Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani added to his legacy Thursday evening when he turned the second participant in baseball historical past to win the Most Helpful Participant Award in each the American and Nationwide Leagues, and the primary to take action in back-to-back seasons.
Ohtani, 30, gained the award twice with the Angels — in 2021 and final 12 months. This 12 months, he discovered himself within the Nationwide League and didn’t miss a beat with the Dodgers, turning into the primary participant in Main League historical past with 50 homers and 50 steals in a season.
However lengthy earlier than Ohtani put himself within the document books, Frank Robinson was the primary to win baseball’s prime award in each leagues — first as a member of the Reds in 1961 after which with the Orioles 5 years later. That distinction lasted 58 years till Ohtani joined him Thursday.
In 1961, Robinson was the No. 1 motive Cincinnati went so far as the World Collection earlier than shedding to the Yankees in 5 video games. He acquired 15 of the 16 first-place votes [teammate Joey Jay received the other vote] to win the Nationwide League MVP. Robinson led Cincinnati in Wins Above Alternative (7.7, bWAR) and had a slash line of .323/404/.611.
5 years later, Cincinnati gave Robinson further motivation to be one of the best in baseball. The group traded him to the Orioles for right-hander Milt Pappas and two different gamers as a result of Robinson, as Reds proprietor Invoice Dewitt put it, “was an previous 30.” Robinson ended up making historical past by successful the Triple Crown and serving to the Orioles to their first World Collection title. Just a few weeks later, he was the unanimous MVP within the American League.
“Bear in mind, [Robinson] … was as previous as Ohtani. No person refers to Ohtani as an previous 30,” stated Baseball Corridor of Famer Jim Palmer, who was Robinson’s teammate from 1966-1971. “Frank was an distinctive participant. Frank made you suppose you had been going to win. He was a frontrunner, as a result of if he noticed one thing, he was going to say one thing. … He made everyone higher like what M.J. [Michael Jordan] did with the Bulls.”
When he was managing the Nationals in 2006, Robinson was stunned that no different Main Leaguer gained the MVP in each leagues. He felt with free company in place beginning in 1975, extra gamers would be a part of him in that particular class.
Mark Langill is the official historian for the Dodgers, and he has a distinct perspective on why it took 58 years for a participant like Ohtani to win the award in each leagues.
“I believe it’s extra luck of the draw when it comes to gamers transferring [to another team],” Langill stated. “You may have an amazing season and, like in golf, any individual else could possibly be higher than you. It’s not just like the batting title. That is an election. This isn’t a stat. It’s not one thing computerized.
“Take into consideration this: In 1924, pitcher Dazzy Vance was the Nationwide League MVP. Rogers Hornsby completed second and hit .424. That’s the loopy factor. You’ve got an election and it’s nonetheless as much as probability. Something with an election, there may be all the time wiggle room on the end result. You will get edged. It’s not like you’re main the league in homers. That’s one thing you’ve gotten management over. You don’t have management over an election.”
So who could possibly be the following participant to win the MVP in each leagues? It very nicely could possibly be one other Dodger — Mookie Betts gained the MVP with the Crimson Sox in 2018. However since he joined the Dodgers, Betts completed second behind Freddie Freeman in 2020 and Ronald Acuña Jr. three years later.
“[Betts] can do something he desires,” stated MLB analyst Harold Reynolds. “He can hit house runs. He can steal bases. He can get a person over. He can play brief, second base, proper area and middle area. He’s the consummate group participant. He has every little thing. What’s to not like? It’s straightforward to go in that route [and pick Betts to win the National League MVP].”
