Baseball All-Star Game becomes Greatest Sho on Earth

DENVER (AP) — As five dozen All-Stars sat outside Coors Field ahead of the All-Star Game, they looked forward to the Greatest Sho on Earth.

Shohei Ohtani is the starriest of them all, the center of attention for players and fans like no one before at baseball's midsummer classic.

Fans cheered when he was introduced Monday at a news conference located outdoors, across the street from Coors Field due to the pandemic. He was to compete in Monday night's Home Derby, start on the mound for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game and hit leadoff as the designated hitter.

Ohtani is doing just about everything other than mow the grass and solve the ballpark's mile-high hitter-friendly air currents.

“People always say, ‘Oh no, he can’t do that,’ until the guy goes out and does it,” Mets first baseman Pete Alonso said. “And then, when he does do it, it’s like, ‘Oh, we knew it the whole time.’”

A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani will be the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Not even Babe Ruth did it, having last pitched regularly in 1919.

Ohtani was separately voted to start at DH by fans and to be among five AL starting pitchers by fellow players.

“I was actually not expecting to be chosen as a pitcher at all,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “It’s a huge honor, and I’m going to try my best.”

Washington's Max Scherzer, who will become just the sixth pitcher to make four All-Star starts, is in the background because of Ohtani, who leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts.

“It would be awesome if I can hit. Right now, I’m 0-for the first half this year,” said Scherzer, who...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Baseball-All-Star-Game-becomes-Greatest-Sho-on-16309980.php