[For MLB Beginners] Enjoy Shohei Even More! Rules & Terminology Guide ⚾️
🟦 Taking a step beyond just "watching casually"
More and more people have started watching MLB because of Shohei Ohtani. But—
"OPS? DH? What are those?"
"Why doesn't the pitcher stand at the plate?"
"How impressive are Shohei's records?"
Have you ever had questions like these?
In this note, I will gently explain the terminology and basic rules that you "only need to know to enjoy the game!" for MLB beginners, while connecting them to Shohei's achievements ⚾️
🟦 1. Differences between MLB and NPB (A rough overview)
Number of games: MLB has 162 games!
League structure: American League / National League (The Dodgers are in the National League)
DH system in every team (The Dodgers have a DH system)
✔ "DH (Designated Hitter)" = A player who bats instead of the pitcher. → Shohei often plays as a "DH"!
🟦 2. Meanings of common terms
Term Meaning Relation to Shohei OPS On-base percentage + Slugging percentage → A metric for a batter's "overall ability" Shohei is a super talented batter with over .900 every year! BB Base on balls (Walk) Shohei is often "walked" HR Home run Shohei's synonymous term, needless to say ✨ WAR Wins Above Replacement (quite technical) Shohei is the only player to record high numbers in both pitching and hitting
🟦 3. You only need to grasp this much to understand the stats!
Batting average: .300 means "a hit 3 out of 10 times" → Shohei is currently at .288 (as of 4/19/2025)
Home runs: 10 or more gives the impression of a "power hitter"
Stolen bases: 50 stolen bases is among the league's best; Shohei reached 150 career stolen bases in 2025!
🟦 4. Perspectives to watch to enjoy Shohei even more
What batting order/position is he playing in today?
Pay close attention not just to hits, but also to walks, stolen bases, and runs scored!
Getting a grasp of recent OPS / batting average / home run totals will make your viewing experience much deeper.
🟦 Conclusion | Understanding makes cheering even more fun
Baseball is often thought of as difficult, but
one of the charms of MLB is that you naturally learn the rules just by watching Shohei.
I hope this note serves as a way for you to enjoy Shohei's performance even more! ✨
📢 In the Shohei Daily Report, I share:
▶ A summary of Shohei's weekly stats
▶ MLB systems and highlights of the games
every day on note & X!
Click here for X 👇
https://x.com/shoheifan_daily
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it would be a great encouragement if you could support me with a "Like" or "Support" on note 👇
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