"I can't do the same thing as last year" - Shohei Ohtani shares a candid take on topping historic 2021 season performance
Shohei Ohtani set the MLB on fire in 2021, hitting 46 home runs and pitching a stellar ERA of 3.18. Not since Babe Ruth has the sport seen a pitcher with the ability to rival the Sultan of Swat, but Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels proved he is that rival to the legendary Babe Ruth. Refusing to settle for one season of greatness, for which he won MVP, Ohtani intends to continue to raise his play to new heights.
This relentless drive in the pursuit of greatness shown by the 27-year-old Shohei Ohtani is a great sign for his future. Ohtani has all the accolades one could hope for at this point in his career, with a Rookie of the Year award and an MVP under his belt.
Watching a pitcher hit 46 dingers in a single season and compete in the Home Run Derby is electric, and if Ohtani continues to grow his game, he can become the global superstar the MLB has been searching for.
This desire for improvement on the previous season was reported by Sam Blum via a tweet.
Shohei Ohtani: “I feel like I can’t do the same thing as last year, to have the same stats as last year. I need to get better and keep on improving.”
Shohei Ohtani enters the 2022 MLB season as reigning MVP and does not intend to slow down
Los Angeles Angels star pitcher Ohtani is doing what all great players do, seeking improvement, something he can learn a lot about from Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout. There has been no better player in baseball over the last decade than Mike Trout, but he has never achieved the superstardom that Ohtani is capable of. While this has a lot to do with the league's failure to market and build new stars, it also falls on the Los Angeles Angels' lack of postseason success.
Whether it's fair or not, North American sports players are judged by how they perform when the stakes are the highest. How many championship rings they have on their fingers is what defines the legacies of NFL star Tom Brady and NBA legend Michael Jordan. If the Japanese-born Ohtani can't find championship success in the MLB, he will be remembered as a great player who couldn't get the job done when it mattered most.
Thankfully, as Sam Blum would report in a tweet, Ohtani has every intention of improving in 2022.
Shohei Ohtani said there is room to improve on skills, and command. He added that “physically, I already feel a lot stronger than last year.”
Shohei Ohtani has proven himself to be one of the top players in the MLB. With this mindset and his innate talent level, Ohtani has the opportunity to go down as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.