The biggest decision of Shohei Ohtani’s life will take place in the next couple of months. The superstar will have to decide whether he wants to stay with the Los Angeles Angels or sign elsewhere. This new contract will presumably be worth around or even over the $500 million mark, and should take him until the end of his career.
While Ohtani is likely to sign elsewhere, there’re still some reasons he should take into consideration before making that decision. The Angels do have some things to offer that other teams just can’t.
Shohei Ohtani should re-sign with the LA Angels because they give him the most freedom
A big reason the Angels were able to land Shohei Ohtani to begin with was the fact that they were going to let him be himself. They were going to let him pitch and hit at the same time on his way to becoming the best two-way player we’ve ever seen.
For better or worse. the Angels cater their franchise around the wants and needs of Ohtani. The only time they really step in is when they’re afraid he’s going to hurt himself. Other than that, Ohtani calls the shots.
Ohtani rarely has to speak to the media. If he goes to a team like the Dodgers or Mets he’s going to have to get in front of the cameras and talk all the time. For now, Ohtani is only required to talk after he starts and occasionally after he has a big offensive game. We haven’t heard from him publicly since he made his last start against the Reds. Ohtani can remain in a bigger market and also be left alone most of the time. He won’t get that anywhere else.
The Angels let Ohtani do things like hit and pitch in the same game, play both games of doubleheaders even if he’s pitching the nightcap, and rarely ever take days off. This could wind up costing Shohei in the long run, but it’s what Ohtani wants. Again, they let him call the shots. Will the Dodgers give him that same freedom?
Shohei Ohtani should re-sign with the LA Angels and become the greatest player in franchise history
The Angels can pitch becoming the greatest player in franchise history to Shohei Ohtani. He’d have a lot of work to do to overtake Mike Trout, but doesn’t it mean something to see your name at the top of virtually every statistic? With Ohtani also pitching, he can become the greatest hitter and pitcher in the history of this franchise.
Let’s say Ohtani inks a ten-year deal to remain an Angel. If he can stay relatively healthy and be the superstar he is for four or five years of the deal before his gradual decline, he can find his way at the top of virtually every statistic. He’s that good.
If Ohtani were to go to a storied franchise like the Dodgers or Red Sox he’d be the best current player, but he wouldn’t be anywhere close to the likes of Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, or David Ortiz.
Loyalty presumably means something to Shohei, and becoming the best player of the only MLB franchise he’s ever known would also likely mean something. Whether it’s enough to convince him to stay remains to be seen, but Ohtani having a statue outside of Angel Stadium or watching his number get retired are only a couple of things the Angels can give him that other teams just can’t guarantee quite yet.
Shohei Ohtani should re-sign with the LA Angels and lead them back to glory
I understand why Ohtani would want to leave. He’d join a team ready to win right now. There’s no arguing that the Angels have been massive disappointments with Ohtani here. They haven’t made the playoffs once or even finished with a winning record a single time.
Ohtani can join a team like the Dodgers that makes the playoffs each and every year and be the piece that puts them over the top. Ohtani can also stay with the Angels and be the sole reason the team gets back to October baseball. He can be the guy that delivers this franchise its second World Series championship.
Would it happen in 2024? Probably not. However, the Angels do have some young pieces to get excited about and as we’ve seen with a team like the Diamondbacks this season, all you have to do is get in to make some noise. Getting in requires you to finish slightly above .500. If Ohtani stays and they continue to add, they won’t be too far off from that mark.
There’s something to be said about being the reason a struggling franchise turns it around. Ohtani can jump ship to a team that’s already proven, or he can build his own thing and get his Angels back on top.
Not a single person will blame Ohtani for leaving after everything he’s had to put up with in his Angels career. However, if he wants the challenge of getting a struggling team back on top, why not make it this one?
