Shohei Ohtani signs with Angels

[Hrbowski]

Ohtani and Trout will be fun to watch...

[SF Twins Fan]

I thought he wanted to go to a young and upcoming team?? If that was the case why would you pick the Angels?

[Monkeypaws]

Smaller market eh?

[gunnarthor]

Well, good for the Angels. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'm happy for trout

[cmoss84]

I hope that he does end up being a 2-way player, as it would be fun to watch. I just do not see it happening. I think he's there to pitch. 

My prediction if he hit on a regular basis: .265 ave 12 HR  56 RBI

[Mike Sixel]

Was really hoping, against hope, he'd go NL. The angels are likely ahead of the Twins now

[Thrylos]

 

Was really hoping, against hope, he'd go NL. The angels are likely ahead of the Twins now

 

However, if they are not ahead of the Astros, Mariners, and Rangers, it is pretty irrelevant as far as the Twins' post-season chances go, because those 4 will beat each other up.  

 

I think that people are expecting too much from Otani.

[Mike Sixel]

However, if they are not ahead of the Astros, Mariners, and Rangers, it is pretty irrelevant as far as the Twins' post-season chances go, because those 4 will beat each other up.

 

I think that people are expecting too much from Otani.

They are better than Seattle and likely Texas. And probably not done adding. I think people are downplaying ohtani A lot since he didn't choose their team. He is easily the best free agent, probably in a long time.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Smaller market eh?

according to Cashman, sure

[drjim]

 

They are better than Seattle and likely Texas. And probably not done adding. I think people are downplaying ohtani A lot since he didn't choose their team. He is easily the best free agent, probably in a long time.

 

He's not the best free agent by talent in a long time, but he is absolutely the best free agent VALUE in the modern era.

[biggentleben]

I wrote this up at CTTP, but the Angels are a perfect team for a six-man rotation, as they have injury issues with Alex Meyer, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Shoemaker, Garrett Richards, and Andrew Heaney, and J.C. Ramirez and Parker Bridwell return, but they had not been starters in the majors before 2017, so it's really an ideal team for an extended rotation.

[jimmer]

 

I wrote this up at CTTP, but the Angels are a perfect team for a six-man rotation, as they have injury issues with Alex Meyer, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Shoemaker, Garrett Richards, and Andrew Heaney, and J.C. Ramirez and Parker Bridwell return, but they had not been starters in the majors before 2017, so it's really an ideal team for an extended rotation.

Problem with bigger rotations is that it means weaker SPs get innings that better SPs should have.

[biggentleben]

 

Problem with bigger rotations is that it means weaker SPs get innings that better SPs should have.

 

It's also what Ohtani is used to - essentially throwing once weekly.

 

There are few guys on that list of the first 5 that are primarily injury guys that would be a "lesser" pitcher. When healthy, each is a legit MLB talent in the rotation.

 

it's been mentioned as a selling point to Ohtani, quite feasibly. I'm just thinking that the Angels would be an ideal team for that setup when compared to other teams.

[ashbury]

Problem with bigger rotations is that it means weaker SPs get innings that better SPs should have.

Or, said another way, it mandates either an additional member of the pitching staff, or else a bullpen full of rubber arms who can handle the extra workload. Given the skimpy benches of position players in this day and age, the idea of one more pitcher might be a (pun alert) non-starter.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

I think that people are expecting too much from Otani.

 

I really agree with this. The odds are against his succeeding as a two-way player. Was Babe Ruth truly a 2 way player or was he a pitcher who converted to a hitter? Name the best true 2 way player in the entire history of baseball. Exactly. That's my point.

[Mike Sixel]

I really agree with this. The odds are against his succeeding as a two-way player. Was Babe Ruth truly a 2 way player or was he a pitcher who converted to a hitter? Name the best true 2 way player in the entire history of baseball. Exactly. That's my point.

Are people really expecting a great two way player? I'm not. Very good pitcher as a rookie, mediocre hitter. As a pitcher, he might be better than any twin next year.

[Mr. Brooks]

He's not the best free agent by talent in a long time, but he is absolutely the best free agent VALUE in the modern era.

I disagree.

I think he'll be a perennial Cy Young candidate, starting with 2018.

Easily the best FA talent in quite some time.

[drjim]

I disagree.

I think he'll be a perennial Cy Young candidate, starting with 2018.

