might've been
players doing both.
468
00:33:22,500 --> 00:33:25,920
But in today's competitive world,
469
00:33:26,045 --> 00:33:29,924
attempting and achieving
what's never been done?
470
00:33:30,883 --> 00:33:36,180
The challenge itself must've been
the biggest drive for him.
471
00:33:36,764 --> 00:33:40,018
Even if you fail,
it's still worth the ride.
472
00:33:41,644 --> 00:33:46,232
After five, six or seven years,
I was sure he'd be physically ready
473
00:33:46,357 --> 00:33:49,360
to handle this tough challenge.
474
00:33:49,694 --> 00:33:54,115
For that period while he was building up,
he mustn't overdo it.
475
00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:59,287
This was a crucial rule for me,
but Shohei sometimes fought back.
476
00:33:59,370 --> 00:34:03,458
[Kuriyama] He'd insist on playing,
especially for important games.
477
00:34:03,666 --> 00:34:06,419
We had a lot of those exchanges
over email.
478
00:34:06,586 --> 00:34:10,882
However, it was my role
to stop him when I needed to.
479
00:34:11,591 --> 00:34:13,384
In order to succeed in the MLB,
480
00:34:14,093 --> 00:34:17,055
he had to build a solid foundation
in Japan.
481
00:34:17,138 --> 00:34:20,224
I truly believed
that was his shortest path.
482
00:34:20,433 --> 00:34:25,521
I was sure that Shohei would understand,
and he eventually did.
483
00:34:27,148 --> 00:34:31,277
However, whether my approach
truly succeeded or not,
484
00:34:31,903 --> 00:34:35,406
we'll only know
when Shohei stops playing baseball.
485
00:34:36,115 --> 00:34:41,245
I honestly can't tell
which was the right path to choose.
486
00:34:41,329 --> 00:34:47,085
I believe that going directly to the US
should be a viable option.
487
00:34:47,168 --> 00:34:50,588
I really can't say which is better.
488
00:34:51,005 --> 00:34:54,050
For me, it wasn't much
about staying in Japan,
489
00:34:54,509 --> 00:34:58,888
it was more about the opportunity
to be a two-way player.
490
00:35:05,311 --> 00:35:07,146
I don't know what it feels like to be him.
491
00:35:07,230 --> 00:35:09,148
He's the first guy to do what he's doing.
492
00:35:09,232 --> 00:35:11,275
I was trying to convince the Cubs
that we could do it
493
00:35:11,359 --> 00:35:12,652
in a National League setting,
494
00:35:12,735 --> 00:35:16,447
you know, where… that he can both pitch
and play the outfield,
495
00:35:16,531 --> 00:35:18,407
which you would have had to have done
to do that.
496
00:35:18,908 --> 00:35:21,869
[Joe] A lot of people were just skeptical
of all that stuff.
497
00:35:22,662 --> 00:35:24,539
I don't know.
I mean, here's a guy that came here
498
00:35:24,622 --> 00:35:27,458
for a specific reason
and everybody had spoken with,
499
00:35:27,542 --> 00:35:30,378
talks about him being one
of the best players they've ever seen.
500
00:35:30,461 --> 00:35:32,880
So my, as a manager of the Cubs
at that time,
501
00:35:32,964 --> 00:35:36,342
my evaluation process
was how do we get them,
502
00:35:36,425 --> 00:35:38,719
get them to do both things
in the National League.
503
00:35:38,803 --> 00:35:40,805
He signed up for a reason.
This is what he does.
504
00:35:40,888 --> 00:35:44,600
And he could pitch and also hit.
505
00:35:44,684 --> 00:35:46,227
Everybody was shying away from that.
506
00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:49,105
I didn't want… I didn't get it.
Quite frankly, I didn't get it.
507
00:35:49,689 --> 00:35:55,111
Everybody was willing to at least explore
the idea of allowing him to do both.
508
00:35:55,862 --> 00:35:57,780
{\an8}Because it's not like
he hasn't done it before.
509
00:35:59,031 --> 00:36:01,617
He was successful in Japan doing both.
510
00:36:01,701 --> 00:36:06,747
Well, when it comes to something
that you really want to achieve,
511
00:36:07,748 --> 00:36:12,128
there would always be some kind
of criticism you need to face.
512
00:36:12,545 --> 00:36:18,134
There would always be an obstacle
that you need to overcome.
513
00:36:19,427 --> 00:36:24,765
At the end of the day,
I know myself better than anyone else,
514
00:36:25,558 --> 00:36:30,229
and no one knows what I'm striving for
better than I do.
515
00:36:30,813 --> 00:36:35,735
I think I'll only be able to reflect
on what I dedicated myself to
516
00:36:36,694 --> 00:36:41,991
at the end of my career, after giving
everything I have as a player.
517
00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:45,411
From what I know of Shohei,
518
00:36:47,288 --> 00:36:53,044
he has always been very sure of himself,
even from a very young age.
519
00:36:53,127 --> 00:36:58,841
I know he's not the kind of person
that would be easily deterred.
520
00:36:59,258 --> 00:37:00,343
[murmurs]
521
00:37:03,012 --> 00:37:08,684
{\an8}He had the ability to and we were going
to let him try to be a two-way player.
522
00:37:08,768 --> 00:37:11,103
And I think that was important to Shohei.
523
00:37:13,105 --> 00:37:19,237
The most important factor was how serious
they were about me playing both positions.
524
00:37:20,613 --> 00:37:25,785
Given the limited time and few meetings,
525
00:37:25,952 --> 00:37:30,623
it wasn't really possible
to fully gauge their intentions.
526
00:37:30,915 --> 00:37:35,586
But in the end, I had conversations
with a few teams and decided.
527
00:37:36,712 --> 00:37:37,922
How did Shohei…
528
00:37:38,881 --> 00:37:40,424
How did he make the decision?
529
00:37:40,508 --> 00:37:41,884
[Balelo] You know
why did he choose the Angels?
530
00:37:41,968 --> 00:37:43,636
I don't know.
You're going to have to ask Shohei that.
531
00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:44,720
{\an8}[murmurs]
532
00:37:44,804 --> 00:37:50,559
{\an8}I thought he would end up choosing
either the Rangers or the Padres,
533
00:37:50,643 --> 00:37:54,605
but he surprised everyone
and signed with the Angels.
534
00:37:54,689 --> 00:37:57,358
I never had a chance
to find out his reasons.
535
00:37:58,484 --> 00:38:02,321
You'll have to talk to Shohei.
He has that answer.
536
00:38:02,905 --> 00:38:06,993
In our meetings with Shohei, with Nez, um,
537
00:38:07,076 --> 00:38:10,955
we were very upfront, very honest,
and what we felt about Shohei,
538
00:38:11,038 --> 00:38:13,749
we absolutely felt
that he was a two-way player,
539
00:38:13,833 --> 00:38:16,752
or I'm not sure if other teams
had that in mind or not.
540
00:38:16,836 --> 00:38:18,004
I really couldn't answer that.
541
00:38:18,796 --> 00:38:23,301
To be really honest,
I went with my gut feeling.
542
00:38:23,384 --> 00:38:25,344
When I chose my high school,
543
00:38:26,637 --> 00:38:29,473
when I first decided
to try for the MLB at 18,
544
00:38:30,099 --> 00:38:35,521
and when I ended up with the Fighters,
my decision was made the same way.
545
00:38:36,063 --> 00:38:38,733
In the end, I rely on my intuitions.
546
00:38:40,401 --> 00:38:45,823
That might sound arbitrary but it isn't.
547
00:38:47,199 --> 00:38:51,162
For example, if I'm given three options,
548
00:38:52,538 --> 00:38:53,956
I'll look at all three,
549
00:38:54,999 --> 00:39:00,296
and examine every aspect of them
so I can truly understand what I'm given.
550
00:39:00,504 --> 00:39:01,672
But at the end of day,
551
00:39:02,506 --> 00:39:05,968
I go with what feels right to me.
That's how it works.
552
00:39:06,594 --> 00:39:10,931
It's a little bit difficult to explain.
553
00:39:11,015 --> 00:39:13,517
It's similar with your batting stance.
554
00:39:15,102 --> 00:39:19,357
It's about choosing what matches
the vision of your future self.
555
00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,361
When considering what could be
the best decision
556
00:39:23,486 --> 00:39:27,156
for both myself and those around me,
557
00:39:27,698 --> 00:39:32,495
the Angels just seemed to stand out
the most, that's the main reason.
558
00:39:33,204 --> 00:39:37,375
Of course,
there were the meetings along the way,
559
00:39:38,292 --> 00:39:40,628
I talked to people from various teams.
560
00:39:41,337 --> 00:39:44,048
So I believe my intuition was based on
561
00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:52,473
all of those meetings and conversations
I had prior to making my decision.
562
00:39:52,807 --> 00:39:57,645
Ultimately, it led to my decision
to go with the Angels.
563
00:39:58,270 --> 00:39:59,688
His gut feeling?
564
00:40:01,607 --> 00:40:04,652
I expected a more specific reason
than that,
565
00:40:05,945 --> 00:40:10,282
although going with your gut
doesn't sound bad at all.
566
00:40:10,783 --> 00:40:15,413
It's your life. Relying on your intuition
might work the best.
567
00:40:15,996 --> 00:40:19,208
You know,
Shohei has been asked that question,
568
00:40:19,291 --> 00:40:22,336
and his answer is, "I just felt it.
569
00:40:22,420 --> 00:40:24,672
You know, I just felt like
it was the right place for me."
570
00:40:24,755 --> 00:40:26,173
And he felt comfortable.
571
00:40:27,049 --> 00:40:28,676
Um… good people.
572
00:40:29,677 --> 00:40:33,389
Good location.
You know, maybe the right division.
573
00:40:33,472 --> 00:40:35,182
You know, there's all kinds of things.
574
00:40:35,266 --> 00:40:39,437
But at the end of the day,
he was open to playing on the East Coast.
575
00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:41,897
He was open to playing
in the middle of the country.
576
00:40:41,981 --> 00:40:44,024
He was open to playing on the West Coast.
577
00:40:44,608 --> 00:40:49,113
And, um, I can honestly say that
he really was,
578
00:40:49,196 --> 00:40:53,242
because when you think about the teams
that he ended up narrowing it down to…
579
00:40:55,369 --> 00:40:59,248
half were NL teams
and half were AL teams.
580
00:41:00,332 --> 00:41:04,503
Actually, it was more on NL
than there was on the AL side, I believe.
581
00:41:04,587 --> 00:41:05,838
So, um…
582
00:41:07,047 --> 00:41:08,757
And that was before the DH rule.
583
00:41:09,675 --> 00:41:14,847
So an NL team that was going to get Shohei
would be looking at him as a pinch hitter
584
00:41:14,930 --> 00:41:17,141
and allowing him to hit while he pitched.
585
00:41:17,683 --> 00:41:19,226
He was gonna be limited at that point,
586
00:41:19,310 --> 00:41:21,562
unless he picked up a glove,
went to the outfield,
587
00:41:21,645 --> 00:41:24,106
or maybe went to first base.
