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After just five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani has become one of the most beloved players in the MLB. Regardless of what team you support, every fan respects the ability and uniqueness that Ohtani brings to baseball. He has also showcased his fun-loving personality, which has only endeared him to baseball fans around the world.
The title 'face of baseball' is an unofficial one, usually assigned to the most popular player. While there are certainly other contenders in the league, Ohtani currently holds the title.
Rob Friedman, known as the Pitching Ninja on Twitter, named Ohtani the winner of the '2022 PitchingNinja Face Of Baseball Award'. He posted a highlight video of Shohei Ohtani's memorable on-field moments in 2022
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These moments of authenticity are not always commonplace in the MLB. Many players are reserved on the field. We only see glimpses of their personalities. Ohtani bucks that trend and shows how much fun he is having every game. Fans are clearly appreciative of Shohei Ohtani's on-field antics.
Not only is Ohtani one of the top players in the league, he is also a fan favorite. The MLB has been desperately searching for a superstar that they can market worldwide. They found it in Ohtani. After his MVP season in 2021, he became a household name. His popularity is still growing.
It is somewhat ironic that he is a teammate of Mike Trout, who is arguably the best player of his generation. Despite his incredible skillset, Trout has never reached Ohtani's popularity.
The MLB had been waiting for a Shohei Ohtani-type player to emerge for many years. His ability to pitch and hit at an exceptional level is not something we've seen since the early 1900's. It will be interesting to see how the league capitalizes on his starpower.
Shohei Ohtani has already done so much in his career, but needs to add a championship
In pro sports, the most common way to judge a star player's legacy is to count how many championships they've won. Shohei Ohtani hasn't reached the playoffs in his MLB career. The Angels haven't qualified for the postseason since 2011. Something's got to give. Maybe 2023 is the year those streaks are broken.
Seeing how star players perform when the stakes are high is one of the great pleasures of watching sports. Hopefully we get to see Ohtani play meaningful baseball before all is said and done.
