Record of Observations in the Reiwa Era by a Page in the Warring States - Entry 0057

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Kasugayama Castle, Narumi Shogunate

Lord: Uesugi Dōman Maru Kagetora

Observations by the Page

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◆ Year 1451 of Tenbun Era, August 17th

"Shohei Ohtani's Weaknesses and Expiry Date"

According to Lord Uesugi, there is a warrior of baseball from the land of the Rising Sun who claims to be a two-way player, earning his keep in the land of America. It seems that in the year 2024, he will turn thirty, yet he is set to receive a substantial sum of one hundred thousand ryo (100 billion yen) through a multi-year contract lasting a decade. After honing his skills in the remote regions of Ōshū, he crossed the seas, and his impressive feats of defeating the members of MLB one after another are indeed commendable. Where allies exist, foes are bound to emerge. The notion of a warrior of Japanese baseball in the land of America is not beyond reason. As stated in Sun Tzu's Art of War, by understanding both the enemy and oneself, the frequency of vulnerability in a hundred battles is reduced. This can be likened to the instinct of a page, akin to safeguarding Lord Uesugi. The baseball warrior who ventured to America has spent around six years there, and his performance in recent years has been remarkable and awe-inspiring. However, and yet, it is doubtful if he can endure for another decade. Upon entering his thirties, the accumulation of strain on his body up until then may turn into fatigue, and unexpected injuries or impairments are also anticipated. Lord Trout, having received a hefty sum through a multi-year contract, is unable to play due to injuries. Receiving remuneration despite not participating in games might indeed bring joy. This seems to have been foreseen by the team, as they have taken precautions, so their finances are unlikely to be severely impacted. The warrior of the two-way play baseball seems to feel that single-year contracts are more desirable, but many MLB teams, caught up in the buzz, are readily offering substantial sums, as even monkeys on rooftops have mentioned.

Let us now indicate Shohei Ohtani's weaknesses. From the perspective of opposing pitchers, first pitches are generally not thrown as strikes. Moreover, he struggles against sliders, so these should be thrown frequently. Consistently target the lower inside corner. From the perspective of opposing batters, the approach is to avoid swinging at balls. Foul off pitches to increase pitch count and induce fatigue. Gradually adjust the timing for fastballs to increase the likelihood of hitting home runs. By adhering to these basics, his reputation as an MLB player can be upheld. It's worth giving it a try.

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