588
00:41:24,190 --> 00:41:27,776
So that was something an NL team
was going to have to juggle a little bit,
589
00:41:27,860 --> 00:41:30,821
knowing that the DH rule
was possibly coming.
590
00:41:31,822 --> 00:41:33,073
And eventually it did.
591
00:41:34,783 --> 00:41:36,368
{\an8}Starting next year,
592
00:41:37,328 --> 00:41:41,373
I would like to formally announce that…
593
00:41:42,249 --> 00:41:47,296
I plan to go and do my best in the USA.
594
00:41:47,379 --> 00:41:49,423
[♪ light upbeat music playing]
595
00:41:50,633 --> 00:41:53,135
[Martínez] After five years in Japan,
596
00:41:53,886 --> 00:41:58,098
Shohei finally decided to come to the US.
597
00:41:59,433 --> 00:42:03,187
He had chosen the Los Angeles Angels.
598
00:42:03,270 --> 00:42:05,731
[♪ upbeat music intensifies]
599
00:42:23,499 --> 00:42:27,711
{\an8}Thank you very much.
And, uh, Shohei, welcome.
600
00:42:27,795 --> 00:42:28,921
{\an8}Thank you.
601
00:42:29,004 --> 00:42:30,506
[crowd cheering, clapping]
602
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:34,760
[crowd cheering]
603
00:42:39,181 --> 00:42:41,475
[in English]
Hi. My name is Shohei Ohtani.
604
00:42:41,559 --> 00:42:43,269
[crowd cheering]
605
00:42:45,020 --> 00:42:46,438
He's 23 years old.
606
00:42:46,981 --> 00:42:48,274
So there's a lot of growth there,
607
00:42:48,357 --> 00:42:51,652
both on the physical side,
on the mental side,
608
00:42:51,735 --> 00:42:53,696
and on his baseball side…
609
00:42:54,238 --> 00:42:58,742
He struggled his first spring training
in 2018, really struggled.
610
00:42:58,826 --> 00:43:03,581
[Balelo] Uh, what he does is
very difficult and challenging.
611
00:43:03,664 --> 00:43:06,500
But it was Shohei was the one saying,
612
00:43:06,584 --> 00:43:09,378
"I'm going to go ahead
and play this thing out." And he did.
613
00:43:10,379 --> 00:43:15,551
[in Japanese] The spring training in 2018
was a disaster. My results were terrible.
614
00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:20,973
But in a way,
that's what I had signed up for.
615
00:43:21,056 --> 00:43:23,809
Time is limited for a pro baseball player.
616
00:43:25,477 --> 00:43:29,273
If I make it to 50,
that would be a miracle in itself.
617
00:43:30,065 --> 00:43:36,655
I want to dedicate my time and push
my limits to see how far I can go.
618
00:43:36,780 --> 00:43:39,575
You could say that it's sort of my hobby.
619
00:43:39,658 --> 00:43:43,829
While I struggled with my hitting,
I was also excited
620
00:43:43,912 --> 00:43:46,373
and aspired to achieve results.
621
00:43:46,540 --> 00:43:49,335
I didn't expect to do well
right off the bat.
622
00:43:49,918 --> 00:43:55,549
That goes for when I entered high school,
or when I started playing professionally.
623
00:43:55,674 --> 00:44:01,889
It almost never went well from the start,
but it was my decision to be there.
624
00:44:02,848 --> 00:44:08,395
The excitement of following my dream
outweighs any of those difficult times.
625
00:44:08,479 --> 00:44:09,730
[♪ hopeful music playing]
626
00:44:09,813 --> 00:44:12,066
It's hard to play Major League Baseball,
right?
627
00:44:12,149 --> 00:44:14,234
But it's even harder
when you come to a foreign land
628
00:44:14,318 --> 00:44:15,319
and don't know the language
629
00:44:15,402 --> 00:44:17,529
and you're trying to navigate
all of that stuff.
630
00:44:17,613 --> 00:44:19,114
[CC Sabathia]
You have to give these guys credit.
631
00:44:19,198 --> 00:44:20,240
The guys from the DR,
632
00:44:20,324 --> 00:44:23,202
the guys from the Asian countries
that come over here
633
00:44:23,285 --> 00:44:26,372
and can perform at a high level
in a foreign place
634
00:44:26,455 --> 00:44:27,581
without knowing the language
635
00:44:27,665 --> 00:44:30,918
and really understanding, you know,
things, the first couple of years.
636
00:44:31,001 --> 00:44:34,088
Like even my transition
from coming from Vallejo, California,
637
00:44:34,171 --> 00:44:36,131
to, you know, on these big stages,
638
00:44:36,215 --> 00:44:38,050
whether it was Cleveland,
Milwaukee or New York.
639
00:44:38,133 --> 00:44:40,219
It was a hard transition.
You know what I'm saying?
640
00:44:40,302 --> 00:44:42,805
It's a hard thing to get used to.
641
00:44:42,888 --> 00:44:45,474
And for us as teammates,
you have to have sympathy
642
00:44:45,557 --> 00:44:47,518
and understand what these guys
are going through
643
00:44:47,601 --> 00:44:51,480
and try to help out as much as you can
to help our team win.
644
00:44:52,815 --> 00:44:57,444
When you come from a totally different
culture, totally different league,
645
00:44:57,528 --> 00:44:58,654
and you have to come over,
646
00:44:58,737 --> 00:45:00,239
it's a daunting task.
647
00:45:00,322 --> 00:45:03,325
There's always a question of,
you know, "Can I do this?",
648
00:45:03,409 --> 00:45:04,952
no matter how talented you are.
649
00:45:05,035 --> 00:45:06,537
He's a non-roster guy at this point.
650
00:45:06,620 --> 00:45:08,455
Remember,
he signed a minor league contract
651
00:45:08,539 --> 00:45:10,457
because he came out early from Japan,
652
00:45:11,125 --> 00:45:16,296
so they could have easily sent him
to Triple-A to go find himself.
653
00:45:16,380 --> 00:45:21,510
I felt like I was stuck
during spring training.
654
00:45:22,094 --> 00:45:23,429
How can I say this…
655
00:45:24,221 --> 00:45:29,977
I'm not really the kind of person who
likes to ask other people for their help.
656
00:45:30,728 --> 00:45:34,690
There were moments at camp
when I felt hopeless.
657
00:45:34,773 --> 00:45:39,278
But in the end, I trusted myself
and what I've always done.
658
00:45:39,445 --> 00:45:41,697
It was still spring training,
659
00:45:41,780 --> 00:45:46,160
I had enough time
and was open to making adjustments.
660
00:45:46,285 --> 00:45:50,581
I made big changes in my swing
and tweaked many things.
661
00:45:51,206 --> 00:45:53,834
That's how I've managed to get this far.
662
00:45:54,835 --> 00:45:56,587
A lot of people doubted him.
663
00:45:56,670 --> 00:45:58,714
There were a lot of media.
There were a lot of people.
664
00:45:58,797 --> 00:46:03,343
A lot of industry people that said,
"Wait a second, he's not getting it done."
665
00:46:03,427 --> 00:46:08,182
On their first take and their first
glimpse of him in spring training in 2018
666
00:46:08,766 --> 00:46:11,643
when he had that first opportunity
to start in Oakland.
667
00:46:11,727 --> 00:46:13,937
[clicks tongue]
We saw Shohei Ohtani.
668
00:46:14,021 --> 00:46:16,148
[♪ electronic music playing]
669
00:46:18,734 --> 00:46:21,403
[crowd cheering, clapping]
670
00:46:22,237 --> 00:46:24,406
[commentator 1]
Now the one, two. Swing and a miss.
671
00:46:24,490 --> 00:46:26,325
Down goes Semien, one down.
672
00:46:27,868 --> 00:46:30,412
[commentator 2] But that's how good.
And I'm sure Xavi is very impressed now.
673
00:46:30,496 --> 00:46:34,625
So Ohtani goes after the first pitch
he sees as a major leaguer,
674
00:46:34,708 --> 00:46:37,044
and he's got himself a base hit.
675
00:46:37,127 --> 00:46:38,754
So Shohei Ohtani does not…
676
00:46:38,837 --> 00:46:41,715
We wouldn't have maybe
had that opportunity
677
00:46:41,799 --> 00:46:44,134
if he was with a different organization…
678
00:46:45,135 --> 00:46:48,472
that said, "You know what,
he needs a little more seasoning."
679
00:46:49,056 --> 00:46:50,557
[Balelo] You know, the rest is history.
680
00:46:50,641 --> 00:46:52,643
[♪ suspenseful music playing]
681
00:46:56,855 --> 00:46:59,191
[crowd cheering]
682
00:47:07,491 --> 00:47:08,909
[CC Sabathia]
If he comes to the New York Yankees
683
00:47:08,992 --> 00:47:09,993
and we're in Tampa,
684
00:47:10,077 --> 00:47:13,288
and he struggles as a hitter
that first year in spring training,
685
00:47:13,372 --> 00:47:16,625
they immediately just put him on the mound
and like, "Hey, you're just a pitcher.
686
00:47:16,708 --> 00:47:18,544
You know, the bat doesn't play here,
687
00:47:18,627 --> 00:47:20,462
and we're just going to keep you
on the mound."
688
00:47:20,546 --> 00:47:25,425
Him going to Anaheim and, you know,
not being a huge, huge media presence
689
00:47:25,509 --> 00:47:29,596
and him being able to like, you know,
figure out his swing over here
690
00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:31,306
and kind of get rid of the leg kick
691
00:47:31,390 --> 00:47:33,934
and just, you know, go from,
you know, just with the heel,
692
00:47:34,017 --> 00:47:35,811
like kind of like the little heel tap,
693
00:47:35,894 --> 00:47:37,354
I think that helped out big time.
694
00:47:37,437 --> 00:47:41,567
And, you know, his developing and being
able to turn into what he's turned into,
695
00:47:41,650 --> 00:47:42,693
which is what I think is,
696
00:47:42,776 --> 00:47:45,153
you know, probably one of the best
baseball players ever.
697
00:47:45,237 --> 00:47:48,156
I think those decisions
have set him on that course.
698
00:47:48,782 --> 00:47:51,076
{\an8}[birds chirping]
699
00:47:53,203 --> 00:47:55,289
{\an8}I just think we saw the talent.
700
00:47:55,372 --> 00:47:57,833
Shohei didn't really need
any major overhauls.
701
00:47:57,916 --> 00:48:01,712
And I think the biggest thing was
we didn't want to put too much on him
702
00:48:01,795 --> 00:48:03,380
until he felt comfortable.
703
00:48:03,463 --> 00:48:07,009
Shohei evolved the way you would expect
a young player to evolve.
704
00:48:07,092 --> 00:48:09,386
He just didn't go from here to here.
705
00:48:09,469 --> 00:48:12,389
He went from here to here
and will continue to grow.
