Tag: Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on November 15, 2018
PCI
If PC Were to Bring Back a Varsity Sport, They Should Bring Back Golf
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
There are a lot of sports that Providence College could add, but the first one that comes to mind is a men’s and women’s golf team. Providence had a men’s golf team that was eliminated in 2002, which followed the removal of the men’s baseball team due to compliance with Title IX.
The men’s golf team dates back to 1932 when Waldo Martin coached the team. However, it was quickly dropped in 1935 due to a lack of interest from students. The men’s golf team was brought back by Joe Prisco ’49 who started the club golf team during his studies at the College in 1947. Prisco came back to PC as a business professor in 1953 and restarted the club golf program once again before it was elevated to the Division I level in 1960. Prior to Prisco retiring in 2012, he accumulated a 403-119-1 record while leading the team to eight NCAA Tournament appearances and 16 individuals to the NCAA Championship. Prisco also won two Big East Titles and eight NCAA Division I Coach of the Year awards during his 42-year coaching career at PC. Prisco would go on to coach the club team from 2002-2012.
The men’s team has a storied tradition that dates back to the 1930s. To put that into perspective, the men’s basketball and hockey teams’ inaugural seasons were in 1926. A lot of Title IX was not just about equal numbers of men’s to women’s sports, but it concerned the amount of scholarships that could be offered. Some Division I teams such as Boston College have as few as eight men’s players (six women) while other powerhouse schools such as the University of Texas at Austin have 12 players on the men’s team and nine on the women’s. According to nextgengolf.org, the University of Tulsa cut their golf team which is expected to save them $520,000 dollars.
Now, the College may have to pay more or may have to pay less but that’s a ballpark price.
Currently, the Friars in their club format hold a lot of talent on the roster. They compete with teams throughout the country in the National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA). Friars are the no. 1 team in New England and are ranked no. 49 in the country from the poll last Spring. Last May, the Friars competed for the National Championship in St. Louis. The Friars finished in 11th place out of 28 teams in the field. These 28 teams are some of the best in the country and the Friars finished higher than teams such as Florida State University, Arizona State University, Michigan State University, and Maryland University. From the undergraduate enrollment of each of these schools, they outnumber Providence College 4.5x to 1. For a school of 4,306 undergraduates, the Friars are competing with much larger schools. Why not try and take a dip into a sport where we have had success?
Women’s Soccer Falls to Butler Once Again
by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018
Friar Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Last week, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team fell in the Big East Semifinals to the Butler University Bulldogs. This is the second year in a row that the Friars have made the semifinals and dropped both games to the Bulldogs. However, this time around the Friars fared better at Indianapolis.
The Friars were defeated 0-3 last year and showed resilience in this year’s matchup. The Friars trailed 0-2 at halftime after two quick goals scored by the Bulldogs in the 19th and 35th minute. The Friars did not give in, as Camille Murphy ’21 put the Friars on the board and gave them some life. Butler once more extended their lead with a goal in the 79th minute.
Once again, the Friars showed perserverance with a goal by Amber Birchwell ’21 in the 87th minute. The Friars were unable to mount a comeback, but they continue to progress towards the ultimate goal of a Big East championship in future seasons.
It is safe to say that the Butler-Providence rivalry is just getting started in 2018. The Friars have been defeated by the Bulldogs in their last three playoff matchups. The Friars continue to get better and develop their up-and-coming talent. It starts with the top two goal scorers on the team in Hannah McNulty ’21 and Birchwell. Both combined to score 16 of the 26 goals that the Friars recorded this season. McNulty was 3rd in the Big East with 10 goals.
The Friars were led by their defensive back line that was one of the best in the Big East. They only allowed 16 goals this year, second in the Big East only behind the likes of Georgetown University who allowed seven goals. The Hoyas were the second best in the NCAA in goals allowed which is one of the reasons why they earned the number four national ranking and number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.
A valuable piece for the future is goaltender Shelby Hogan ’21RS. Hogan, who was third in the Big East with a .77 Goals Allowed per game, also recorded 10 shutouts, second in Big East. Due to Hogan’s performance in the Big East tournament, along with Birchwell, both earned Big East All-Tournament team honors.
Another reason the future looks bright for PC is continued success from the coaching staff. Since his arrival at PC in 2014, Head Coach Sam Lopes has lead the Friars to five Big East postseason berths, along with five winning seasons including four straight seasons recording double-digit wins.
