In our ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, ABC Sports, TNT Sports, a million sports podcasts, sports radio on both FM and AM dials, and every sports association has its own channels on every media medium so we know everything happening in sports the second it occurs type of society, it is extremely easy to get caught up in the now.

A player breaks a record or two, he’s the greatest ever (you should know who I’m Le-talking about).

A coach comes up with a never-seen-before play, he should be christened as the next John Wooden.

A team wins the same number of games or more than a team 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago, the current squad is better.

Rule changes, medical advancement, technology breakthroughs, equipment improvements, air conditioning in practice facilities and arenas (believe it or not it wasn’t always a thing), and other intangibles which have changed sports and its athletes over time, are overlooked or purposely forgotten to bestow a new crown on a new face, new record, new team.

I try to stay away from “The now” to not be “That guy”.

However, this time around, I’m going to be.

Since his Major League Baseball debut in 2018, Shohei Ohtani has had one headline, one web gem, one remarkable game, and one accomplishment after another.

And another.

And another.

The 30 year old was one of few reasons to watch or pay attention to baseball from 2021-24 because he tore it up as a batter and a pitcher in ways only comparable to one man, the Great Bambino, Babe Ruth. 

Ohtani was the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year, two time American League MVP (2021, 2023), four-time All-MLB First Team, two-time All-MLB Second Team, four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award recipient, three-time Edgar Martinez Award winner, earned the Hank Aaron Award, led the American League in home runs in 2023 and in triples in 2021.

Oh, he was also the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year twice (2021, 2023).

Quite an impressive resume for a 30 year old, who has only been in the MLB for six years.

Well, the above listed credentials were overshadowed by a whale of a feat on September 19.

Not just a feat, he created his own club.

Ohtani is the inaugural member of the 50-50 club as he became the first baseball player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, in history. Which means, he did something no one has ever done since the National League was created in 1876, the American League in 1901, or Major League Baseball in 1903.

Read those years again. And then remember, we’re in 2024.

On Sept. 19, the man went nuts against the Miami Marlins to begin the club as he was 6-of-6 at the plate with three home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and stole two bases, which is going down as one of the best performances of all time.

Honestly, I don’t know if this stat line is possible in the video game, MLB The Show, even set on easy difficulty, stacking the lineups, and using every cheat code (are cheat codes still a thing) possible.

The former Los Angeles Angel now Los Angeles Dodger is putting up video game numbers in real life at a level thought impossible and now imagined to be unduplicated.

Not only did he put up numbers we have never seen before, but he did something else we haven’t done all season long, he has made us interested in baseball again.

For us Chicago or midwest baseball fans, there hasn’t been much to cheer about since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016. On the other pendulum of Ohtani making history this season, the Chicago White Sox have lost 120 games, which is tied for the most in league history. The Sux have five more games on the schedule.

Ok, I’m down crying now, back to Ohtani.

He is the real deal.

His swing is as beautiful as Ken Griffey Jr.

His speed bag speed clocks in with Ricky Henderson.

He’s hitting home runs out of the park on tier with Barry Bonds, Roger Maris, Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire whether they were using PEDs or not.

If a player is on par with icons we call the best players of their time or in league history, on all categories, not just one which is how players usually find themselves in the “He’s the new greatest” conversation , then maybe Ohtani is the greatest.

There will be feedback to this. Some will probably say I’m stuck in the now. I’m actually positive of it.

But, if you look at the resume, add the fact he just created a club and did something that has never been done before, even in 2024, Shohei Ohtani being the best player of all-time is a reality.

And he’s nowhere near retirement.