706
00:48:13,098 --> 00:48:17,853
We've built a great relationship so far.
707
00:48:17,936 --> 00:48:24,735
We enjoy working together every day.
I'm confident I made the right choice.
708
00:48:25,360 --> 00:48:31,533
I'm very relieved to hear that.
What I constantly tried to tell Shohei,
709
00:48:31,950 --> 00:48:37,247
even when he headed to the US, is that
"what matters is what Shohei decides."
710
00:48:37,539 --> 00:48:42,461
Whatever you decide to do,
the gods of baseball will support you.
711
00:48:43,253 --> 00:48:47,507
I told him not to get caught up
in what others tell him to do.
712
00:48:48,175 --> 00:48:53,096
Looking at him making his own decisions
and trusting in himself,
713
00:48:53,889 --> 00:48:56,808
it genuinely makes me happy.
714
00:48:58,018 --> 00:49:03,941
And it's easy for people
to maybe look at this and possibly,
715
00:49:04,608 --> 00:49:05,651
um…
716
00:49:06,652 --> 00:49:11,156
criticized the decision because he hasn't
been in the postseason in five years.
717
00:49:11,531 --> 00:49:13,867
But, you know, things happen for reasons.
718
00:49:13,951 --> 00:49:16,119
And I believe that…
719
00:49:17,663 --> 00:49:21,083
his choice was the right choice
at the time,
720
00:49:21,166 --> 00:49:23,961
and it could be the right choice
for the rest of his career.
721
00:49:24,044 --> 00:49:27,714
And if you're not in the right clubhouse
or in the right organization,
722
00:49:27,798 --> 00:49:31,551
it could be, you know, um,
not a great experience.
723
00:49:32,469 --> 00:49:36,181
For rookies or players
with limited MLB experience,
724
00:49:36,264 --> 00:49:39,059
this might seem exaggerated,
725
00:49:39,518 --> 00:49:43,689
but it often feels like
you have no rights.
726
00:49:43,814 --> 00:49:47,609
People will nitpick everything you do.
727
00:49:47,901 --> 00:49:50,946
All I wanted was to play baseball here,
728
00:49:51,905 --> 00:49:55,951
so I had a tough time
understanding that mentality.
729
00:49:57,035 --> 00:50:02,124
I struggled to be who I was in baseball.
730
00:50:03,291 --> 00:50:04,459
And, uh…
731
00:50:06,545 --> 00:50:10,507
I can only tell you
that my dream was unexpected.
732
00:50:12,259 --> 00:50:16,304
At the time I came up,
there were a lot of doubts.
733
00:50:17,556 --> 00:50:21,435
And I couldn't help
but to second-guess myself,
734
00:50:21,518 --> 00:50:25,772
my height, my size, my abilities.
735
00:50:25,856 --> 00:50:27,983
Based on what others said,
736
00:50:29,693 --> 00:50:34,197
I became a little bit shy, uh,
737
00:50:34,614 --> 00:50:38,160
I became less confident.
738
00:50:39,411 --> 00:50:41,872
I… I was humbled by the game,
739
00:50:42,664 --> 00:50:44,374
I was humbled by other people,
740
00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:50,172
but I… I never let go of my dream.
741
00:50:50,255 --> 00:50:53,175
That was the biggest thing I ever did,
742
00:50:54,092 --> 00:50:56,428
was to never quit.
743
00:50:57,304 --> 00:51:00,474
And I was close and I thought about it,
744
00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:02,726
but I'm glad I didn't.
745
00:51:04,227 --> 00:51:06,188
[sucks teeth]
Hm…
746
00:51:06,271 --> 00:51:11,985
I had put in my time with the Fighters.
I developed my own routine and style,
747
00:51:12,069 --> 00:51:16,198
and I believe it was on that basis
I was signed on.
748
00:51:16,782 --> 00:51:20,994
Yet, back then, I often got laughed at
when I did things my way.
749
00:51:21,078 --> 00:51:22,120
[clears throat]
750
00:51:22,579 --> 00:51:24,372
It was a tough time for me.
751
00:51:25,832 --> 00:51:32,839
The MLB has made big changes since then.
Today's clubhouse has a different energy.
752
00:51:32,923 --> 00:51:37,094
But those first few years
were a real struggle for me.
753
00:51:37,636 --> 00:51:41,431
There were many times
I wanted to return to the Fighters.
754
00:51:42,891 --> 00:51:45,685
Coming from where I came from,
I grew up where I played baseball.
755
00:51:45,769 --> 00:51:47,020
It was nothing but Black kids.
756
00:51:47,104 --> 00:51:48,688
I mean, we played,
we were really good too.
757
00:51:48,772 --> 00:51:49,940
We played at a high level,
758
00:51:50,023 --> 00:51:52,859
but there was only people
that looked like me,
759
00:51:52,943 --> 00:51:54,277
and I get to the minor leagues
760
00:51:54,361 --> 00:51:56,780
and there's nobody on my team
that looked like me.
761
00:51:56,863 --> 00:51:59,241
And as I even go up even higher,
762
00:51:59,324 --> 00:52:01,952
then there's nobody even around
that looks like me, you know?
763
00:52:02,035 --> 00:52:05,789
So, yeah, I mean, it's tough
and I speak the language,
764
00:52:05,872 --> 00:52:08,458
so I can only imagine coming here
from the DR
765
00:52:08,542 --> 00:52:14,673
or coming here from Japan or Korea
and trying to fit in and play baseball.
766
00:52:14,756 --> 00:52:17,425
Like it's… it's-it's pretty rough.
It's pretty hard.
767
00:52:17,509 --> 00:52:20,303
So the fact that
we have the translators now,
768
00:52:20,387 --> 00:52:23,890
we have the different things in place
that can help, you know, um,
769
00:52:24,474 --> 00:52:27,561
guys throughout the minor leagues
and even in the big leagues,
770
00:52:27,644 --> 00:52:30,063
I think it's a big change in baseball,
771
00:52:30,147 --> 00:52:32,774
and from what I've seen in the 25 years
that I've been in the game.
772
00:52:36,027 --> 00:52:40,657
In my case,
I haven't been through it myself.
773
00:52:40,740 --> 00:52:45,036
I've never played for another MLB team,
so I can't say for sure.
774
00:52:45,954 --> 00:52:51,501
But you do hear rumors,
and you take those in as information.
775
00:52:52,127 --> 00:52:56,590
Because you're a rookie or Asian,
things can unfold in certain ways.
776
00:52:57,674 --> 00:53:03,471
Since I tend to inflate
my assumptions negatively
777
00:53:03,555 --> 00:53:08,685
and often expect the worst,
that was what I was prepared for.
778
00:53:10,395 --> 00:53:15,358
But that wasn't the case.
They were all really nice people.
779
00:53:15,984 --> 00:53:18,445
It's true, how do I put it…
780
00:53:18,987 --> 00:53:22,032
Everyone is very easy to work with.
781
00:53:22,574 --> 00:53:24,993
I've never had any negative feelings
782
00:53:26,411 --> 00:53:29,039
when it comes to relationships.
783
00:53:29,122 --> 00:53:33,752
I'm definitely lucky.
I find it a very good environment for me.
784
00:53:33,835 --> 00:53:38,256
There have been tough times,
including injuries,
785
00:53:38,590 --> 00:53:44,763
but I'm very happy being able
to come this far as a part of this team.
786
00:53:46,473 --> 00:53:48,767
[commentator 1]
Heads out toward the right-center field.
787
00:53:49,267 --> 00:53:51,144
Going back on it is Zimmer.
788
00:53:51,228 --> 00:53:54,064
{\an8}- At the wall, goal!
- [crowd cheering]
789
00:53:54,147 --> 00:53:55,899
{\an8}Big fly, Ohtani-san!
790
00:53:55,982 --> 00:54:00,904
{\an8}[commentator 2] Shohei Ohtani!
His first major league home run!
791
00:54:00,987 --> 00:54:03,490
{\an8}[crowd cheering]
792
00:54:03,573 --> 00:54:05,700
[♪ uplifting music playing]
793
00:54:36,314 --> 00:54:38,358
[commentator 1]
We felt something magical tonight.
794
00:54:38,441 --> 00:54:40,318
He showed it on Sunday.
[chuckles]
795
00:54:43,947 --> 00:54:45,407
Uh…
796
00:54:45,490 --> 00:54:50,787
Fortunately, I haven't really encountered
those kind of issues.
797
00:54:50,870 --> 00:54:55,792
I had a different outlook.
I expected I'd be dealing with a lot more.
798
00:54:57,419 --> 00:55:02,007
Especially among Angels fans,
there's a homey vibe.
799
00:55:02,090 --> 00:55:07,762
They made me feel very welcomed
and supported me a lot.
800
00:55:07,846 --> 00:55:08,847
[Shohei sucks teeth]
801
00:55:08,930 --> 00:55:14,853
That's one of the reasons why
I was able to focus on my performance.
802
00:55:14,936 --> 00:55:19,357
I consider myself very lucky
and thankful for my situation.
803
00:55:19,941 --> 00:55:24,404
I am surrounded
by an incredible support group.
804
00:55:24,487 --> 00:55:29,701
Having Ippei-san help with the translation
has been a big asset.
805
00:55:29,784 --> 00:55:31,369
I consider his presence crucial.
806
00:55:31,453 --> 00:55:35,498
You never know when a statement
might be received differently.
807
00:55:35,582 --> 00:55:39,961
For example, when it comes to jokes.
808
00:55:40,545 --> 00:55:44,466
They can easily backfire
due to misinterpretation.
809
00:55:44,549 --> 00:55:50,972
He's very good at capturing nuances
when he translates for me.
810
00:55:51,056 --> 00:55:54,726
[Shohei]
That has been definitely a huge help.
811
00:55:55,226 --> 00:56:00,815
By the time Shohei came in 2018, things
had greatly improved in every teams.
812
00:56:00,899 --> 00:56:05,445
There was an ethical shift
towards accepting one another.
813
00:56:05,820 --> 00:56:11,368
So I can't really say
if he had a similar experience as mine.
814
00:56:11,785 --> 00:56:15,955
But in Shohei's case,
I am sure he had his rough time.
815
00:56:16,039 --> 00:56:23,004
His injury in the midst of all that media
attention mustn't have been easy for him.
816
00:56:23,505 --> 00:56:25,298
But I think when it's your dream
817
00:56:25,382 --> 00:56:28,259
and it's something
that you've been striving for
818
00:56:28,343 --> 00:56:31,221
and it's your goal, um,
in your mind you're ready.
819
00:56:31,304 --> 00:56:32,305
You know what I mean?
820
00:56:32,389 --> 00:56:35,975
So you just, you're gonna take on
any challenge that comes with, you know,
821
00:56:36,059 --> 00:56:38,186
your dream of being
the best baseball player,
822
00:56:38,269 --> 00:56:39,646
you know, that you can be.