With talent and experience coming back to the team next year, expect the Friars to be in contention once again as they look to pursue a Big East title and a place in the NCAA tournament.
PC Swim Has High Expectations
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Fresh off their first home meet of the season two weeks ago against the Bryant Bulldogs, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swim Team looks to learn from that meet and use it as a building block for the rest of season. Their sights are set on the Big East Championship in February.
Although the Friars fell to Bryant, they were able to show their improvement. It was a much improved result from last year’s meet for the men’s side against this same Bryant squad which may be a theme that will be mirrored throughout the rest of the Friars season. Jerod Magazine ’19 believes that “this may be the best group we have had in my four years…chemistry is great, guys pushing each other in the pool…great leadership, and a really good freshman class.” A few standout freshmen that Magazine mentioned were Justin Viotto ‘22, Matt Keane ‘22, Matt Michaels ‘22, and Ian McElrath ‘22.
A number of these freshmen have already contributed for the Friars early on in their college swimming careers. Viotto took home two first-place finishes in the 400 and 800-meter freestyle with the times of 4:12.58 and 8:41.06. John Freeman ’21 and McElrath churned out 1-2 finishes in the 200-meter freestyle with times of 1:57.62 and 1:59.62, respectively.
The Friars were able to finish the day strong with a first place finish in the 200-meter freestyle relay with a time of 1:39.06. The relay consisted of Mark McLaughlin ’21, Viotto, Freeman, and Patrick Brannigan ’20.
With positive results from both underclassmen and upperclassmen, Magazine hopes that the Friars can continue to shatter records and also take back the Harold Anderson Invitational, a meet that the Friars men’s team won three of the last four years. With veteran talent and leadership from captain Liam Straker ’19 and star breaststroker Ryan Trammell ’19, the Friars will look to do some damage throughout the rest of this season and into Big East.
Women’s swimming and diving is also in a very similar spot as well with senior leadership leading the way for the Friars. Molly Kavanaugh ’21 believes that it all starts with the seniors and trickles down to the underclassmen. “Madeline (Snow ‘19) and other seniors really show us how to act in and out of the pool. There is a great respect between both upperclassmen and underclassmen…. [A respect] between all grades, especially from the seniors down to the freshmen.” Kavanaugh went on to mention how Snow is one of the presidents of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) along with men’s swimmer Magazine.
The Swimming & Diving program was also recognized as being a Scholar All-American team. The women’s team had the highest GPA last semester in program and school history with a 3.60 average.
The team has also seen strong performances in the pool with this last meet, where a 200-meter relay team consisting of Jennie Bankes ’22, Katie Thornton ’21, Margie Keenan ’21, and Lauren Zawacki ’21 broke the 21-year old school record with a blitzing time of 1:50.60.
Bankes, a freshman from Broxton, Massachusetts, has been praised for her performance in the pool so far and is somebody to keep an eye on as this season progresses. Kavanaugh stated “We could see some pretty good things from her this season,” where some records will continue to be shattered. Men’s and Women’s Swim will be at Iona College at 5 p.m. this Friday and Fairfield at 1 p.m. this Saturday!
Dodgers, Red Sox World Series Match-Up
by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018
Professional Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
The Boston Red Sox boast the best record in baseball and have found their way back into the World Series after defeating the defending champions, the Houston Astros. They are going up against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were defeated by the Astros in seven games last year in the World Series and look to collect their first title since 1988. The Red Sox have won two World Series, in 2007 and 2013, since breaking the 86-year-old Curse of the Bambino in 2004. The Sox look to add another ring into the collection under the leadership of first-year manager Alex Cora.
Both teams have their strengths. The Dodgers possess a strong rotation and bullpen. Lead by three-time Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers have a trio of pitchers in rookie Walker Buehler, Rich Hill, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Buehler started game seven of the NLCS where he threw 4.2 innings and only allowed six hits, one earned run and struck out seven. The Dodgers pitchers are ranked near the top in most categories in the National League, they have the best ERA in the National League with 3.38, first in strikeouts and ranked second in BAA with hitters only hitting .230.
The Dodgers are also one of the leading analytics teams in the MLB, and they love defensive shifting. Manager Dave Roberts loves to use hitters off his bench in crucial situations, especially with the likes of right-hander David Freese, who can combat the Sox lefties Chris Sale and David Price. Freese was the hero in the St. Louis Cardinals’ run to a World Series win over the Texas Rangers in 2011.
