There is something that is intensely appealing about sportsmen and women who are world class at such different things to be able to play two sports or two wildly different positions at a high professional level. Like a goalkeeper taking free kicks in soccer, a pitcher who can bat with the best of the sluggers thrills the inner child in every sports fan. Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, the Japanese player who can bat and pitch at an All-Star level is therefore a player I can’t help but love.
Sho-time tells the story of Ohtani’s life and career so far tracing his early days in Japan, his injury troubles and his remarkable 2021 season. The book faces two challenges in telling Ohtani’s story – he rarely speaks about himself and he is still only 28 and therefore has many years ahead of him. Fletcher overcomes these obstacles by having exceptional access to the Angels front office and details the story behind his signing and the competition to get him with interesting insider information.
Fletcher also expands the books scope to examine broad topics which Ohtani personifies – the history of dual position players, the changing nature of the game, and the broader link between Japan and Major League Baseball. These aspects of the book were particularly interesting to me.
The definitive book on Ohtani will be written when his career is over and the impact of his remarkable talent is clearer. For now, Sho-time is a very enjoyable look at the origins and initial impact of this singular player.
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