823
00:56:39,729 --> 00:56:41,606
[♪ light music playing]
824
00:56:43,316 --> 00:56:44,692
[Martínez] Even then,
825
00:56:44,776 --> 00:56:51,408
Shohei's path in the majors
was filled with twists and turns.
826
00:56:51,908 --> 00:56:53,576
[commentator 1]
Aberdeen shortstop position to win.
827
00:56:53,660 --> 00:56:55,620
- Omar Vizquel got--
- [screams]
828
00:56:55,703 --> 00:56:56,871
[commentator 2] Got him in the elbow.
829
00:56:56,955 --> 00:56:58,498
[commentator 1]
He is a right-handed thrower
830
00:56:58,581 --> 00:56:59,833
and is a left-handed batter.
831
00:56:59,916 --> 00:57:03,044
You expose that throwing arm
to a pitch inside.
832
00:57:03,586 --> 00:57:06,214
[commentator 3]
That's it for Ohtani, 66 pitches tonight.
833
00:57:08,508 --> 00:57:11,261
I didn't get to experience
his great pitching
834
00:57:11,344 --> 00:57:13,096
because he hurt his arm his first year.
835
00:57:13,179 --> 00:57:17,100
And it happened pretty quickly in a game
where all of a sudden his velocity dropped
836
00:57:17,183 --> 00:57:21,020
and didn't show a lot of pain,
but the ball wasn't coming out of his hand
837
00:57:21,604 --> 00:57:25,525
and it didn't take long
for the diagnosis to come
838
00:57:25,608 --> 00:57:28,069
that he needed Tommy John surgery.
839
00:57:28,153 --> 00:57:30,447
But he still, he still wanted to hit,
840
00:57:30,530 --> 00:57:34,325
and, um, he hit up
until almost the end of the season.
841
00:57:34,409 --> 00:57:38,037
Shohei was the one saying,
"I'm not getting this surgery yet.
842
00:57:38,121 --> 00:57:40,915
I'm gonna go ahead
and play this thing out." And he did.
843
00:57:40,999 --> 00:57:42,167
And he had a big month,
844
00:57:42,250 --> 00:57:46,087
and it could have made the difference,
uh, to be rookie of the year.
845
00:57:46,963 --> 00:57:49,424
{\an8}[in English]
To all the Angles fans, thank you.
846
00:57:51,301 --> 00:57:57,307
{\an8}Hopefully I will not need this cheat sheet
the next time I'm up here.
847
00:57:57,390 --> 00:57:58,475
Thank you.
848
00:57:58,558 --> 00:58:01,060
- [audience clapping]
- [♪ uplifting music playing]
849
00:58:04,731 --> 00:58:07,358
[Balelo] And that tells you a lot
about his character
850
00:58:07,442 --> 00:58:10,111
and his drive
and his passion wanting to play
851
00:58:10,195 --> 00:58:12,822
and see the year through.
852
00:58:12,906 --> 00:58:14,407
And it was the right decision.
853
00:58:15,116 --> 00:58:20,622
There's gonna be moments where his body
is not going to respond like he wants.
854
00:58:21,247 --> 00:58:23,625
You can have perfect mindset.
855
00:58:24,209 --> 00:58:26,836
You can have perfect mechanics,
856
00:58:27,504 --> 00:58:31,925
but there are days where your body
just says no, you cannot execute,
857
00:58:32,008 --> 00:58:36,930
fastball in, fastball away,
slider or changeup.
858
00:58:37,514 --> 00:58:38,598
{\an8}[commentator] Look at this.
859
00:58:38,681 --> 00:58:42,143
{\an8}This is a guy that used to throw 98
to 100 miles an hour.
860
00:58:42,227 --> 00:58:45,021
{\an8}And these are the baby steps
that you don't see
861
00:58:45,104 --> 00:58:47,065
{\an8}and we don't see as fans.
862
00:58:47,148 --> 00:58:49,192
{\an8}We're saying,
"Well, the guy had Tommy John
863
00:58:49,275 --> 00:58:50,902
{\an8}and he'll be back by July and August."
864
00:58:50,985 --> 00:58:55,740
{\an8}I mean, it's amazing to watch this guy
from like, what, 15 or 20 feet
865
00:58:55,823 --> 00:58:57,367
{\an8}- tossing that baseball.
- [machine clunks]
866
00:59:01,746 --> 00:59:05,166
[Shohei in Japanese]
After the Tommy John surgery in 2019,
867
00:59:05,250 --> 00:59:08,086
the following year was also a struggle.
868
00:59:08,169 --> 00:59:12,340
I didn't feel that
I was recovering how I should.
869
00:59:12,423 --> 00:59:14,842
[sucks in teeth]
I started to doubt.
870
00:59:16,135 --> 00:59:22,809
I thought it might be better to focus
on one position to obtain results.
871
00:59:23,142 --> 00:59:29,482
That was the time when I honestly
considered dropping the two-way path.
872
00:59:31,234 --> 00:59:34,779
I mean, 2020, let's just call it
was a very rough year in general.
873
00:59:35,321 --> 00:59:39,409
And when you take a player
out of his routine in his element,
874
00:59:39,492 --> 00:59:41,703
it's tough to be successful.
875
00:59:41,786 --> 00:59:47,208
So 20 was a rough year,
and that was Joe's first taste of Shohei.
876
00:59:48,042 --> 00:59:49,877
{\an8}In 2020,
because there was a lot of issues,
877
00:59:49,961 --> 00:59:53,047
{\an8}he had coming off injuries
and he wasn't quite the same.
878
00:59:53,131 --> 00:59:56,467
But 2021, um, it was, it became more…
879
00:59:56,551 --> 00:59:59,012
[clicks tongue]
…galvanized through our conversations,
880
00:59:59,095 --> 01:00:00,221
how we're gonna do this.
881
01:00:00,305 --> 01:00:01,639
- And it worked out pretty well.
- [machine thuds]
882
01:00:02,974 --> 01:00:06,686
There's one thing
I didn't get the chance to ask Joe.
883
01:00:07,395 --> 01:00:13,568
Back in spring training in 2021,
I was called into the manager's office.
884
01:00:15,028 --> 01:00:18,197
I was told there would be
no more rules for me,
885
01:00:18,281 --> 01:00:22,535
and they'd play me
without any restrictions that season.
886
01:00:22,619 --> 01:00:27,665
Joe was there along with our GM,
Perry Minasian.
887
01:00:30,168 --> 01:00:33,504
When I first heard them tell me that,
888
01:00:34,589 --> 01:00:36,633
how do I put this?
889
01:00:36,716 --> 01:00:41,095
I sort of figured
they were giving me an ultimatum.
890
01:00:41,179 --> 01:00:46,601
That this might be my last chance
to prove I could play two-way.
891
01:00:46,684 --> 01:00:47,810
[chuckles nervously]
892
01:00:47,894 --> 01:00:53,441
At least that's how I took
the conversation we had in that room.
893
01:00:54,984 --> 01:00:59,572
Obviously I can't be sure
what was on their minds.
894
01:00:59,656 --> 01:01:01,449
Maybe they meant,
895
01:01:02,700 --> 01:01:05,703
"We are counting on you",
896
01:01:06,496 --> 01:01:10,249
or it could've been a final warning.
897
01:01:11,250 --> 01:01:17,382
As a player, that's not something
you can ask the manager about.
898
01:01:17,465 --> 01:01:20,510
But now that he's not in charge anymore,
899
01:01:22,011 --> 01:01:26,057
perhaps this is an occasion
for me to approach him directly.
900
01:01:26,140 --> 01:01:27,183
[chuckles nervously]
901
01:01:27,892 --> 01:01:30,895
Quite frankly, Sho,
I never doubted that you could.
902
01:01:31,771 --> 01:01:32,772
[Joe] I didn't, um…
903
01:01:33,564 --> 01:01:36,150
Uh, when he came back,
2021 spring training,
904
01:01:36,234 --> 01:01:37,735
was a totally different player.
905
01:01:37,819 --> 01:01:40,196
I mean, I'd seen him in 2020.
Things weren't quite right.
906
01:01:40,279 --> 01:01:43,032
His hitting was off.
His throwing off was off.
907
01:01:43,116 --> 01:01:44,575
His throwing motion was off.
908
01:01:44,951 --> 01:01:47,161
But he came here for a reason.
You came here for a reason.
909
01:01:47,245 --> 01:01:50,873
So for me, it was my responsibility
to make this work.
910
01:01:50,957 --> 01:01:54,335
There was never any doubt, um,
911
01:01:54,419 --> 01:01:56,462
about wanting to do it
from my perspective,
912
01:01:56,546 --> 01:02:00,258
I thought I had to convince other people
to give it an opportunity or try.
913
01:02:00,842 --> 01:02:03,553
So Sho, for me, absolutely,
914
01:02:03,636 --> 01:02:06,973
everything I said to you
was from my heart, always will be,
915
01:02:07,056 --> 01:02:10,309
and I thought you can do it
and of course you have.
916
01:02:10,893 --> 01:02:13,312
I'm glad to hear that.
917
01:02:13,396 --> 01:02:18,484
So there wasn't any underlying meaning
to what they told me.
918
01:02:19,569 --> 01:02:22,864
I misunderstood their intentions.
919
01:02:22,947 --> 01:02:27,326
However, I think that extra pressure
actually helped me to perform better.
920
01:02:27,410 --> 01:02:30,455
[Shohei] I was really disappointed
921
01:02:30,538 --> 01:02:35,042
with my performance
in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
922
01:02:35,793 --> 01:02:42,091
I could understand if they felt things
weren't going as they had hoped.
923
01:02:43,259 --> 01:02:49,140
So, I entered spring training in 2021
with a strong determination.
924
01:02:49,724 --> 01:02:55,188
Turns out the management
had faith in me just as they said.
925
01:02:55,480 --> 01:02:56,647
Uh…
926
01:02:56,731 --> 01:03:01,652
Wanting to meet those expectations,
I had a great season.
927
01:03:01,736 --> 01:03:07,033
I think it worked out for the better
that I misunderstood their words.
928
01:03:08,451 --> 01:03:11,621
The fact that he thought we were there
to tell him or ask him to not do that,
929
01:03:12,079 --> 01:03:16,042
um, I guess I am surprised
because that's the reason,
930
01:03:16,125 --> 01:03:19,670
that's the point about asking questions
or having conversations.
931
01:03:19,754 --> 01:03:23,841
Sometimes you have the absolute wrong idea
or impression
932
01:03:23,925 --> 01:03:25,301
of what somebody's thinking.
933
01:03:25,384 --> 01:03:30,473
But it tells you the type of person
Shohei is, extremely humbled.
934
01:03:30,556 --> 01:03:34,685
Like what are they coming in to tell me
when they're thinking,
935
01:03:34,769 --> 01:03:38,898
okay, we need you to be this guy
and do both
936
01:03:38,981 --> 01:03:40,483
and go out and run with it.
937
01:03:40,566 --> 01:03:42,235
But he's thinking,
are they gonna shut it down?
