Back to the Los Angeles Angels Newsfeed

Shohei Ohtani in the Little League Classic? MLB could find no better ambassador

Shohei Ohtani is a wonder.

My MLB career spanned the heart of the steroid era in baseball. Its noxious cloud still makes us question today's players and their motives, and tantalizes any performer to consider modern shortcuts to gain an edge.

But the most damage it did might be in robbing us of our ability to be awed -- fans and players alike.

As a young Little Leaguer -- playing for hometown businesses like Joey's Children's Wear or Carratura Construction -- I'd watch batting practice at a big league ballgame whenever we got there early enough.