JUPITER, Fla. — The video clip was making rounds at Roger Dean Stadium before Monday’s baseball activities began.
There was Shohei Ohtani, a face of baseball and Team Japan superstar, circling the bases after crushing a home run in his team’s exhibition tune-up for the World Baseball Classic.
And was that? Could it be? Yes, it was indeed.
As he home-run trotted in Osaka, Ohtani was mimicking Cardinals’ energetic outfielder and Team Japan teammate Lars Nootbaar’s signature pepper-grinder celebration.
If you thought Nootbaar’s language barrier was going to stop him from meshing with his temporary WBC teammates, think again.