938
01:03:42,318 --> 01:03:44,195
Are they gonna just shut me down
on doing both?
939
01:03:44,278 --> 01:03:48,741
So, I love the humbled approach by Shohei,
but clearly that was never mentioned.
940
01:03:48,825 --> 01:03:50,618
It was never even a thought,
941
01:03:50,701 --> 01:03:53,871
and, um, oh, maybe it was one
of their thoughts,
942
01:03:53,955 --> 01:03:55,248
but it was never expressed to me.
943
01:03:55,331 --> 01:04:00,044
Um, but yeah, they did just take off
all the restrictions
944
01:04:00,127 --> 01:04:01,379
and the restrictions were…
945
01:04:03,172 --> 01:04:06,050
you know, certain rest days, pitch counts,
you know,
946
01:04:06,133 --> 01:04:10,596
there were a lot of things
that days off after before, you know,
947
01:04:10,680 --> 01:04:12,473
it was just, it was just too much.
948
01:04:13,224 --> 01:04:14,350
[Balelo] It was simply put,
949
01:04:15,768 --> 01:04:17,937
- Shohei is gonna do what he's gonna do.
- [crowd cheering]
950
01:04:18,020 --> 01:04:23,234
We ask one thing, communicate with Joe.
Joe communicate with Shohei.
951
01:04:23,317 --> 01:04:26,195
If he's tired, he'll tell you he's tired.
He needs a day.
952
01:04:26,279 --> 01:04:30,283
If not, let him go. Let him out there.
That's what they did.
953
01:04:32,076 --> 01:04:33,619
[Shohei] If you ask me,
954
01:04:33,703 --> 01:04:38,082
from the perspective of the manager,
955
01:04:39,458 --> 01:04:46,382
for better or worse, I'm just
one piece for him to use in the game.
956
01:04:46,465 --> 01:04:48,801
[inhales sharply, grunts]
957
01:04:49,677 --> 01:04:54,181
[Shohei] That's merely a simplified way
to look at it.
958
01:04:55,308 --> 01:05:00,605
With 30 teams in the league,
there are only 30 managerial positions,
959
01:05:01,272 --> 01:05:04,191
while there are many players out there.
960
01:05:05,067 --> 01:05:07,904
When it comes to strategy,
961
01:05:07,987 --> 01:05:14,118
or perhaps the ability to lead a team,
the managers look at the big picture.
962
01:05:14,535 --> 01:05:19,540
Their impact on the team is far greater
than any individual player.
963
01:05:20,041 --> 01:05:24,420
I'm sure that's something I can't handle,
964
01:05:24,503 --> 01:05:28,799
and I find their role
absolutely remarkable.
965
01:05:28,883 --> 01:05:33,095
It's not just a matter of respect,
it's more than that.
966
01:05:33,679 --> 01:05:37,767
They're extraordinary.
There's so much to learn from them.
967
01:05:39,477 --> 01:05:41,938
At least, that's how I see it.
968
01:05:43,105 --> 01:05:45,316
[Joe] He observes everything.
969
01:05:45,900 --> 01:05:48,778
He weighs everything
that comes in his direction.
970
01:05:48,861 --> 01:05:53,407
So as a manager, you better understand
from the beginning, um,
971
01:05:53,491 --> 01:05:54,784
he's not gonna come.
972
01:05:54,867 --> 01:05:57,495
He's never gonna be disrespectful, ever.
973
01:05:57,578 --> 01:06:02,333
Uh, but everything you say to him,
he's gonna take it in and evaluate it.
974
01:06:02,541 --> 01:06:03,626
Um…
975
01:06:04,710 --> 01:06:10,549
And again, always with due respect
to whomever, it's whoever his manager is,
976
01:06:10,633 --> 01:06:13,135
and I'm here to tell you,
I don't even know if he'd admit it.
977
01:06:13,219 --> 01:06:17,139
There's times he absolutely disagreed
with whether it was me or somebody else.
978
01:06:17,223 --> 01:06:19,976
But he'll keep it to himself.
He listens to everything.
979
01:06:20,059 --> 01:06:23,270
He sees everything
just like he does in the game of baseball.
980
01:06:23,354 --> 01:06:24,730
He takes it all in.
981
01:06:24,814 --> 01:06:28,442
He never speaks too quickly.
He never speaks fast.
982
01:06:28,526 --> 01:06:32,321
It's very, I'm not, the word,
it's not guarded, it's evaluated.
983
01:06:32,405 --> 01:06:34,407
Everything he does is evaluated.
984
01:06:35,950 --> 01:06:38,828
[Balelo] That's the way he operates.
He looks at everything.
985
01:06:39,495 --> 01:06:43,874
If there's nine negative things
and then there's that one positive,
986
01:06:43,958 --> 01:06:46,043
he's looking at that positive
and running with it
987
01:06:46,127 --> 01:06:49,714
and trying to make the most of that
to offset the other nine negative.
988
01:06:49,797 --> 01:06:51,215
Here's the real question.
989
01:06:52,049 --> 01:06:54,969
If Shohei did not like
any of his managers,
990
01:06:55,761 --> 01:06:58,931
the question is
would he say anything about it?
991
01:06:59,974 --> 01:07:01,058
I don't think so.
992
01:07:01,809 --> 01:07:04,061
[commentator] …go nuts if he goes deep.
993
01:07:04,145 --> 01:07:05,980
We felt something magical tonight.
994
01:07:06,063 --> 01:07:08,274
He showed it on Sunday.
995
01:07:08,357 --> 01:07:10,443
[crowd cheering]
996
01:07:10,526 --> 01:07:13,571
Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
997
01:07:15,322 --> 01:07:16,449
[commentator laughs]
998
01:07:16,532 --> 01:07:19,035
[Balelo] Because the thing
that Shohei does best…
999
01:07:20,661 --> 01:07:24,415
is enjoys the game like he loves the game,
1000
01:07:24,498 --> 01:07:27,418
and he plays it with tremendous passion,
1001
01:07:27,501 --> 01:07:29,336
and I never want
to take that away from him.
1002
01:07:29,420 --> 01:07:31,547
I don't want anything
to get in the middle of that.
1003
01:07:31,630 --> 01:07:37,845
I agree. That's the fundamental reason
why I play baseball.
1004
01:07:37,928 --> 01:07:39,055
Hmm…
1005
01:07:39,138 --> 01:07:41,307
When it comes down to it,
1006
01:07:41,390 --> 01:07:44,185
baseball is…
1007
01:07:44,268 --> 01:07:48,022
Even though baseball is my profession,
1008
01:07:49,148 --> 01:07:54,070
that's not all it is to me,
it's more than a career.
1009
01:07:55,071 --> 01:08:00,785
[Shohei] Whether it's playing catch or
hitting a pitch, it's what I love to do.
1010
01:08:01,285 --> 01:08:05,081
My love for the sport
is what has driven me to this point.
1011
01:08:05,664 --> 01:08:11,796
Baseball has given me a purpose.
It's become a way of life.
1012
01:08:12,254 --> 01:08:16,425
And this sentiment largely defines
who I am today.
1013
01:08:18,677 --> 01:08:20,471
To be honest,
1014
01:08:21,013 --> 01:08:26,602
I don't really know what kind of influence
I have on other people,
1015
01:08:28,145 --> 01:08:31,941
but I hope it's positive in some way.
1016
01:08:32,691 --> 01:08:33,692
Hmm.
1017
01:08:33,776 --> 01:08:39,740
That would be the reason enough
to keep doing what I do right now.
1018
01:08:41,158 --> 01:08:43,202
Yeah, I wasn't like Shohei.
[chuckles]
1019
01:08:43,285 --> 01:08:48,040
And I appreciate him, um,
you know, sacrificing his life
1020
01:08:48,124 --> 01:08:49,708
to give us a great show.
1021
01:08:49,792 --> 01:08:51,961
You know what I mean? I appreciate that.
1022
01:08:52,044 --> 01:08:54,004
[CC Sabathia] But if you looked at me
during my career,
1023
01:08:54,088 --> 01:08:56,340
you can see I was always thinking
about other stuff.
1024
01:08:56,423 --> 01:09:00,594
[chuckles]
Baseball was just something that I did,
1025
01:09:00,678 --> 01:09:03,389
and I was really good at
and I loved to do,
1026
01:09:03,472 --> 01:09:05,391
but it wasn't kind of who I was, you know?
1027
01:09:05,474 --> 01:09:08,435
I mean, me and my wife
got married really young.
1028
01:09:08,519 --> 01:09:10,646
I had kids really early
1029
01:09:10,729 --> 01:09:14,400
and that… those distractions
helped me be a great baseball player.
1030
01:09:14,483 --> 01:09:17,653
Like me having a life outside of baseball
really helped me
1031
01:09:17,736 --> 01:09:19,947
because if I would have just locked in
on baseball,
1032
01:09:20,030 --> 01:09:23,242
this is one thing like I'm too obsessive
1033
01:09:23,325 --> 01:09:25,578
and I would have,
I wouldn't have last very long.
1034
01:09:25,661 --> 01:09:26,662
I would have burnt out.
1035
01:09:26,745 --> 01:09:30,124
So having my wife, having kids,
having other things
1036
01:09:30,207 --> 01:09:33,377
that I'm super interested in
outside of baseball,
1037
01:09:33,460 --> 01:09:35,421
that helped me be a great player.
1038
01:09:36,130 --> 01:09:38,507
I see it differently.
1039
01:09:40,885 --> 01:09:44,054
He's achieved something no one else has.
1040
01:09:46,640 --> 01:09:48,267
How should I put it?
1041
01:09:48,684 --> 01:09:53,189
Calling him a "seeker of baseball"
might not be quite right,
1042
01:09:53,647 --> 01:09:59,778
but I believe the journey he's on
will inspire future generations.
1043
01:09:59,862 --> 01:10:04,033
Sorry, Shohei, but keep pushing forward.
That's my genuine wish.
1044
01:10:05,993 --> 01:10:09,288
When he and I trained together…
1045
01:10:10,873 --> 01:10:12,166
[mutters]
1046
01:10:12,249 --> 01:10:14,627
…I ended up learning a lot from him.
1047
01:10:14,752 --> 01:10:21,342
The speed at which he improved
was on a different level from anyone else.
1048
01:10:23,761 --> 01:10:25,638
Looking back now,
1049
01:10:26,096 --> 01:10:30,643
I've never encountered another athlete
1050
01:10:30,726 --> 01:10:33,270
who is already outstanding
yet aims higher.
1051
01:10:33,354 --> 01:10:39,902
I'm very grateful to have shared
such an experience with him.
1052
01:10:39,985 --> 01:10:42,238
It was a privilege.
1053
01:10:44,698 --> 01:10:50,579
We won't truly understand the extent
of his success until he's done.
1054
01:10:50,663 --> 01:10:52,706
Everything looks great now,
1055
01:10:52,790 --> 01:10:53,791
but at times,
1056
01:10:55,000 --> 01:10:58,963
I question whether
I really made the right choices.
