[ODDS and EVENS] Highs and Lows and Other Observations from the World of Sports

Whenever Shohei Ohtani hammers a home run, it's an international spectacle. People marvel at the global sports superstar's incredible athleticism and flair for the dramatic.

Simply put, Ohtani highlights are must-watch moments of games.

The overwhelming favorite to win the 2024 National League MVP award was at it again on Wednesday night, October 16 in New York. Ohtani's towering three-run home run in the eighth inning wasn't the key play of the game. But it put an exclamation point on the Los Angeles Dodgers' 8-0 win over the New York Mets in the NL Championship Series.

It was a mighty swing. Ohtani belted Tylor Megill's 0-1 cutter, sending the ball flying 397 feet into the right-field stands at Citi Field. 

The Dodgers lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

Ohtani has had amazing productivity in recent weeks while batting with runners in scoring position (RISP). In his last 20 at-bats with RISP in the regular season and the playoffs, Ohtani has 17 hits. He's driven in 27 runs and belted seven homers in that span. 

Through Game 3 of the NLCS, Ohtani is 7-for-9 with men on base in the postseason. Oddly enough, based on his overall excellence in 2024, he's 0-for-22 with the bases empty in the playoffs.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains confident that Ohtani will get the job done as the team's leadoff hitter.

"Early on — it's just funny how things change — where there was a lot of concern about Shohei not being able to get hits with the runners in scoring position," Roberts was quoted as saying by the New York Daily News on Tuesday.

"And now we're all trying to find ways that [we] have to get guys on base so he can hit, right? I kind of find that comical."

Sports Hero Ohtani Receives a Ringing Endorsement

Dodgers teammate Mookie Betts labeled Ohtani "the best player on the field every day."

What are his thoughts on Ohtani's hitting struggles without runners on bases?

"Oh, he hasn't got a hit with nobody on. Who cares?" Betts was quoted as saying by MLB.com. "It's Shohei Ohtani. Everybody knows who he is every time he steps in the box. [And] everybody is expecting something to happen.

"That's the problem. He's done it so many times that you expect it. He's a human for 20 at-bats. It's Shohei Ohtani."

Harimoto Claims Men's Title at Asian Table Tennis Championships

The whirlwind action in elite table tennis is mesmerizing, making it one of the most visually compelling sports on the planet.

Paris Olympian Tomokazu Harimoto emerged victorious in the Asian Table Tennis Championships men's singles final on Sunday, October 13 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Facing China's Shidong Lin with the title up for grabs, Harimoto delivered an impressive performance. He won 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9 in the 33-minute showdown.

Harimoto, who hails from Sendai, became the first men's singles gold medalist for Japan at the continental tournament since Nobuhiko Hasegawa in 1974.

"It doesn't really feel real. I worked hard in each game, and that's what led to this victory," Harimoto was quoted as saying by Nikkan Sports.

"I won the gold medal by beating a strong opponent," added the son of naturalized Japanese citizens from China. "I'm really happy."

Unusual Occurrence: Only Own Goals in Japan-Australia World Cup Qualifier

Japan's victory streak in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying ended on Tuesday, October 15 at Saitama Stadium.

Australia and Japan produced a 1-1 draw that was short on heroics. Own goals were the story of the night, with both occurring in the second half.

In the 58th minute, the Socceroos took a 1-0 lead after Japan defender Shogo Taniguchi inadvertently booted the ball into his own net on a botched attempt to thwart the visitors' encroachment.

The Samurai Blue caught a lucky break in the 76th minute of the Group C match when substitute Keito Nakamura's cross ricocheted off Australia's Cameron Burgess' foot and into the Socceroos' net.

Japan entered the match with a headline-grabbing 14 goals in its first three matches of the third round of World Cup qualifiers. What's more, Japan was 9-0 in qualifying heading into this match.

When it was over, Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu reacted to his team's performance.

"I feel frustrated," Moriyasu said, according to Reuters. "We wanted to earn the three points and make our fans happy. So far we had come to this point without giving away a goal and tonight we gave away a goal, an own goal.

"We could have fallen apart after that point. But our players held on and kept calm to level up their play in order to catch up with Australia."

A Sports Reporter's Reaction to the Japan-Australia Match

Scotland-based journalist Colin Morrison, who writes for SportsLook, shared his perspective on the Japan-Australia match's outcome.

"While it is always slightly disappointing to drop two points in a home qualifier, the situation within the group and Japan's very strong start means it is still in a very strong position to not only qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but will probably be one of the first teams to secure qualification," Morrison said.

"As for two own goals in the same game and it ending 1-1 ― highly unusual. I can't think of anything similar off the top of my head in international matches."

A quick update on the six-team Group C for World Cup Asian qualifiers: Japan sits atop the table with 10 points. Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have five points apiece.

The Samurai Blue are back in action on November 15 against Indonesia in Jakarta. 

Rough Start for the Koshigaya Alphas

Making the jump from the second division to the first division in the B.League can be a difficult adjustment.

For example, the Koshigaya Alphas, who were promoted to B1 following the 2023-24 season, are 0-4 to open the new B.League season.

Head coach Ryuzo Anzai's team was outscored by 87 points in those first four games, including an 87-59 loss to the Ryukyu Golden Kings on October 13 in its most recent match.

Anzai is a good basketball coach. He had a track record of success with his former team, guiding the Utsunomiya Brex to their second B.League title in May 2022. And he led the Alphas to a 35-25 record in B2 last season.

Physical toughness is absolutely necessary for success in the first division, according to Anzai. This aspect of the game is something he feels the team must improve to be competitive.

"I honestly wonder how many players are willing to take on challenges at this level," Anzai told reporters on Sunday, speaking broadly about tough physical play.

Acknowledging that he's frustrated with the team's performance to open the season, Anzai added, "I already consider myself a challenger, and of course I already know what the top-level B1 teams are like. [And] I want us to be a team like that [the Golden Kings], and when competing against such a team, I need to emphasize such things. But I frankly feel that this is something that is lacking at this moment."

Indeed, patience, although not always easy to embrace, is a part of the process for sports teams' leaders.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.