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sports Diamars 13 Juli 2021

Ohtani is AL starting pitcher, bats leadoff in All-Star Game

(AP) — Shohei Ohtani at Coors Field.
will be the American
League’s starting pitcher Scherzer will make his fourth
in Tuesday’s night’s All- All-Star start, matching Jim
Star Game and will bat Palmer and Randy Johnson
leadoff, too, as the des- for second-most behind five
ignated hitter in another each by Robin Roberts, Lefty
landmark for the two-way Gomez and Don Drysdale.
Japanese sensation.
Scherzer started the 2013 All-
A 27-year-old in his fourth Star Game for the AL while
major league season with the with Detroit, and the 2017
Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani and 2018 All-Star Games
is the first two-way starter while with Washington.
in the history of the All-Star An eight-time All-Star and
Game, which began in 1933. three-time Cy Young Award
winner, he is 7-4 with a 2.66
“I was actually not expect- ERA this season with 134
ing to be chosen as a pitcher strikeouts and 22 walks in 98
at all,” Ohtani said Monday innings.
through a translator. “It’s a
huge honor and I’m going to The All-Star Game returns
try my best.” this year after the cancellation
of the 2020 event at Dodger
Ohtani has generated huge Stadium in Los Angeles due
buzz across baseball for his Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Nomo in 1995 and the third Salvador Pérez, Blue Jays left to the coronavirus pandemic,
exploits at the plate and on Jr. (73) and Boston’s Rafael Asian. Hyun Jin Ryu of South fielder Teoscar Hernández which delayed opening day
the mound. He leads the ma- Devers (72). Korea started in 2019. and Baltimore center fielder until July 23.
jors with 33 home runs and Cedric Mullins.
is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 On the mound, Ohtani has A rules change this year for This year’s game was sched-
starts. struck out 87 and walked 35 the All-Star Game will allow NL manager Dave Roberts of uled for Atlanta’s Truist Park,
in 67 innings. His fastball av- Ohtani, listed as a DH, to the Los Angeles Dodgers has but baseball Commissioner
“This is what the fans want erages 93.8 mph, essentially be treated as two individual San Diego shortstop Fernan- Rob Manfred Manfred an-
to see. It’s personally what I the same as the 93.7 mph exit players and remain as a hit- do Tatis Jr. leading off, fol- nounced April 2 that the
wanted to see,” said AL man- velocity of balls off his bat, ter when he is removed as a lowed by the Dodgers’ Max event would be moved be-
ager Kevin Cash of Tampa tops among qualified major pitcher. Muncy at designated hit- cause of Georgia’s new elec-
Bay. league batters. ter, St. Louis third baseman tion law, which critics say will
“I begged Major League Nolan Arenado, Atlanta first negatively affect communi-
Max Scherzer of the Wash- Ohtani is the most accom- Baseball to tweak the rule,” baseman Freddie Freeman, ties of color.
ington Nationals will be the plished two-way player since Cash said. Cincinnati right fielder Nick
starting pitcher for the Na- Babe Ruth, who last pitched Castellanos, Reds left fielder Four days later, Manfred said
tional League in the game at regularly in 1919. Fans were Guerrero will bat second and Jesse Winker, Philadelphia this year’s game would be
Coors Field. to see him in action starting play first base for the AL, fol- catcher J.T. Realmuto and played at Coors Field, which
Monday night in the Home lowed by Boston shortstop Pittsburgh second baseman held its only previous All-
Ohtani was elected to start at Run Derby. Xander Bogaerts, New York Adam Frazier. Star Game in 1998.
DH by fans and was voted to Yankees right fielder Aaron
the AL pitching staff by fel- Ohtani will become the sec- Judge, Devers at third, Toron- Traded by Colorado during Because of last year’s cancel-
low players. He’s hitting .279 ond Japanese pitcher to start to second baseman Marcus the offseason, Arenado is lation, Dodger Stadium will
with 70 RBIs, trailing only an All-Star game after Hideo Semien, Kansas City catcher likely to remain a fan favorite host the All-Stars in 2022.

Analysis: Now that Djokovic has No. 20,

why doubt Slam bid?

(AP) — Novak Djokovic is tini in Sunday’s final. So the we’re playing in, so it’s very
never satisfied. question that’s been on so hard to compare tennis, say,
many people’s minds in re- from 50 years ago to today.”
When he won his first Grand cent times was put to Djokov- And then he offered a hum-
Slam title, he wanted a sec- ic after his latest triumph: Do ble take on the matter, con-
ond. When he proved his you consider yourself the cluding: “But I am extremely
excellence on hard courts, he greatest male tennis player of honored to definitely be part
wanted to excel on grass and the Open era? of the conversation.”
clay, too. When he narrowed “I consider myself best, and I
the considerable gap between believe that I am the best, oth- Yes, of course he’s part of it.
his number of major cham- erwise I wouldn’t be talking And while the best stance is
pionships and those won by confidently about winning to appreciate all three of the
Roger Federer and Rafael Slams and making history. modern-day rivals, as athletes head-to-head series against that since Rod Laver went 4
Nadal, Djokovic was deter- But whether I’m the great- and competitors, and to cher- both of the other guys. He is for 4 in 1969.
mined to catch them. est of all time or not, I leave ish what all have brought to the only one of them to have And now Djokovic will head
that debate to other people,” their sport, and to acknowl- won each Slam twice. He is to New York in August for
Just look at him now, all the the 34-year-old from Serbia edge the sheer greatness of the only one to hold all four the U.S. Open on the preci-
way up to 20 Slam trophies, began. “I said before that it’s all, those who want to make major titles simultaneously, pice of something so, so
the same as the other mem- very difficult to compare the the case that Djokovic stands something he did over the special. The only men with
bers of the Big Three, by vir- eras of tennis. We have differ- out from the trio are getting end of 2015 and start of 2016. calendar-year Grand Slams to
tue of winning Wimbledon ent rackets, technology, balls, some pretty good evidence And he is the only to win the their credit are Laver, twice in
with a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 courts. It’s just completely lately. first three Slams in one sea- the 1960s, and Don Budge, in
victory over Matteo Berret- different conditions that As it is, Djokovic leads the son; indeed, no man has done the 1930s.