1057
01:11:02,925 --> 01:11:07,972
All I can say is,
I believe I've made the right choices.
1058
01:11:08,055 --> 01:11:10,099
Once you make a decision,
1059
01:11:11,517 --> 01:11:17,731
it sets you on a unique path,
which leads you to a distinct experience.
1060
01:11:17,815 --> 01:11:24,780
And you can never compare it
to what other options might have brought.
1061
01:11:24,863 --> 01:11:27,616
You've only got one path to take.
1062
01:11:28,826 --> 01:11:33,205
I've had bad seasons. I was injured.
1063
01:11:34,206 --> 01:11:39,712
But looking back at everything,
I'm happy with the choices I made.
1064
01:11:39,795 --> 01:11:41,255
As for the future,
1065
01:11:42,089 --> 01:11:44,883
whenever I make a decision,
1066
01:11:44,967 --> 01:11:51,223
I'll reflect on it and believe it was
the right call, and work to make it true.
1067
01:11:51,307 --> 01:11:53,309
[♪ pensive music playing]
1068
01:11:55,060 --> 01:12:00,024
[Martínez] Despite all the hardships,
Shohei persevered.
1069
01:12:00,858 --> 01:12:01,942
[machine clunks]
1070
01:12:04,486 --> 01:12:07,281
[commentator 1] Got it, got it, got it!
1071
01:12:07,364 --> 01:12:09,450
[commentator 2]
Oh, wow, where did that one go?
1072
01:12:09,533 --> 01:12:10,868
[crowd screaming]
1073
01:12:11,618 --> 01:12:14,330
[commentator 1] Oh, he's gonna get to jog
around the bases!
1074
01:12:14,413 --> 01:12:17,249
[♪ upbeat music playing,
Tainy x Bad Bunny "Mojabi Ghost"]
1075
01:12:22,338 --> 01:12:23,922
That's what is, gone!
1076
01:12:24,006 --> 01:12:25,257
He did it again!
1077
01:12:25,341 --> 01:12:27,801
- [commentator 2] They knew it off the bat.
- [commentator 1] Wow!
1078
01:12:27,885 --> 01:12:30,262
He's a beast!
[commentator 1 laughs]
1079
01:12:36,602 --> 01:12:39,271
He gets it done, wow!
1080
01:12:39,355 --> 01:12:41,648
- [commentator 2] That's gorgeous.
- [commentator 1] Oh, yeah.
1081
01:12:43,692 --> 01:12:49,823
[commentator 1] Did he get it?
Did he get it? He did, wow!
1082
01:12:51,033 --> 01:12:52,951
[commentator 2 laughs]
Oh, my!
1083
01:12:53,035 --> 01:12:54,078
He did it!
1084
01:12:54,161 --> 01:12:56,663
[commentator 3] Throw him the crown.
AL Player of the month.
1085
01:12:56,747 --> 01:12:58,832
[commentator 4] It is Shotime!
1086
01:12:59,917 --> 01:13:06,048
{\an8}[announcer] The 2021 American League's
Most Valuable Player, number 17,
1087
01:13:06,131 --> 01:13:08,717
{\an8}Shohei Ohtani.
1088
01:13:08,801 --> 01:13:10,636
[Martínez] In 2021,
1089
01:13:10,719 --> 01:13:16,016
he unanimously won
the American League MVP award,
1090
01:13:16,600 --> 01:13:19,478
the following year, he was runner up.
1091
01:13:20,521 --> 01:13:24,983
He became one of the best players
in all of Major League Baseball.
1092
01:13:25,067 --> 01:13:26,235
[Joe] Shohei is a pitcher,
1093
01:13:26,318 --> 01:13:29,780
makes hitters look really bad
based on command and movement,
1094
01:13:29,863 --> 01:13:30,989
and he knows what he's doing.
1095
01:13:31,073 --> 01:13:33,700
He's always creating out there
in that blink moment
1096
01:13:33,784 --> 01:13:37,204
to make an adjustment,
react without even thinking
1097
01:13:37,287 --> 01:13:38,956
and just do the right things.
1098
01:13:39,039 --> 01:13:41,750
His baseball acumen
is as high as I've been around.
1099
01:13:43,544 --> 01:13:46,004
Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish
1100
01:13:46,088 --> 01:13:49,508
are so similar in so many things
that they do,
1101
01:13:49,591 --> 01:13:54,805
both as a person and a human being
and then as a pitcher and as an artist.
1102
01:13:54,888 --> 01:14:00,602
Shohei isn't afraid
of challenging himself in a way I can't.
1103
01:14:02,229 --> 01:14:06,316
I recognize that
and see it as a quality I wish I had.
1104
01:14:07,317 --> 01:14:13,323
I've never faced him in a game, but
I'm eager to know what it would be like.
1105
01:14:13,407 --> 01:14:14,491
[inhales sharply]
1106
01:14:14,575 --> 01:14:19,621
I wonder how I would react
once I step into the batter's box.
1107
01:14:19,705 --> 01:14:23,125
I'm really looking forward to that moment.
1108
01:14:24,209 --> 01:14:30,466
I get anxious when I struggle
throwing strikes and keep pitching balls.
1109
01:14:31,800 --> 01:14:36,430
I don't know if Shohei feels
the same anxiety in those situations,
1110
01:14:36,513 --> 01:14:40,476
but he pitches
as if he's totally unbothered.
1111
01:14:41,310 --> 01:14:42,728
Shohei is fearless,
1112
01:14:43,812 --> 01:14:47,733
but the psychology part
of the other players is really important,
1113
01:14:47,816 --> 01:14:50,194
and you have
to really pay attention to it.
1114
01:14:51,403 --> 01:14:53,822
And that, that is the only part…
1115
01:14:55,532 --> 01:14:58,619
that he's gonna have to learn as he goes.
1116
01:15:00,496 --> 01:15:06,960
Pitching movement on the pitches
is a God-given talent for him.
1117
01:15:07,794 --> 01:15:10,672
It's… It's also something you can work on.
1118
01:15:11,632 --> 01:15:16,970
But understanding what the other athlete
is trying to do against you
1119
01:15:17,721 --> 01:15:18,805
is critical.
1120
01:15:19,431 --> 01:15:22,976
And I think that's the only part
that Shohei is going to have to leave
1121
01:15:23,060 --> 01:15:25,562
to understand in the game.
1122
01:15:26,188 --> 01:15:32,986
Simply put, I imagine what would
throw me off if I was the pitcher.
1123
01:15:33,070 --> 01:15:39,076
When I'm pitching, it's the opposite.
I do what would bother me as a batter.
1124
01:15:39,493 --> 01:15:44,331
I think that's probably a different
approach from other players.
1125
01:15:44,456 --> 01:15:50,379
But I still need more experience.
Things have changed since my first year.
1126
01:15:51,380 --> 01:15:57,803
My pitching varies based on who
the batter is and which team he's from.
1127
01:15:57,970 --> 01:16:01,056
My mentality is also affected.
1128
01:16:01,181 --> 01:16:04,893
As Pedro said,
I need to gain more experience.
1129
01:16:06,270 --> 01:16:09,231
Batters adapt to any changes
a pitcher makes.
1130
01:16:09,731 --> 01:16:13,610
Since Shohei is the only player
in such a circumstance,
1131
01:16:13,819 --> 01:16:17,781
only he knows how being a pitcher
benefits him as a batter.
1132
01:16:20,367 --> 01:16:24,621
I've never considered limiting myself
to just one role,
1133
01:16:25,205 --> 01:16:28,584
so I'm not sure which approach is better.
1134
01:16:28,917 --> 01:16:32,921
But I can say that I always have
two things to think about.
1135
01:16:33,380 --> 01:16:35,716
And I simply enjoy that.
1136
01:16:35,799 --> 01:16:37,676
[♪ lively music playing]
1137
01:16:37,759 --> 01:16:40,387
[Martínez] In 2023, Shohei wrote…
1138
01:16:41,138 --> 01:16:44,933
a new chapter in his story.
1139
01:16:47,603 --> 01:16:51,481
Team Japan finished in third place
in the last two tournaments.
1140
01:16:51,565 --> 01:16:53,358
Guys, they always come in prepared.
1141
01:16:53,442 --> 01:16:57,070
{\an8}They won the inaugural and second WBC.
1142
01:16:57,154 --> 01:16:59,448
{\an8}So let's take a look at their roster.
1143
01:16:59,531 --> 01:17:01,533
{\an8}This rotation highlighted by Shohei.
1144
01:17:01,617 --> 01:17:02,701
[newsreader]
Actually on Samurai Japan and…
1145
01:17:02,784 --> 01:17:06,038
and that's a really important part
of Japanese baseball culture
1146
01:17:06,121 --> 01:17:07,331
is the national team.
1147
01:17:07,414 --> 01:17:10,542
It's the national team up here
and your club team is below that.
1148
01:17:10,626 --> 01:17:13,337
And so that's why there is continual play
with the national team.
1149
01:17:13,420 --> 01:17:17,090
It'd be as if we had Team USA
playing in tournaments every single year.
1150
01:17:17,174 --> 01:17:20,385
It's that important
in the Japanese baseball consciousness.
1151
01:17:20,469 --> 01:17:23,305
{\an8}As a result, I think you're gonna see him
be very comfortable this spring.
1152
01:17:24,389 --> 01:17:30,270
Shohei messaged me to see if I would
consider participating in the WBC.
1153
01:17:30,395 --> 01:17:37,110
He said he wasn't confident enough
to win the championship without my help.
1154
01:17:38,695 --> 01:17:43,659
It's not that I was flattered
by what he said.
1155
01:17:44,242 --> 01:17:48,830
Despite his consistent performance,
he's still hungry for more.
1156
01:17:49,623 --> 01:17:52,668
The WBC is unrelated
to the regular season.
1157
01:17:53,960 --> 01:17:56,380
Just how much does he want to win?
[Darvish chuckles]
1158
01:17:56,463 --> 01:17:58,924
I guess he truly loves it.
1159
01:17:59,007 --> 01:18:02,636
I think it was already August
when he reached out to me,
1160
01:18:03,887 --> 01:18:06,932
but his hunger for victory
really struck me.
1161
01:18:07,015 --> 01:18:09,893
If you play long enough,
1162
01:18:10,060 --> 01:18:13,355
that kind of spirit fades away.
1163
01:18:13,689 --> 01:18:18,485
You start to see baseball more
from a business perspective.
1164
01:18:19,361 --> 01:18:25,784
Even in a contract year, fully aware
of the importance of his health,
1165
01:18:26,868 --> 01:18:29,871
he still took the risk of the tournament.
1166
01:18:30,038 --> 01:18:35,001
He said he wanted the title
and needed to beat the US team.
1167
01:18:35,168 --> 01:18:38,547
He usually doesn't let people know
his emotion,
1168
01:18:38,630 --> 01:18:42,050
but his determination
was clear in his messages.
