The choice for the 2016 Pacific League MVP was a no-brainer.
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters won the pennant and their best player, Shohei Ohtani, put together a season unlike almost any in NPB history. Ohtani hit .322 with 22 home runs and a 1.004 on-base plus slugging percentage while also pitching and going 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA, 174 strikeouts and a hold. He was one of two PL batters with a .300 average and at least 20 home runs, one of three PL pitchers with at least 170 strikeouts and — of course — one of one to do both.
Ohtani was such an easy choice, the only thing that prevented him from being a unanimous selection was one voter who felt Fighters reliever Naoki Miyanishi’s 39 holds warranted recognition.