The Philosophy of Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani is my favorite baseball player and one of the greatest players ever to step on the mound. At 29, Shohei has smashed countless records as a two-player in the MLB (including being the highest paid player at $700M). Being a two-way player is a rarity, but what makes it impressive is how great Ohtani is as a hitter and a pitcher. The only other player who compares is Babe Ruth. After watching Ohtani’s documentary, I took away three critical lessons Ohtani shared about his path to become one of the greatest players in the MLB, NPB, and potentially baseball history.

Trust your gut

Ohtani had interest from many teams in the MLB before signing with the Los Angeles Angels, including the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox. When asked why he chose the Angels, Ohtani’s answer was “it felt right.” During Ohtani’s six years with the Angels (with a roster that had Mike Trout, another guaranteed Hall of Famer) the Angels were a middle-of-the-pack team. Thought pieces asked if Shohei’s career was wasted with the Angels and if his decision was a mistake. As stoic as ever, Ohtani followed up with, “I trusted my instincts to make the best decision for me at the time. I don’t regret that decision.” And why should he? Shohei spent six years in the Angels’ organization alongside a guaranteed MLB Hall of Famer. Shohei had such a difficult first spring training with the Angels that he feared being demoted or limited to a specific role. The Angels gave him the space to grow, and the resources needed as he transitioned to western life. He hasn’t won a championship. But what the Angels provided Shohei with was an opportunity that he turned into a two-time MLB MVP, a WBC MVP and Japan Championship, a Silver Slugger award, $50M a year in sponsorship revenue, and a $700M contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers (who are practically building a team around him). Ohtani trusted his gut and made the right decision for himself. That decision transformed his life. What if he signed with the Red Sox and didn’t perform well in spring training? The story of Ohtani could have been a different one. Always trust your gut.

Take Notes

Body mechanics play a vital role when pitching fastballs at 102mph. From how you wind up to the release can alter the pitch you throw. When Ohtani is practicing, he takes notes on what he’s worked on because “just because it works today doesn’t mean it’s right.” You can spend hours working on a programming problem, get it to work, try it again tomorrow, and it’s broken. What changed between now and then? What did you test that worked yesterday that doesn’t work today? Pitching is the same as solving a complex problem, and the easiest way to track your progress is to track what works and what doesn’t. The documentary centered on the goals Ohtani created during his freshman year of high school to become a better baseball player. Though Shohei shirks at the thought of this being shared now, it’s a look into the mind of younger Shohei laying out his dream and the steps he’d need to achieve it. Much like author Ryan Holiday’s note-taking system to remember what he read (he turns these notes into his best-selling books) Shohei created a way to remember what he needed to do get better. Journaling, to-do lists, and note taking are all ways we clear our mind and have a place to go to for reminders, ideas, and details. Shohei uses his to excel at pitching and Ryan uses his to write books. If you’re trying to improve, write about what you’re doing and the result and see how much it helps.

Observe and Be Kind

A manager with the Angels noted, “If Shohei didn’t like one of his managers, do you think we’d know? No.” Shohei is a public figure so popular yet private that a burning question during the offseason was what he named his puppy. He’s described as observant, private, reflective, and kind. He doesn’t spout the first thing that comes to mind and reserves his judgement. What does this have to do with being great at baseball? A lot. Character is how we show up. Shohei doesn’t bad-mouth his coaches or gossip about his teammates. He keeps his head down and observes the world around him, making his own judgement calls, reflecting on them, and uses that to decide. Shohei included an exit clause in his contract if any specific personnel changes at the Dodgers. This is a calculated move that allows him to focus on baseball without worrying about significant organizational changes (at the Angels, Shohei had four different managers in six years). A decision to tie your contract to personnel comes with a reflectiveness and trust that only someone who has taken the time to observe and reflect on their past circumstances can come to. Shohei wants to win and to do that he needs a team he can count on and trust. An easy way to do that was to tie his contract to the people he trusts will make that happen.

Shohei is my favorite baseball player, a guaranteed Hall of Famer, and a natural stoic. His documentary made me reflect on life and how I can better achieve my goals. I learned from Shohei and continue to while watching him play baseball. His signing with the Dodgers is a new era with much more to learn.