1169
01:18:42,134 --> 01:18:44,094
[chuckles]
1170
01:18:48,724 --> 01:18:51,935
[commentator 1] Shohei Ohtani second
start here in the World Baseball Classic.
1171
01:18:52,018 --> 01:18:55,439
[commentator 2]
Some filth off the table for strike three.
1172
01:18:55,522 --> 01:19:00,110
[commentator 3] He strikes out swing here
against Ohtani and 102.
1173
01:19:00,193 --> 01:19:02,028
[commentator 4] One win away
from playing for
1174
01:19:02,112 --> 01:19:04,197
a World Baseball Classic championship.
1175
01:19:04,281 --> 01:19:07,451
Here we go. Ohtani rips a piece
into the right side of the field.
1176
01:19:07,534 --> 01:19:09,202
He ended the gap.
1177
01:19:09,286 --> 01:19:10,495
[crowd cheering]
1178
01:19:10,579 --> 01:19:12,581
Cut off by Thomas in center field.
1179
01:19:12,664 --> 01:19:15,917
Ohtani steps in second
in the lead on double.
1180
01:19:16,835 --> 01:19:21,339
[commentator 5] The fans behind the dugout
chanting "MVP. MVP."
1181
01:19:21,423 --> 01:19:23,258
[commentator 6]
Mike Trout, oh, my goodness.
1182
01:19:23,341 --> 01:19:28,472
Trout's gonna stop at second.
Oh, my goodness. What a clinic.
1183
01:19:28,555 --> 01:19:32,517
The two biggest stars in the world
are gonna lead their teams on the field.
1184
01:19:32,601 --> 01:19:34,978
Mike Trout and Team USA.
1185
01:19:35,187 --> 01:19:38,565
Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan.
1186
01:19:39,065 --> 01:19:45,238
Near the end of the game, I checked
if he still had enough stamina to play.
1187
01:19:45,989 --> 01:19:49,117
He gave a vague reply, like "probably".
1188
01:19:49,242 --> 01:19:52,996
I knew he meant, "send me out to close".
1189
01:19:53,538 --> 01:19:55,540
[birds chirping]
1190
01:20:08,762 --> 01:20:10,764
[♪ suspenseful music playing]
1191
01:20:25,612 --> 01:20:27,948
[♪ suspenseful music intensifies]
1192
01:20:35,705 --> 01:20:40,126
World Champion
1193
01:20:40,210 --> 01:20:42,671
[crowd cheering]
1194
01:20:45,549 --> 01:20:47,676
[commentator]
They've been teammates for five years.
1195
01:20:47,759 --> 01:20:50,178
The best against the best.
1196
01:20:51,054 --> 01:20:53,139
The matchup we've all been wanting to see.
1197
01:20:53,223 --> 01:20:55,934
[Shohei] We had two outs
and no runners on base.
1198
01:20:56,059 --> 01:21:00,188
By the time Mike Trout came up to bat,
1199
01:21:00,897 --> 01:21:05,485
it felt like the momentum was on our side.
1200
01:21:07,279 --> 01:21:10,615
[commentator]
First time they'd ever faced each other.
1201
01:21:11,700 --> 01:21:13,410
Baseball wins tonight.
1202
01:21:14,327 --> 01:21:18,039
Here's the pitch and the dirt and 102.
1203
01:21:18,707 --> 01:21:22,878
[Shohei] The count was full.
Reflecting on my pitch selection and
1204
01:21:23,169 --> 01:21:25,088
how the game had unfolded,
1205
01:21:25,505 --> 01:21:27,090
I felt everything was in place.
1206
01:21:27,340 --> 01:21:34,306
I sensed that the game was heading
to a close with me striking Mike out.
1207
01:21:35,181 --> 01:21:37,434
[commentator]
The final strike in the ninth inning.
1208
01:21:38,435 --> 01:21:40,395
Looking for heroics.
1209
01:21:40,979 --> 01:21:42,689
Three and two from Ohtani.
1210
01:21:43,440 --> 01:21:47,152
He throws, Trout strikes out. Swinging.
1211
01:21:47,235 --> 01:21:49,863
[crowd cheering]
1212
01:21:55,160 --> 01:21:57,329
Ohtani and Japan.
1213
01:21:58,663 --> 01:22:02,125
Celebrate a World Baseball Classic
championship.
1214
01:22:04,127 --> 01:22:05,962
What an ending…
1215
01:22:07,547 --> 01:22:09,507
to an all-time tournament.
1216
01:22:10,926 --> 01:22:12,010
What a game.
1217
01:22:14,471 --> 01:22:16,181
From this tournament,
1218
01:22:16,848 --> 01:22:23,063
it's clear Shohei has now become a figure
even MLB stars look up to.
1219
01:22:23,730 --> 01:22:27,776
When I first saw him play in high school,
1220
01:22:28,902 --> 01:22:31,780
I instantly noticed that he's special.
1221
01:22:31,905 --> 01:22:36,201
The future was in his hands,
and the sky seemed to be his only limit.
1222
01:22:36,701 --> 01:22:41,873
My impression began to take shape
during his time with the Fighters.
1223
01:22:43,583 --> 01:22:48,672
Now, I feel he's reached a point where his
physical condition is no longer a concern.
1224
01:22:49,047 --> 01:22:51,174
I believe he feels the same way.
1225
01:22:51,383 --> 01:22:55,011
I'm finally seeing what I had
always believed.
1226
01:22:56,596 --> 01:23:02,978
That incredibly talented high schooler
has become a fully-fledged player.
1227
01:23:03,061 --> 01:23:04,813
That's my sentiment now.
1228
01:23:05,355 --> 01:23:09,651
I don't see myself as having done
any favors for him.
1229
01:23:09,734 --> 01:23:13,363
I was just one of the many cogs
in a machine
1230
01:23:13,989 --> 01:23:17,617
naturally drawn to support him.
1231
01:23:18,159 --> 01:23:21,204
[♪ emotional music playing]
1232
01:23:23,581 --> 01:23:24,582
[thunderous crack]
1233
01:23:25,834 --> 01:23:28,670
[whooshes]
1234
01:23:40,807 --> 01:23:42,892
[crowd cheering]
1235
01:23:45,937 --> 01:23:48,064
[Martínez] At the World Baseball Classic,
1236
01:23:48,523 --> 01:23:51,109
Shohei achieved his dream
1237
01:23:51,568 --> 01:23:57,240
of becoming one of the greatest
baseball players in the world.
1238
01:23:58,783 --> 01:24:00,952
[♪ ambient music playing]
1239
01:24:04,831 --> 01:24:05,957
[clunks]
1240
01:24:06,041 --> 01:24:07,375
[crowd cheering]
1241
01:24:07,459 --> 01:24:11,713
Now that Shohei has won the WBC,
1242
01:24:11,796 --> 01:24:14,424
is he still writing down his dreams?
1243
01:24:19,137 --> 01:24:22,766
I don't write down my dreams
like I used to.
1244
01:24:24,184 --> 01:24:29,481
But writing does help remind you
of things you need to remember,
1245
01:24:30,648 --> 01:24:35,153
especially technical details.
When it comes to baseball,
1246
01:24:35,528 --> 01:24:41,326
your skills might progress one day
but deteriorate the next.
1247
01:24:41,451 --> 01:24:45,163
Just because it worked today
doesn't mean it's right.
1248
01:24:45,455 --> 01:24:49,167
So I still keep track
of my technical records.
1249
01:24:49,501 --> 01:24:54,089
I find those notes to be very useful
when I want to reflect on myself.
1250
01:24:54,172 --> 01:24:59,219
Ideally, basic values shouldn't need
to be written down,
1251
01:24:59,302 --> 01:25:02,180
Like making eye contact when greeting.
1252
01:25:02,972 --> 01:25:08,978
If you feel it hasn't become a habit
for you yet, I recommend writing it down.
1253
01:25:09,312 --> 01:25:13,233
When you look at your note,
it will always remind you to do so.
1254
01:25:13,316 --> 01:25:16,069
This is an effective process.
1255
01:25:16,152 --> 01:25:21,074
Once that habit becomes a part of you,
you no longer need your notes.
1256
01:25:21,658 --> 01:25:26,830
And this is really the ideal outcome
for every process you make.
1257
01:25:27,372 --> 01:25:32,377
I have a feeling he still keeps a list
of his current tasks.
1258
01:25:32,794 --> 01:25:35,755
He probably wouldn't share
it with anyone now,
1259
01:25:35,839 --> 01:25:40,176
but perhaps in 10 years,
he might reveal it to us.
1260
01:25:41,136 --> 01:25:43,763
[Martínez] At 18, Shohei wrote,
1261
01:25:44,139 --> 01:25:46,599
"Life doesn't make dreams.
1262
01:25:47,225 --> 01:25:49,519
Dreams make life.
1263
01:25:50,061 --> 01:25:53,064
I will dedicate my life to baseball."
1264
01:25:54,190 --> 01:25:56,818
Best way I can describe it.
I mean, he's passionate about baseball.
1265
01:25:56,901 --> 01:25:58,361
He's always gonna be great at the game.
1266
01:25:58,444 --> 01:26:00,989
He's gonna do it for, what,
maybe 10 more years, something like that.
1267
01:26:01,072 --> 01:26:02,240
But what happens after that?
1268
01:26:02,323 --> 01:26:04,951
When you lead a long life,
you got to fill in the blanks, man.
1269
01:26:05,034 --> 01:26:08,454
[Joe] And you, you want to be
a complete person.
1270
01:26:08,538 --> 01:26:11,332
That is interesting beyond just the game,
I think.
1271
01:26:11,791 --> 01:26:17,422
[Matsui] Given Shohei's extraordinary
achievements in baseball
1272
01:26:18,089 --> 01:26:23,094
and his relentless dedication to it
even in his daily life,
1273
01:26:23,344 --> 01:26:28,433
I doubt there's anyone who can tell him
what he should do.
1274
01:26:29,184 --> 01:26:30,852
Perhaps Joe Maddon?
1275
01:26:30,935 --> 01:26:32,061
[chuckles]
1276
01:26:33,188 --> 01:26:34,689
His thing is baseball.
1277
01:26:34,772 --> 01:26:37,984
This is his thing that
that is fulfilling everybody else's life.
1278
01:26:38,067 --> 01:26:41,112
Right? Like, look, we're sitting here
doing a whole documentary about him
1279
01:26:41,196 --> 01:26:43,907
and he's, you know, three
or four years into his career.
1280
01:26:44,407 --> 01:26:48,369
I think whatever Shohei, you know,
fills his life with,
1281
01:26:48,453 --> 01:26:50,538
whether it's baseball
or things off the field,
1282
01:26:50,622 --> 01:26:51,623
I think he'll be fine.
1283
01:26:51,706 --> 01:26:54,459
And I mean, burning out
after a Hall of Fame career,
1284
01:26:55,752 --> 01:26:58,087
you know what I mean, like, all right…
1285
01:26:58,171 --> 01:26:59,881
[laughs]
…I'll take that any day.
