Canada’s Largest Shohei Ohtani Fanclub. Instagram: @ohtanicanada

Nathaniel (Nate) Smith lives in Toronto with his parents and sister. He will be starting High School in September. Nate has a keen interest in and respect for Shohei Ohtani as most baseball aficionados do. Nate is a talented athlete and plays baseball and basketball at the Rep level. In baseball Nate is a pitcher as well as a position player in right or left field.

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What is the difference you might ask between Shohei Ohtani and every other baseball great? Ohtani came onto the baseball scene in Japan when he became the first pick for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the 2012 draft when he was 18 years old. It was during this time that Ohtani’s natural talent and dedication started to become obvious. Ohtani is truly the greatest baseball player of all time. He has the unique talent of being an outstanding two-way player, he has a work ethic like no other, and he is a kind and caring human being.

“Shohei Ohtani has already established himself as the greatest two-way player in MLB history” Ohtani is one of the only starting pitchers in the MLB who can throw over 100mph. He can not only throw really hard, but he can also hit the ball really hard, for example when he smashed a double off Scott Barlow of the Kansas City Royals with an exit velocity of 119 mph. In 2022 Ohtani had more than the average number of at bats in one season than position players in the MLB, and in the same season he threw 2629 pitches. This is exceptionally rare and probably won’t happen again. On top of all that Ohtani was the first player to ever start in an MLB all star game as a pitcher and a DH (designated hitter). It is highly unlikely that anyone in the future will ever come close to reaching this type of accomplishment. 

Ohtani’s work ethic is equally as amazing as his accomplishments. Ohtani always had a goal to make it to the major leagues not only as a hitter but a hitter and a pitcher. This type of goal is very ambitious and not something you see very often due to how hard it is. In the early days when his team would celebrate after games, Ohtani chose to work out, and focus on how he could become a better baseball player. He was known to have worked on his hitting mechanics at 1:00 AM on Christmas morning. At the end of every season Ohtani reflects on how the season went whether it was good or bad so he’ll know what to work on in the off season. Ohtani once said “I believe in myself and I’ll keep working hard every day and results will follow.” 

Ohtani is also an extremely kind and caring human being. In 2019, he visited a baby who was receiving a heart transplant in a hospital in Japan. The family was struggling to raise funds and Ohtani went to visit and show support. Ohtani shows his manners in the dugout by picking up litter because he doesn’t want someone else to have to do it. He is a very caring person and always checks to see if someone was hit or hurt by a foul ball he has hit. Ohtani is always cheering on his teammates and congratulating them when they get back to the dugout. Ohtani is known for his humility and he once said “I’m honored to be compared to Babe Ruth, but in no way do I think I am at his level.” Ohtani is so respected, he made it onto Time Magazine’s top 100 Most Influential People in 2021 for his abilities on the field and the influence he has on people around the world.

In conclusion, it is clear that Shohei Ohtani is the greatest player of all time. This is not only for his accomplishments on the field but off the field too. In the history of baseball we have never seen a player like Ohtani. It is going to be very exciting to see where he takes his career next.

References:

Sports Illustrated, Noah Camras