Baseball season has officially begun in 2018, and my hometown Minnesota Twins are off to a rather decent start to the season. I'm always cautious about my optimism, especially when it comes to the Twins given their less-than-stellar track record as of late.
But the pitching has been solid, the bats are on fire and it seems like this could be a season worth paying attention to.
Except my eyes are out West. That's right, I've been caught up in the mania surrounding baseball's latest and greatest import from Japan, the two-way magic man himself, Shohei Ohtani.
The 23-year-old was an absolute phenom in the Japan equivalent of our MLB. He was notable overseas for his dominance on the mound and at the plate, something you don't see often in the majors. Pitchers in the National League of the MLB aren't expected to be great hitters, and they don't even hit at all in the American League.
Here he plays the dual role of either pitcher or designated hitter, a player assigned to bat in place of the team's pitcher and he's so far delivered on both ends.
The Los Angeles Angels won him over and he made his debut during Spring Training, but it seemed like it may have been a gamble that wouldn't pay off. Ohani's Spring was less than encouraging to most, but once the regular season started he put all fears to bed.
His first start on the mound was good enough to mark his first win of the season, and his first week in the majors he's smacked two home runs.
I can't quite put into words how incredible his first week is. Baseball fans reading this already know how mind-boggling Ohtani is, but for those who don't follow the sport he's quite literally a one-of-a-kind, The Chosen One, Superman, Goku, the Green Power Ranger or whatever other legendary icon is recognizable.
Maybe I'm conflating things a little bit. Maybe I'm exaggerating the hype or letting my personal excitement tint my view with the rosiest of glasses. It's been a long time since I've been this eager to watch a baseball player, and to be quite honest I'm not sure if there will be any more like Shohei Ohtani.
It's electrifying, but the game of baseball has always been about romantics. It's as much about the competition as it is the stories and culture to go with. I can see it now.
It's the bottom of the 9th with two outs, bases loaded, full count and the team hero at the plate. It's do or die, win or go home. The season is on the line. A hush falls over the stadium. The pitcher winds up and everything slows down.
The crowd holds their breath.
It's Sho time.