1286
01:26:59,964 --> 01:27:01,007
[CC Sabathia laughs]
1287
01:27:02,050 --> 01:27:04,719
[Matsui] I think what awaits Shohei,
1288
01:27:05,470 --> 01:27:08,348
he will figure it out himself naturally.
1289
01:27:08,431 --> 01:27:15,438
If he's committing 100% to baseball now,
that's his current priority.
1290
01:27:15,980 --> 01:27:17,941
Then someday,
1291
01:27:18,942 --> 01:27:25,657
he may look back at his path
and recall these times of full dedication.
1292
01:27:28,243 --> 01:27:31,996
If he does, I believe
it's a wonderful thing for him.
1293
01:27:32,080 --> 01:27:35,750
There are very few players
who can do the same.
1294
01:27:37,502 --> 01:27:43,841
I understand managers have seen
much more of life than we have.
1295
01:27:44,133 --> 01:27:49,430
I'm sure they've witnessed many players
burn out along the way.
1296
01:27:50,473 --> 01:27:54,936
But Shohei has done something
everyone thought was impossible.
1297
01:27:55,061 --> 01:27:57,563
[Darvish] Even if
it's Joe Maddon's advice,
1298
01:27:57,647 --> 01:28:01,359
Shohei doesn't have to comply.
1299
01:28:02,860 --> 01:28:06,281
At this stage in his career,
and if he wants to keep going,
1300
01:28:06,906 --> 01:28:10,535
I don't see any reason
to change what he is doing.
1301
01:28:11,703 --> 01:28:12,996
[chuckles]
1302
01:28:14,122 --> 01:28:16,082
That's exactly right.
1303
01:28:16,165 --> 01:28:17,250
Hmm.
1304
01:28:18,042 --> 01:28:24,549
I do have a vision for my future,
but nothing is set in stone.
1305
01:28:24,632 --> 01:28:26,551
[inhales sharply]
Uh…
1306
01:28:27,010 --> 01:28:32,307
Sure, thinking about the future
is important,
1307
01:28:32,974 --> 01:28:38,563
but it's a separate matter from
what I should be doing at this moment.
1308
01:28:39,022 --> 01:28:45,945
For me, it's all about being all in on
what feels right in my life right now.
1309
01:28:47,113 --> 01:28:49,824
[crowd cheering]
1310
01:28:49,907 --> 01:28:52,076
[♪ electronic music playing]
1311
01:28:55,997 --> 01:28:59,375
[crowd cheering]
1312
01:29:02,337 --> 01:29:04,672
Well, I think all of us
that played this game
1313
01:29:05,214 --> 01:29:07,258
are extremely devoted to it,
1314
01:29:07,342 --> 01:29:12,555
and we understood, uh,
and understand how difficult it was.
1315
01:29:12,638 --> 01:29:13,848
We lived baseball.
1316
01:29:14,974 --> 01:29:16,851
[inhales deeply]
How old is he? 28?
1317
01:29:17,935 --> 01:29:19,812
Nah, he's okay.
[chuckles]
1318
01:29:20,772 --> 01:29:24,817
Shohei keeps on doing the unexpected.
1319
01:29:25,026 --> 01:29:31,783
He's on a path no one's ever been on,
and that's beyond our imagination.
1320
01:29:32,533 --> 01:29:38,623
I'm convinced that he's going
to blow us away even more in the future.
1321
01:29:39,332 --> 01:29:43,544
Ever since I started playing,
1322
01:29:43,628 --> 01:29:47,006
I've just followed a series of steps.
1323
01:29:47,590 --> 01:29:52,637
Those little steps simply led
to a much larger goal.
1324
01:29:52,720 --> 01:29:56,849
I still have goals and aspirations
that I've yet to achieve.
1325
01:29:57,809 --> 01:30:01,562
That's what keeps me moving forward.
1326
01:30:02,188 --> 01:30:04,649
He needs to win the World Series.
1327
01:30:04,732 --> 01:30:10,321
I've always believed he could round out
as a three-way player with defense.
1328
01:30:11,072 --> 01:30:13,866
I totally have faith in him for that.
1329
01:30:13,950 --> 01:30:15,076
Yes.
1330
01:30:15,701 --> 01:30:20,790
The only thing I can see from him
is, "What's next?"
1331
01:30:22,250 --> 01:30:24,335
For the next generation of players.
1332
01:30:25,962 --> 01:30:27,630
Uh, is he gonna pass
1333
01:30:28,339 --> 01:30:31,843
all these things that he did
to the next generation?
1334
01:30:32,635 --> 01:30:35,763
Because it's challenging to do
what he's doing.
1335
01:30:35,847 --> 01:30:37,974
[♪ upbeat music playing]
1336
01:30:38,641 --> 01:30:39,684
[clunks]
1337
01:30:46,023 --> 01:30:47,150
[whooshes]
1338
01:30:50,153 --> 01:30:51,154
[clunks]
1339
01:30:55,324 --> 01:30:59,162
This is for Shohei, my buddy,
with all the respect
1340
01:30:59,245 --> 01:31:02,123
and best wishes to you, Shohei.
1341
01:31:06,544 --> 01:31:07,587
[Shohei mutters]
1342
01:31:09,380 --> 01:31:10,506
[chuckles softly]
1343
01:31:11,007 --> 01:31:13,718
Thank you. There's a message too.
1344
01:31:14,802 --> 01:31:18,681
I'll put it up with Matsui-san's ball.
[chuckles]
1345
01:31:21,726 --> 01:31:26,856
He's not just a top Japanese player,
he's one of the greatest in the MLB.
1346
01:31:26,939 --> 01:31:32,945
He brings back the feeling I had
as a child when I watched the top players.
1347
01:31:34,030 --> 01:31:40,036
At this point, I'm content with
the decisions I made along the way.
1348
01:31:40,620 --> 01:31:42,872
[Shohei] I'm part of a great team,
1349
01:31:42,955 --> 01:31:48,044
working together with outstanding players
every day.
1350
01:31:48,503 --> 01:31:51,130
But was it the absolute best decision?
1351
01:31:52,340 --> 01:31:58,679
Unless I could go back in time
and try out the other options I had,
1352
01:31:58,846 --> 01:32:00,556
I'd never know for sure.
1353
01:32:01,432 --> 01:32:04,477
I often say this, but
1354
01:32:04,560 --> 01:32:09,649
all you can do is trust your past
decisions were the best ones at the time.
1355
01:32:09,732 --> 01:32:14,445
That mindset allows me
to truly enjoy the game.
1356
01:32:15,196 --> 01:32:18,324
I genuinely believe that.
1357
01:32:19,325 --> 01:32:22,203
When it comes to deciding what's the best,
1358
01:32:22,286 --> 01:32:29,293
all I know is that whatever I choose
for myself is the right choice for me.
1359
01:32:31,420 --> 01:32:33,756
It'll be interesting
what the future brings,
1360
01:32:34,215 --> 01:32:36,551
um, but right now,
1361
01:32:37,760 --> 01:32:40,972
we're just enjoying this ride,
and so is he.
1362
01:32:41,264 --> 01:32:43,891
And, um, I'm excited about where he's at.
1363
01:32:43,975 --> 01:32:46,185
I think he's just scratching the surface.
1364
01:32:46,269 --> 01:32:49,939
I'm excited about his future
and where it's going.
1365
01:32:50,398 --> 01:32:51,440
Um…
1366
01:32:51,524 --> 01:32:53,067
It's going to be a really fun ride.
1367
01:32:53,609 --> 01:32:54,986
And it has been so far.
1368
01:32:57,863 --> 01:33:02,618
What I would like Shohei to understand
is the journey to a championship
1369
01:33:02,702 --> 01:33:05,538
sometimes gets rocky,
and that's what I would tell him.
1370
01:33:05,621 --> 01:33:09,834
It's very rarely a clean slide up
and you get your championship.
1371
01:33:10,626 --> 01:33:11,877
You have to be patient
1372
01:33:11,961 --> 01:33:14,213
and you have to understand
that your time will come.
1373
01:33:14,922 --> 01:33:20,595
And that road to the top is, is not easy
or else everybody would be up there.
1374
01:33:22,430 --> 01:33:23,598
Good luck the rest of the way.
1375
01:33:23,681 --> 01:33:26,684
Keep going and hopefully, we'll see you
in Cooperstown here soon.
1376
01:33:28,728 --> 01:33:31,147
He's pursued his dreams this far…
1377
01:33:36,611 --> 01:33:42,283
but I wish to let him know that the future
of baseball now rests on his shoulders.
1378
01:33:43,159 --> 01:33:47,913
[Kuriyama]
I know he can take on that mantle.
1379
01:33:53,336 --> 01:33:56,464
World Champion
1380
01:33:56,547 --> 01:33:59,175
[♪ uplifting music playing]
1381
01:34:14,982 --> 01:34:17,401
[♪ upbeat music playing,
Ghost Machines "Can't Get Enough"]
1382
01:34:33,292 --> 01:34:36,045
♪ All out revving up like a V 12 ♪
1383
01:34:36,128 --> 01:34:39,298
♪ Braveheart screaming bye
I'm a raise hell ♪
1384
01:34:39,382 --> 01:34:42,009
♪ Circuitry in my veins got the Intel ♪
1385
01:34:45,137 --> 01:34:47,515
{\an8}♪ No shoes rocking on my feet ♪
1386
01:34:47,598 --> 01:34:50,434
{\an8}♪ All eyes magnetized
coming down that street ♪
1387
01:34:51,143 --> 01:34:53,771
♪ Feels good, so good ♪
1388
01:34:53,854 --> 01:34:55,731
♪ So good to be me ♪
1389
01:34:56,982 --> 01:34:59,110
♪ I got what you want ♪
1390
01:35:00,111 --> 01:35:02,363
♪ I got it so good ♪
1391
01:35:03,197 --> 01:35:05,157
♪ I got what you want ♪
1392
01:35:05,241 --> 01:35:09,662
{\an8}♪ And you just can't,
you just can't get enough ♪
1393
01:35:12,665 --> 01:35:15,543
♪ No, you just can't get enough ♪
1394
01:35:15,626 --> 01:35:17,002
[crowd chanting, applauding]
1395
01:35:17,086 --> 01:35:19,839
[crowd chanting]
MVP! MVP!
1396
01:35:19,922 --> 01:35:23,843
MVP! MVP! MVP!
1397
01:35:23,926 --> 01:35:29,473
[crowd chanting loudly]
MVP! MVP! MVP!
1398
01:35:29,557 --> 01:35:33,477
MVP! MVP!
1399
01:35:33,561 --> 01:35:39,108
[chanting continues]
MVP! MVP! MVP!
1400
01:35:39,191 --> 01:35:44,238
MVP! MVP! MVP!
1401
01:35:44,321 --> 01:35:45,573
[chanting fades]
1402
01:35:46,449 --> 01:35:48,784
[♪ upbeat music playing,
"Lost in Paradise"]
1403
01:39:12,154 --> 01:39:14,156
Translated by Eika