Chris Russo claimed he was “bored stiff” during what Shohei Ohtani later called the best moment of his life, but Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t let “Mad Dog” get away with that comment.
During ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday, Russo and Smith were discussing the final out in the World Baseball Classic’s championship game Tuesday night, when Ohtani struck out Angels teammate Mike Trout to clinch another title for Japan.
“Did you see the headlines today?” Russo asked on the show, when discussing Japan’s 3-2 victory over the United States. “‘Epic at-bat.’ ‘Incredible moment.’ What? Why, because they’re teammates? And Trout does nothing but strike out. Trout struck out twice in the game. Everybody talks to me about Trout is [Yankees legend Joe] DiMaggio.
“I mean, Trout strikes out 175 times a year.”
Russo continued by saying the situation surrounding the at-bat — with two outs, nobody on base, the United States trailing by a run — didn’t add any suspense to the situation.
The outcome, he said, didn’t help either, with Ohtani striking out Trout.
“They’re making this at-bat out to be the greatest at-bat in the history of Major League Baseball,” Russo said. “It’s March 21, can we take it easy?”
That’s when Smith started his argument with Russo, who hosts “High Heat” on MLB Network.
Smith thought the “theater” of the moment was everything the game of baseball needed.
It had one of MLB’s best players in a critical situation where the direct opponent — Trout, standing in the batter’s box — happened to be an Angels teammate also regarded as one of the league’s top players, with three American League MVP awards won and All-Star Games made in all but two seasons of his career.
“You don’t want to see Shohei Ohtani against just anybody,” Smith said. “You want to see him against the likes of somebody like Mike Trout. You want to see him go up against Mike Trout. It ain’t no intentional walk. It ain’t no strategy. It’s me against you, baby. Let’s get it on.”
And what happened was everything baseball fans could’ve hoped for to engage future generations of fans, Smith said.
Trout, the last chance for the United States to defend its WBC title from the tournament’s previous edition, worked a full count.
Then, Ohtani kicked his leg, delivered an off-speed pitch that swept across the strike zone and prompted Trout to swing.
He pumped his arms, threw his glove, tossed his hat and waited for his Japan teammates to surround him.
“That is what we’re talking about here,” Smith said to Russo. “That’s why you gotta appreciate it. That’s why you gotta love it. Not sitting there and deferring to something that happened years before your target audience was even born. No. We’re not doing that.
“You’re saying, ‘This is what we want. This is what baseball is supposed to be. Modern-day baseball players, pay attention.’ It’s moments like this that gets that fan clamoring to come watch you. That’s what it’s about. That’s what you need to go on ‘High Heat’ and remind the audience of.”