Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani win 2021 MVP awards

[pwaldo]

https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/MLB/...2561637280945/

Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was crowned the American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday, while Philadelphia Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper captured the National League MVP Award.

Coming off a largely unprecedented 2021 season, Ohtani was a unanimous selection for the AL award, receiving all 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He beat out fellow finalists Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien, both of the Toronto Blue Jays, for the honor.

Offensively, Ohtani recorded a .965 OPS -- the second-highest mark in the AL -- with eight triples and 26 stolen bases. He became just the sixth player in history to amass at least 45 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a single season, joining Barry Bonds, Chipper Jones, Alfonso Soriano, Jose Canseco and Larry Walker.

Harper, meanwhile, edged out Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. to claim his second NL MVP Award.

The 29-year-old Harper (348 points) received 17 of the 30 first-place votes from the BBWAA. Soto had 274 total points to finish second, while Tatis came in third with 244 points.

San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford and Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Trea Turner also received first-place votes.

[bakemeister52]

No question on Ohtani but Harper I question but I wasn't the one picking it!

Bake

[Devlin]

someone in vegas won $900,000 on AL mvp pick. Booked in March at 30-1 odds. By august he was huge favorite at -5,000. You'd have to down $5,000 to win $100. still someone put enough down to win $2,000 +.