The Red Sox have one of the best lineups top to bottom. The Red Sox place near the top in offensive ranks in the American League. The Sox are first in runs per game, average, on-base percentage, and slugging. There may not be any better hitters in the league than Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez, and Andrew Benintendi does not get enough credit with his glove and at-bats. According to FanGraphs, Benintendi ranks 31st in the league for contact percentage at 86.5 percent, and his ability to make contact with tough pitches out of the zone and extending at-bats is even better at 75.6 percent putting him at 14th in the league. A few key pieces in the lineup are Jackie Bradley Jr. and Steve Pearce. Pearce loves left-handed pitching so expect him to be in the lineup against Kershaw and other LHPs. This year, Pearce hit .304 and had a .959 on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS) against LHPs compared to .265 AVG and .828 OPS against righties. Jackie Bradley, Jr. is only 5-27 this postseason. He has come up with some clutch hits in key moments that won the Red Sox a few games. In the ALCS, his OPS was over 1.000 because two of his three hits were home runs and the other was a double. If Pearce and JBJ can get it going in the World Series, this lineup is dangerous and hard to stop. We already saw the Red Sox put up 16 runs against the New York Yankees on the road back in the American League Division Series.
The key for the Dodgers is to get to the Red Sox pitching early and get to the bullpen. The pitching has been unreliable in September and thus far in the postseason with only a few viable options. Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel has struggled mightily this postseason. In 6.1 innings pitched this year, he has allowed six hits, five earned runs, and six walks. His ERA is just under eight with 7.71 and his WHIP at 1.89. These are unusual numbers from your closer, who is typically one of the better relievers on the team, so it will be interesting to see how Alex Cora will use Kimbrel in this series.
The Red Sox want to score early and score often. Teams this postseason who score first are 21-6. The Dodgers bullpen this postseason has been lights out. In the NLCS against the Brewers, the bullpen had a 1.45 ERA with hitters only hitting .180 off them. Kenley Jansen solidifies the back end of this bullpen; he has allowed no runs this postseason with ten strikeouts in 6.2 IP.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
PCI
The Toronto Maple Leafs Will Finish This NHL Season With the Best Record
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Fans in Toronto and Ontario have waited a long time to bring the cup back to Toronto. It has been 51 years but fans may not have to wait much longer.
The free agent signing of former New York Islander John Tavares is bringing a lot of cup fever to Toronto. Tavares, 28, inked a seven year $77 million contract to return to his home. Tavares, a native of nearby Mississauga, Ontario, looks to propel a Maple Leafs team that was bounced out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one year ago.
Tavares joins a team that has a lot of young talent but has not won a playoff series since 2004. The Leafs have one of the most potent offenses in the Eastern Conference with three 30-goals scorers and Tavares is coming off a season where he scored 37 goals (T-12th in NHL) and had 47 assists. Tavares brings a lot of veteran experience to a team that has a young core of forwards.
Phenome Auston Matthews, 21, will look to stay on the ice this year after missing 20 games last year due to injuries. However, these injuries did not stop Matthews as he put up 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 games last seasons. Through seven games this season, he has 10 goals and 16 points, leading the league in both categories.
Besides Matthews, the Leafs have other offensive weapons with Patrick Marleau and Nazem Kadri. Kadri has put up back-to-back 32 goal seasons with the Maple Leafs.
On the other end of the ice, the Leafs have a good net minder in Frederik Anderson who is coming off a season in which he set the Maple Leafs record in wins. Anderson put up a 38-21-5 record with a 2.81 GAA. This success did not transfer over to the Stanley Cup Playoffs where Anderson went 3-3 with a 3.76 GAA. There is a lot of anticipation surrounding how much he will play this season. Last year Anderson played in 66 out of the 82-game schedule.
Another concern for this team is going to be the defense. The Leafs do not have a top tier level defense and will rely on the offense for most of the season. Moreover, how well the defense will perform this season remains a question, though defenceman Morgan Rielly has gotten off to a quick start. As of Oct. 17, he leads the NHL in assists with 10.
