OHTANI BECOMES AN ANGEL
BASEBALL GENERAL manager Billy Eppler rose from his seat in rapturous joy when he got the phone call telling him Shohei Ohtani wanted to join the Los Angeles Angels.
When Eppler attempted to sit back down, he missed his chair completely, sprawling onto the floor. Ohtani has inspired strong reactions ever since the world became aware of the Japanese star’s formidable talent as both a pitcher and a hitter. Now that the Angels have landed such a coveted prize, they can’t wait to see who else he can knock over.
The Angels formally introduced Ohtani on Saturday, one day after the franchise won the baseball-wide competition for his services.
A lively crowd gathered in front of Angel Stadium cheered when Ohtani donned a red No.17 jersey and hat on stage with team owner Arte Moreno, manager Mike Scioscia and Eppler.
Ohtani doesn’t speak much English yet, but he stepped to the podium and addressed the fans confidently: “Hi. My name is Shohei Ohtani.”
Ohtani already knows how to work a crowd, too: He had the perfect answer when asked whether he was more excited to get his first pitching victory or his first homer in the big leagues.
“Hopefully, if I can pull it off, maybe both in one game,” he said through a translator. THEY didn’t win the premiership this year, didn’t even reach the grand final.
Never underestimate though the power and influence of Cooper Cronk.
Amazingly, the Sydney Roosters – eliminated in week three of this year’s NRL finals series – have been installed the shortest-priced pre-season favourites in a decade.
Coach Trent Robinson’s side, with Cronk as the new halfback, have tightened into $5 for next season’s premiership, according to the TAB’s latest market.
The Roosters were paying $6 before a plunge late last week. They are now outright premiership favourites.
Cronk’s arrival has punters salivating and they’re outlaying big bucks on the Chooks well before the season kicks off.
The Roosters are the shortest-priced pre-season favourites since Manly in 2009.
And the Sea Eagles’ odds came after the club’s famous 40-0 grand final win over Melbourne the previous season.
The pressure is now well and truly on Robinson and his Roosters with Cronk not being afforded any time to settle in.
TAB data shows the Roosters actually hold more than 20 per cent of money invested on the 2018 premiership.
The bulk has come for the Roosters since the club signed Cronk to a two-year, $2m deal.
“The Roosters at $5 are the shortest pre-season premiership price with TAB since the Manly Sea Eagles were $4.50 back in 2009,” said TAB’s Matt Jenkins. “In the past decade we haven’t seen many teams as short as the Roosters which gives you an indication of how well they are fancied.”