Easily the best FA talent in quite some time.

Better than anyone this year or last year.

I'd debate Price and Grienke in 2015.

No chance I'd take him ahead of Scherzer in 2014. Would take him ahead of Lester.

Probably would take Cano in 13.

 

So he's certainly one of the best and clearly a better value than all of these guys.

[Thrylos]

 

 

I think he'll be a perennial Cy Young candidate, starting with 2018.
 

 

That's exactly what I mean by "expecting too much.".

 

FACT:  The most ridiculous video game season ever by any Japanese pitcher was Masahiro Tanaka's age 24 season when he went 24-0 with 1.27 ERA.  One might argue that Darvish's 18-6,  1.44 ERA age 24 season is a close second.

 

Otani has not come even close to that in Japan, in the same era with similar competition.

 

Neither of the above (other than Darvish who was voted second once) has been a "perennial" Cy Young candidate, and both had been better than Otani over there.

 

He is a novelty. Kinda.  Till it wears out.  And a pretty arrogant one, if you ask me.

 

No Japanese pitcher ever won a Cy Young in MLB.  I don't expect Otani to be the first one...

[Brock Beauchamp]

I cannot wrap my head around why he chose the Angels. If I had my choice of teams to join, the Angels wouldn't be higher than mid-pack, tops.

 

They don't have anything going for them past Mike Trout, really. They're not a bad team but they are the type of team that will be extremely hard to improve because there's very little internal help on the horizon. Every improvement made to the team will come via bloated free agency contracts.

[Mike Sixel]

I cannot wrap my head around why he chose the Angels. If I had my choice of teams to join, the Angels wouldn't be higher than mid-pack, tops.

 

They don't have anything going for them past Mike Trout, really. They're not a bad team but they are the type of team that will be extremely hard to improve because there's very little internal help on the horizon. Every improvement made to the team will come via bloated free agency contracts.

Their short stop was awesome last year. They also have, um, agreed, actually.

[Mr. Brooks]

I cannot wrap my head around why he chose the Angels. If I had my choice of teams to join, the Angels wouldn't be higher than mid-pack, tops.

 

They don't have anything going for them past Mike Trout, really. They're not a bad team but they are the type of team that will be extremely hard to improve because there's very little internal help on the horizon. Every improvement made to the team will come via bloated free agency contracts.

My guess would be that he wanted to be in LA, possibly due to the high end sushi restaurants, and the Angels gave him a better opportunity to be a 2 way player than the Dodgers.

[Mike Sixel]

The angels GM has been scouting him since high school. From what I read, it is about relationships, and commitment.

[Thrylos]

Special but not Invincible.  This is a great writeup by BA on Otani.  It is based on American players who played with him in Japan and comparing him to other players.  Really well done and worth a read.  Not sure whether it is behind a paywall, but it does not look like it is

[ashbury]

Special but not Invincible.  This is a great writeup by BA on Otani.  It is based on American players who played with him in Japan and comparing him to other players.  Really well done and worth a read.  Not sure whether it is behind a paywall, but it does not look like it is

"He's not your everyday Japanese player. He's 6-foot-5, 6-6 and he's huge"

 

B-r.com lists him at 6'3" and 189. Tall for a Japanese ballplayer, no doubt. He's not some kind of sumo wrestler though. A bit tall and perhaps borderline gangly, for an athlete, judging from those stats. Particularly if height is usually fudged by at least an inch in Japan as is often done here.

[Twins33]

[jimmer]

The teams knew about this:

 

'While a first-degree sprain is the least severe of UCL injuries, further damage could lead to Tommy John surgery, a reconstructive procedure that sidelines pitchers for a year. The shot of PRP, a biologic of centrifuge-spun blood that is used to promote healing, was administered Oct. 20, according to the report, which was distributed to teams after Ohtani entered Major League Baseball’s posting system. Ohtani, the report said, “will be most likely available to start his throwing program approximately a month from the PRP.” Sports Illustrated first reported that Ohtani had received the PRP shot.

[Twins33]

Still scary. Usually those shots don't work so wouldn't be surprised if he gets TJ this year.

[biggentleben]

 

Still scary. Usually those shots don't work so wouldn't be surprised if he gets TJ this year.

 

Tanaka has been getting the same injections for 2 years now and avoided TJS.