Just combing through video from last season from Pacific League TV, which I strongly recommend for anyone interested in watching Japanese games, and found a little highlight video of Shogo Akiyama’s hits in May, when he won his fourth career PL monthly MVP award and his first in nearly two seasons.

He probably wasn’t quite the league’s best offensive player that month, although he did lead the PL in runs scored, but he also lead the league with a .402 batting average and that will win you the award more often than not, and he did hit nine homers and go 4-for-5 as a base stealer.

Akiyama also played defense — which the league’s most productive hitter that month, Alfredo Despaigne of the Hawks, doesn’t. Although to be fair, or unfair even, the award selectors consider defense as often as people regain their virginity.