José Altuve's Embarrassing Swing at Shohei Ohtani's Sweeper Highlights the 'Sword' in Baseball
By
Kathryn Xu
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
The article discusses a baseball moment where Houston Astros' José Altuve took an embarrassing swing (a "sword") at a Shohei Ohtani sweeper pitch. It explores the concept of a "sword" in baseball — a term popularized by Rob "Pitching Ninja" Friedman — defined as a non-competitive swing where the batter is completely fooled by the pitcher. The piece blends baseball analysis with cultural commentary on the term's evolution and significance in modern baseball fandom.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledA sword, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is a 'weapon ... with a long blade for cutting or thrusting that is often used as a symbol of honor or authority.'
A sword, as defined by Rob 'Pitching Ninja' Friedman and quantified by Statcast, is 'when a pitcher fools a hitter so badly that he forces a non-competitive swing.'
One where a batter either regrets his choice or can't stop himself from taking a hack that looks so ugly it ends up going viral on social media.
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