It may take a little bit of time for the Leafs to take off and look like themselves, as most new teams need some time to develop chemistry. The Leafs may start off slow, but Head Coach Mike Babcock will most likely play around with the lines. There is a ton of talent on offense and it should be exciting season north of the border in Toronto.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
PCI
Patriots Fans Should be Concerned With Their 2-2 Record
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
After the New England Patriots trounced the Miami Dolphins 38-7 this past weekend, many Pats fans have renewed faith again in their Super Bowl chances. They may be back at a five hundred record, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
The Patriots are at a 2-2 record in a division which they have dominated for all of Tom Brady’s tenure at quarterback. Yes, the Patriots can make the playoffs, but this year’s roster is not as talented of a team on either side of the ball as previous years. It’s going to be a tough road to make it to the Super Bowl a third year in a row.
Before this weekend’s blowout win, the Patriots avoided their first 1-3 record for the first time since 2001, which was the first season Brady was the starter. This Miami Dolphins team that the Patriots beat is a very talented one; however, it is expected for the Patriots to knock the Dolphins around. Before Sunday’s win, the Patriots were 83-20 against AFC opponents since 2009. New England has a near perfect 9-1 record against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough while the Dolphins lone win in Foxborough came in 2008 when Brady barely played. If the Dolphins continue to play well, make sure to keep an eye on the matchup on Dec. 9 when the Pats head down to Miami.
The Patriots need to start cleaning up the defensive side of the ball. Coming into this week, the Patriots defense was ranked 12th in the League. The defense can fix itself as time goes on, but this has been an Achilles heel for the Patriots in past years. To many fans, the defense has looked soft and lazy. All fans have to do is look at the tape: from poor tackling technique, misreading plays, and so on. Against the Jaguars, the Patriots allowed 480 offensive yards and went 4 of 12 on third down. If New England wants to make another deep run in the playoffs, they are going to have to fix things quickly.
Through the first three weeks, the Patriots seemed to not have enough talent. The acquisition of Josh Gordon should help a lot in a receiving core that has been ‘sub-par’ to this point. As seen in a loss against Detroit, every time the Pats needed a big 3rd down play, they kept turning to their basketball player-sized tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was being double teamed. The wide receiver depth chart is not very appealing with Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Phillip Dorsett. The Patriots rank 23rd in net yards per game on offense and with Gronk’s new ankle injury it can only make things worse.
College Football Season Heats Up
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Professional Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
It is officially a month into football season, and teams are settling in for what should be another exciting year on the gridiron. The University of Alabama once again finds themselves at the top of the polls and has set out to defend their National Title after their heroic comeback last year against the University of Georgia in the Championship game.
Alabama and Georgia are both favorites to get back to the college football playoffs but, there are a few new faces that fans should look out for. A team that is red hot to start and has worked themselves to College Football Playoff contention is the #5 Louisiana State University Tigers. They knocked off #8 University of Miami (FL) at a neutral site and have beat #7 Auburn University on the road, two solid wins for Coach Ed Orgeron’s squad. Additionally, #1 Alabama, #2 Georgia, and #18 Mississippi State will head to Death Valley to face the Tigers.
In the New England area, Boston College jumped into the AP rankings for the first time since 2008 as the 23rd best team in the country. Boston College has seen exceptional play from their offense, speared by Heisman trophy hopeful, running back AJ Dillon and quarterback Anthony Brown. Dillon has shown flashes of former Eagles tailback Andre Williams who finished fourth in Heisman voting in 2013. BC has always played well on the defensive side of the ball under their head coach Steve Addazio. Unfortunately, this past Saturday, the Eagles fame in the AP polls did not last long, as they fell to the Purdue University Boilermakers on the road with a final score of 30-13.
Boston College will have more opportunities to climb back into the rankings as they host #16 Miami Hurricanes and #3 Clemson Tigers. The Eagles will also head down to Blacksburg, Virginia to play Virginia Tech. BC will have to capitalize on these games in order to make a return to the Top 25.
Another team making some noise is the University of Rhode Island Rams. Yes, they may be a rival school of Providence College in basketball, but URI seems to be finding winning ways on the football field. Despite the face that in the past four seasons the Rams are just 7-38, finishing 11th of 12 teams in the Colonial Athletic Conference, URI started off this season defeating University of Delaware 21-19 on the road and then trouncing University of Albany 45-26. URI then took on their only football bowl subdivision opponent and one of their old rivals: the University of Connecticut Huskies. It was a high-scoring game where URI fell by just one touchdown, 56-49. Because of their success this year, the Rams have cracked into the Top 25 of the Football Championship Subdivision rankings at 23.
