The race for the American League's Most Valuable Player is a two-way race between the Yankees' Judge and the Angels' Ohtani. The award can be given to either person. The adamancy of Ohtani fans is much higher than that of the fans backing Judge.
While the consensus among Judge backers seems to be "Sure, Ohtani can hit and pitch, but I believe Judge should win the Most Valuable Player Award", the Ohtani defense seems to lie more along the lines of "If you don't vote for Ohtani, you should be Those are hyperboles, but they are not far off from reality. Geez people, calm down.
I have Ohtani above Judge in my rankings, not that that matters at all, but it shows that I am not trying to be a special person. Both Judge and Ohtani are having historic seasons and should be given the Most Valuable Player award. Denying one of these players makes your side look bad. If you refuse to give anyone with an opposing viewpoint the light of day, it can hurt your candidate's case.
The BBWAA can be prejudiced. Different reporters from different parts of the country tend to be more tolerant of their own players. Rivalries, public perception, public outcry, and personal biases can all play a part. I like plate discipline for a reason. I don't know why I hated him. I would have put Juan Soto in first place if I had a vote for the National League Most Valuable Player.
The public's attachment to Shohei Ohtani is well- deserved. He is the best baseball player on the planet and he is doing things that no one else has ever done. The people on the fence about Judge will only be pushed if Judge is completely dismissed. Any argument is similar. The narrative of "if you don't believe this, you shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion" is not only harsh, but unfair, and will push people towards your opposition solely.
I'm aware that other factors may be involved as well. Team success is something old school voters like. The elimination of the Angels from playoff contention will likely hurt Ohtani's chances. Judge plays for the Yankees. One of the greatest offensive seasons ever is being put together by him in the biggest market in the country. He is the center stage for the entire nation to see every night and has a lot of drama surrounding him. That makes him attractive to potential buyers. It makes him interesting. Voters tend to shy away from people who have already amassed incredible success and award recognition as Ohtani has, and he has never won anMVP before.
The voting will be very close as it seems to some people. I urge anyone who wants to dismiss Judge's home runs to reconsider for Ohtani's sake. Judge is having a historic season even though he is having a stadium. If the voters choose Judge, walk away with your head held high. Every year, Ohtani will be a candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. If Judge leaves the Yankees, he won't hit 60 homers every season. He will earn more awards by the end of his career.
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