Shohei Ohtani Wins MVP- Unanimous Vote

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mvp-award-winners-2021 That’s right! The Angels have the Most Valuable Player in the American League. Maybe everything is not so gloomy and dire after all. Discuss.

Photo credit Rex Fregosi

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Brent
Super Member
2 years ago

Kind of amazing this only has 30 comments…

Honestly, an MVP should only be given to someone who actually helps their team get to the playoffs. Ohtani was magical, had arguably the greatest season of all time for anyone, but… what exactly was his value? Not making this team completely dead last in the league? Making the season somewhat watchable after the first month?

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Brent

The award is not called “best player on a winning team.” It is the MVP.

Do you truly feel anybody was more valuable ? I don’t. Not even close.

BTW, Vlad Jr. and his Blue Jays also did not make the playoffs. He was considered by most pundits to be the main competition for Shohei.

Brent
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

So, again, what value did he bring to the team to make them better/more competitive? A win every 5-10 days and a HR/SB here and there? Sorry, but that’s just not what I see as an MVP. Baseball’s “MVP” is by far the least actual MVP of any professional league, and it shows here.

Last edited 2 years ago by Brent
JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Brent

So, you’re going to say that an individual player is not valuable if his team as a whole does not make the playoffs ? You do understand that baseball is a team sport, correct? And that particularly in baseball it is very difficult to win only 2 or 3 or 4 good players… In the NBA one superstar can get you into the playoffs. Two are very likely getting you into the Finals and maybe winning it all.

Baseball is just very different. The ability of one player (even a transcendent one like Ohtani) to raise his team up by himself is very limited. It is the nature of the game. Unlike basketball where players play each possession and both offense and defense (thus they can indirectly or directly help their teammates and make them better) in baseball there is nothing that Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani can do to help Brandon Marsh while he’s at the plate. Or Jose Iglesias or whoever. Your expectation that he somehow be able to do this is simply naive and unrealistic.

Finally, the fact that players typically (one exception would be the interplay and interchange between pitcher and catcher) don’t interact, especially on offense, means that an individual star like Ohtani is less able to raise the overall level of his team (relatively speaking) than athletes in other team sports. This does not however mean that his unique individual acheivements are not praiseworthy and noteworthy (despite the disappointing overall performance of the team).

Mia
Legend
Mia
2 years ago
Reply to  Brent

This is a v bad take

smithy610
Super Member
2 years ago

Congrats Shohei! We went out last night for ramen and sake to celebrate!

I expected him to win MVP but the unanimous selection is what surprised me the most. I was thinking there would be some voters who would value Vlad Jr’s better offensive stats, and the fact the the Blue Jays were in the thick of playoff race until the last week.

Yay for progress!!!

hockey_duckie
Member
2 years ago
Reply to  smithy610

I remember MLB Network’s debate between Vas and Pedro. I couldn’t believe Pedro’s take.

https://youtu.be/z23LAHHl-Mg

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  hockey_duckie

Pedro was grasping at straws.

ScoopleDoople
Trusted Member
2 years ago

It was an amazing thing to watch. As lovers of baseball, we were fortunate to have been able to watch it happen, and in our own “fan” way, participate.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago

This means alot to Japan as a country (from MLB.com) :

“The Tokyo Tower is set to be lit up in Angels colors on Friday at 5:17 p.m. in Japan to celebrate the country’s first MVP in 20 years.”

Last edited 2 years ago by JackFrost
tommyshalo
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

LTBU!!!comment image

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

Sho-Gone took out 2 Birds with 1 Stone
comment image

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago

Congrats Shohei on a season for the ages !!

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago

Congratulations Shohei. Thank you for helping me win 25-1 on my March bet!!

h27kim
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Happy to see the MVP voters have a sense of history! πŸ™‚

Halo71
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Just once I’d like to see an Angel win the MVP when the rest of the team isn’t complete shit.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

Vlad Guerrero says hello from 2004. As does Don Baylor from 1979. (I listed Vladdy first because he was more recent).

Last edited 2 years ago by red floyd
Halo71
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

So the latest one was 17 years ago

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

You did say “just once.”

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago

Such a great player, and such a crappy team. I wonder what he will do when his Mike Trout moment comes.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago

Never a doubt, well deserved and job well done.

Congratulations Shohei.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago

And next season he will prove it wasn’t a fluke. Go, go, go Ohtani !

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

Some dude just picked up $900K. He put down $30K in March for Ohtani to win MVP at 30:1. Lucky SOB.

ScoopleDoople
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

On there other hand, there were probably a bunch that put a lot of money on someone else and are not happy.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

I think we need Jawas.

comment image

Last edited 2 years ago by red floyd
DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago

All is right in the world. Cats and dogs are best friends. Etc

tommyshalo
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Truely miraculous season. I was really amazed that he managed it through the whole season. Congrats!

We all know replicating this kind of season isn’t coming easily, but maybe…
Hopefully we can make a run for the WS WC with that.

Last edited 2 years ago by tommyshalo
Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Congratulations Ohtani!

Mia
Legend
Mia
2 years ago

πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³

Unanimous! Completely deserved. Let’s do it again next year, Sho!

Mike Trout is the best dude around

https://twitter.com/billshaikin/status/1461489827535331332?s=21

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
2 years ago

Goatani

Designerguy
Super Member
2 years ago

A very bright spot in an otherwise dismal baseball season.