Players Vote Kyle Schwarber Over Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP?! Full Reaction & Debate

Surprising Players Choice Awards Outcome

• 🏆 The Players Choice Awards announced Kyle Schwarber as the NL Player of the Year, a surprising win over Shohei Ohtani.
• ⚾ In the AL, Cal Raleigh was chosen over Aaron Judge, though the Schwarber-Ohtani result generated more debate.

Statistical Disparity: Schwarber vs. Ohtani

• 📊 Shohei Ohtani had a significantly higher WAR (7.7) compared to Kyle Schwarber (4.7), along with superior batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, and stolen bases.
• 🤯 Beyond hitting, Ohtani also pitched, a factor completely absent from Schwarber's profile, who is a designated hitter with no defensive contribution.
• 📈 Schwarber's 4.9 WAR, according to FanGraphs, ranked 25th in baseball and second on his own team, behind many other National League players.

Factors Influencing Player Votes

• 😴 Some suggest "Sho-fatigue" played a role, implying players are tired of Ohtani's dominance.
• 👋 Players often vote for individuals they personally like or know, with Schwarber having a strong reputation among peers compared to Ohtani, who is less known outside his team.
• ⚠️ There's concern that players may not take the awards seriously enough, potentially leading to less considered votes.

The Role of a Designated Hitter

• ⚾ Being a designated hitter (DH) with no defensive value should be a significant negative in award consideration.
• 🌟 To win as a DH, a player must either pitch exceptionally (like Ohtani) or put up "dumb" (extraordinary) offensive numbers, which Schwarber's, while good, were not.

Importance of Player Ownership

• 🙏 The Players Choice Awards are seen as an honor from peers, potentially more meaningful than writer-voted awards.
• ✅ There's a call for players to take greater ownership and responsibility in their voting to ensure the integrity and prestige of the awards.