The Los Angeles are very fortunate to have the talent of the shoe hei ohtani on diamonds, but we know that what he brings to the clubhouse is equally valuable every day.
During the team’s trip to Tokyo in Japan, Otani was at the forefront of a team dinner before his first day in the country where he was born.
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Manager Dave Roberts spoke about what the gesture means to the team and the impact it had on players.
“Everyone I spoke to said that was the best experience I’d ever had,” Roberts said. “In baseball player terminology, we call it “show dinner” (when one player makes all the arrangements).
Otani helped his fellow countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasakigawa with dinner. Yamamoto will be the starter on the first day, but Sasaki will not only start the second game in the Tokyo series, but also make his MLB debut.
Roberts – born in Naha, Japan – spoke more about how Otani grew into a leader from last year until this year.
“I think it was their sense of nationalism and pride that they wanted to welcome their teammates into Japanese cuisine and move their best feet forward to show their hospitality,” Roberts said. “I think that’s what I’m talking about more. But yeah, if we were in Tokyo, would he have done this last year? Probably not.”
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Of the clubhouse’s most respected , it’s not just Skipper who has recognized the leadership leap Otani recently adopted as veteran Miguel Rojas.
“I can’t say how much I respect him,” Rojas said. “Not only for 50/50 (season) and MVP, but he will become the leader of this clubhouse and bring people to this organization (because he is part of the recruitment pitch for Yamamoto and Sasaki).
“But it still takes him time to hit Kim in the cage (Korean rookie Hae-sen). He takes the time to go to a wing eating contest (during spring training). That’s leadership.”
The are looking to become the first back-to-back champion in MLB in a quarter-century. With such a huge display of leadership and team building taking place before the regular season begins, it seems this ball club is already heading in the right direction.
Photo credit: Darren Yamashita-Immagn Image
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