Favorites for Heisman:
The race for the Heisman trophy should be as exciting as it has been in the last couple of years. There was not a clear-cut favorite coming into the season ,as there are several players with the opportunity to win the award.
A few players to keep an eye on this year are QBs Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), Kyler Murray (Oklahoma), and Will Grier (West Virginia). Each of these QBs has had a unique journey in their rise to fame. Tagovailoa was thrusted into the championship game in the second half and led a heroic comeback to secure the win for the Crimson Tide last year. Kyler Murray, who was the 9th overall pick in this past June’s MLB Draft, will head to spring training in March for the Oakland A’s after this football season has concluded. Grier started his career at the University of Florida, where he started six games before he was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs. He then transferred to West Virginia University.
This past weekend each player solidified themselves on why they should win. Tagovailoa threw for 387 yards and 4 TDs in a 45-23 win against #22 Texas A&M. Grier threw for 356 yards and 5 TDs and 2 INT in the 35-6 win against Kansas State.
Providence College Investigtes
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
PCI
The New Orleans Saints Will Win Super Bowl LIII
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Football is officially back and Atlanta’s newly built Mercedes Benz Dome will play host to Super Bowl LIII and the New Orleans Saints will walk out with a win come Super Bowl Sunday in February.
This will be the franchise’s second Lombardi trophy; their first Super Bowl win was in 2010 when the Saints defeated Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. They were led by Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees and a lockdown secondary that could have rivaled the Legion of Boom in Seattle.
What’s different? The Saints may have a better team now than they did in 2010 and this may be the best team that Sean Peyton has had in his tenure as head coach. The Saints were bounced out of the playoffs in the divisional round against the Vikings after a last second 61-yard touchdown sealed the Saints’ fate.
It is a new season for the Saints and the team brings back plenty of experienced players. On the offensive side, Drew Brees will enter his 13th season in New Orleans where he threw for only 23 TDs and eight interceptions last year. The last time Brees failed to throw over 30 touchdown passes was all the way back in 2007.
Why a decline from Brees in the touchdown category? Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram are the answer, some consider them to be the best tag-team duo in the NFL. Kamara coming off a rookie campaign where he ran for 728 yards and eight TDs while collecting Pro Bowl and Rookie of the Year honors.
Kamara looks to build off his outstanding rookie season while WR Michael Thomas is one of the most under-the-radar receivers in the league. He should be considered an “elite” receiver after he hauled in 196 catches in his first two NFL seasons, which is an NFL record. Thomas will continue to blossom while the speedy Ted Ginn Jr. can still be considered a deep ball threat for this potent offense.
Defensively, the Saints are looking better than ever, the only concern being the linebacker position. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore finished his rookie campaign with five interceptions while accumulating a well-deserved Pro Bowl pick. Experts say he could turn into into one of the best corners in the league.
Safety Marcus Williams, who was remembered for the missed tackle he had on Vikings WR Stefon Diggs in the NFC Divisional game, also had a stellar rookie season where he started 15 games and had four interceptions.
In the off-season, Williams has received a lot of praise; he was even compared to Ed Reed, the former safety for the Ravens.
In the trenches on the defensive line, Cameron Jordan participated in his third Pro Bowl last season after he had a career high in sacks with 13.
The Saints have a chance to get back to the Super Bowl, especially with the explosive combination of Brees, Kamara, and Thomas, which should make Sundays fun to watch. It is all going to come down to the defense; however, there is nobody better in the business than Sean Payton.
A Year in PC Sports: Miracle at the Dunk
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
Basketball Season Highlighted by Upset Win Over ‘Nova
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
After seeing the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team come off an unexpected loss against DePaul University during the latter part of the week, the Friar faithful made sure to come out in force and rally behind their home team as they hosted the No. 2 ranked Villanova University Wildcats on Wednesday, February 14. Friar students stole the clothing headlines as they outmatched Villanova head coach Jay Wright and his fresh dry-cleaned suits with their pink Friar t-shirts to commemorate Pink Out in Friartown.
PC had gotten crushed by the Wildcats earlier in the year, but from the tip-off, Friar fans could see the team was going to fight all 40 minutes.
The Friars stuck with Villanova early on and had a 27-23 lead at half. PC’s defense held the Wildcats to 0-7 from behind the three point line in the first half.
