The Ohtani File
Team: Los Angeles Angels
Height: 6-4
Weight: 210
Birthday: 7/5/1994
Fastball Velo: 97.3 mph
Average Exit Velo (as a hitter): 92.9 mph
College: N/A
Draft: N/A
Contract: 1-year, $30 million
WAG: Rumored to be in a relationship with Kamalani Dung
Children: N/A
Betting Odds: +1200 to win the Cy Young, +200 to win the MVP, +2000 to lead the league in home runs
Record/Accomplishments:
- One American League Most Valuable Player award, 2021
- Won the American League Rookie of the Year, 2018
- Named the AP Athlete of the Year, 2021
- Received the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award, 2021
- Two All-Star selections
- Two All-MLB First-Team selections
Shohei Ohtani is just a silly little guy
You know who Shohei Ohtani is. The two-way phenom took over baseball in 2021 after a few injury-derailed seasons, transcending towards the league’s elite at an incredible pace. On the list of guys who “just might be better than Mike Trout,” he’s the closest anyone has come. Value-wise, he may have already surpassed him.
He’s more than just the modern software update to Babe Ruth. He’s appointment television and having more fun than anyone else in the process.
Perhaps this is best embodied by his smile. He’ll make an incredible athletic play to throw a speedy hitter out. He’ll throw a breaking ball a foot inside and generate a whiff. He’ll hit a ball that breaks some Statcast record. And then he’ll giggle, in disbelief of the powers he possesses.
On first base, he’s played around with first basemen that he hits with pitches. When he heads back to the dugout, he’ll tap someone's shoulder and hide or bring out a makeshift game straight out of little league.
Whether he is dominating professionals in a children’s game or goofing around in the dugout, Ohtani has made it impossible to root against him. We need more of Ohtani in baseball, even if the talent profile only comes around once a century.