By Noah Hickman
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You don't have to be an avid baseball fan to know about the Los Angeles Angels superstar, Shohei Ohtani.
He is probably the most unique player since Babe Ruth due to him being both a pitcher and an outfielder -- something Ruth was in his playing career.
Not only does he play two positions but he is pretty darn great at playing both.
As a hitter this season, Ohtani has a batting average of .279.
He also has an MLB-high 33 home runs and 70 RBIs, respectively.
Coming off of his first All-Star game and Home Run Derby, he will look to add to that total.
For a good portion of the season, the Angels have been without centerfielder Mike Trout; he is/was considered to be the best player in baseball.
Ohtani might have taken Trout's respective title of best player in baseball away from him this year with his unbelievable versatility.
Regardless, Trout has absolutely been the most consistent baseball player in the span of ten years.
Trout is a nine time All-Star and a three time AL MVP, so when sports media says that Ohtani is the 'greatest thing since Babe Ruth' they have to be precise in what they mean.
Keep in mind that Ohtani has only been in the MLB for four seasons and just made his first All-Star appearance.
Ohtani is great but he is just as much a hyped product than an all-time great.
Calling an athlete who has been in United States professional sports for four years 'the greatest thing since Babe Ruth' puts unimaginable pressure on the young athlete himself to keep playing like an all time great.
Most of the time, that is just a setup for disappointment in the near future.
I'm not saying that Ohtani is not going to be an all-time great, I'm just telling everybody to simmer down and appreciate his game while not making aggressively bold predictions about what Ohtani will be.
To me, he is beyond special and embodies what the American Dream is all about.
Ohtani was born in Oshu, Japan and had lived in Japan for just under 25 years.
After spending five seasons in Japan playing Pacific League baseball, Ohtani signed and finalized a deal with the Angels on December 9, 2017.
While signing with the Angels, Ohtani knew he was leaving his loved ones behind to pursue his dream of being an MLB player.
He has taken advantage of each and every one of his opportunities and has become an icon to so many people especially in the Japanese community.
Many people travel to Japan just to see his games and kids and adults alike are amazed at how he is so versatile and can do everything.
Ohtani is a once in a lifetime player and is unique in his own way and I can’t wait to watch more of him.
It’s SHOTIME!
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