Through the first 10 minutes of the second half, neither team could gain an edge. PC held a 49-47 lead when Rodney Bullock ’18 finished with an electric one-handed slam dunk that sent the Dunkin’ Donuts Center into a frenzy.
Villanova continued to struggle to find their rhythm on offense as the Friars put constant pressure on their shooters all night. Lead by Kyron Cartwright ’18 and Alpha Diallo ’20, PC pushed ahead to a 67-58 lead with about four minutes left to go.
Cartwright led the Friars with 17 points while Diallo and Bullock both scored 14. Jalen Lindsey ’18 also chipped in with three 3-pointers and playing stout defense.
Villanova did not go down quietly, however, as Collin Gillespie hit a layup with 29 seconds left to make the score 72-69, but it was too late for a comeback. The Wildcats were forced to foul and the Friars hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the unlikely win.
The Friars’ performance on the court that day prompted a court storming by the student section to celebrate the upset victory over a rival. The Friar community united to yell and scream the entire game.
Many coaches in the Big East despise coming to the Dunk, as it has been shown that the Dunkin’ Donuts Center is where ranked teams come to die. Friar fans welcomed Coach Wright with open arms and made sure to make it as difficult as possible for his Wildcat team to feel comfortable.
In a college basketball season full of upsets, PC was fortunate enough to be a part of the history, especially against one of their closest rivals.
The scene of students swarming the court only added to the tradition and the pageantry of PC basketball. From their double overtime upset bid over No. 1 Michigan in 1976 to their magical run in 1987, the Friars’ program looks to add more hardware and banners in the rafters in the near future.
Shohei Ohtani Starts Off Hot
by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018
Professional Sports
Rookie Shows Promise Hitting and Pitching
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
For most baseball fans, this past off season’s free-agency period was a lackluster performance by all 30 teams. There was almost a consensus around the league that each general manager wanted to wait until next off season to snatch bigger prize free agents such as Manny Machado and Bryce Harper.
One player who filled the news void this off season was none other than 23-year-old Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, who has been nicknamed the “Babe Ruth of Japan,” came over unexpectedly and left every MLB team chasing after the future star. Ohtani voided the opportunity to wait for the big payday in two years and settled with the Los Angeles Angels for the league minimum of $545,000 per year over the next three years.
So why the nickname and the hype? Ohtani brings skills that have never been seen before in the major leagues. He is a two-way player who excels as both a hitter and a pitcher. Scouts have compared his hitting abilities to those of Ken Griffey Jr. while his pitching has resembled Stephen Strasburg.
After a string of less than stellar performances on both the mound and at the plate during spring training, Ohtani has finally lived up to the hype. In 30 plate appearances so far, Ohtani has 11 base hits, maintaining a .367 average and a slugging percentage of .767. He even hit a home run off of the reigning CY Young Winner, Corey Kluber, in his second game of the season.
Ohtani has been even more dominant on the rubber, holding hitters to a mere .093 batting average and a slugging percentage of .163. In his first home debut as pitcher against the Oakland A’s, he carried a perfect game into the 7th inning before it was broken up by Marcus Semien.
Ohtani’s success has shaken the whole baseball industry as more front offices begin to look into the two-way player. Brendan McKay, who was the Tampa Bay Rays’ first round draft pick from this past June’s draft, is a two-way player and is thriving in the minors.
Many believed that after McKay was drafted, he would exclusively be at first base. Currently playing for the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the Midwest League (Single-A), McKay is off to a red-hot start batting .438 with six RBI in 16 plate-appearances. On the hill, McKay has compiled a 3.60 ERA in five innings pitched while striking out eight. The Rays’ front office believes it can work and why not? McKay did the same through his career at University of Louisville.
Another two-way player is the Reds’ No. 2 overall pick this past June, 18-year-old Hunter Greene. Greene, who has been praised for both his glove work at shortstop and his 100-mph fastball on the mound, was allowed by the Reds’ to test the waters at both the plate and on the mound in his first minor league season this past summer.
Although it has been decided that Greene’s future will be on the mound, the Reds’ decision to let him pitch shows that Major League clubs are starting to think about using these players’ various talents and experimenting with the two-way player possibility.
He may only be 23-years-old, but the future of the two-way player in the MLB resides on the shoulders of Shohei Ohtani.