OC Register: Shohei Ohtani roughed up for 6 runs by Tijuana Toros

[AngelsWin.com]

TEMPE, Ariz. — From Billy Eppler to Mike Scioscia, Angels management has insisted ever since the day they signed Shohei Ohtani that he should not be viewed as a finished product.

That point was on full display in front a few hundred fans and a few dozen media members Friday afternoon, when Ohtani gave up six runs in a sometimes sloppy three-inning performance against the Mexican League’s Tijuana Toros.

“I felt like I made a lot of good pitches and quite a few bad ones,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “The good thing I got out of this outing was pitching with runners on base, out of the stretch.”

Ohtani was scheduled to throw 60 pitches in four innings, and he needed 64 pitches to get through three. His fastballs, mostly registering around 92-95 mph, were spotty, including one that a 33-year-old journeyman named Dustin Martin blasted over the right-field fence.

While many of his pitches were off the mark, Ohtani threw some sliders and splitters that befuddled the Tijuana hitters — only one of which, Jorge Cantu, had seen any significant major league time.

Ohtani struck out six, hit two and walked one. He allowed five hits, two of them well struck. His defense made an error behind him.

It was Ohtani’s third start, and he’s now allowed 10 runs in parts of six innings. One inning was ended short of three outs to preserve his pitch count in a “B” game against the Milwaukee Brewers last week.

He has struck out 16, which is the number that best illustrates the potential that led the Angels — and just about every other club — to view him as a possible ace pitcher. He’s also trying to learn to hit in the major leagues, an unprecedented feat in modern baseball. So far that’s going about as well as pitching, with him collecting just one hit in his first 11 at-bats.

Ohtani, 23, said he expects to adjust more quickly to hitting, because that doesn’t involve the added factors of the ball and mound, which are both slightly different in the majors than Japan.

“Adjustments need to be made with the ball and the mound and everything,” he said. “That may be some of the reasons I’m getting hit.”

On Friday, Ohtani actually looked better in his first two innings, with good control and the hits coming on soft contact. In the third, though, he had just waited while his team scored three runs, and he came out shaky. He walked the first hitter and hit the second.

“He got a little lost,” catcher René Rivera said.

Another issue, suggested Rivera, is that so far Ohtani has pitched twice in minor-league settings, with few fans in the stands and minor-league competition in the batter’s box.

“I’ll tell you something,” Rivera said, “once the lights come on, it’s a different ballgame. It’s tough to pitch here. There are no fans. (Tijuana), don’t get me wrong, they’re a good team, but they’re not a big league team. The adrenaline is not there. Once the lights come on and they say ‘Play ball,’ you’ll see something different. More velocity, sharper pitches. It’s going to be Ohtani. You have to give it time.”

Of course, the adrenaline of facing a major league team could be offset by the difficulty in facing major league hitters. Ohtani has barely seen any big leaguers in three games so far.

The Angels aren’t necessarily trying to shield him, but trying to fit him into the schedule. He is pitching on five or six days’ rest, while the other starters are working on four days’ rest. That means Ohtani has to pitch the same day as another starter, and he takes a back seat to established major leaguers. Matt Shoemaker started the Angels’ regular exhibition against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, leaving Ohtani to pitch the “B” game.

The Angels haven’t said when Ohtani’s next start will be, but if he works on five days’ rest, his turn would come Thursday, a day the Angels have split squads playing two major league exhibitions. He could start at home against the Chicago White Sox or against the Colorado Rockies in Scottsdale.

Facing major league hitters is only a part of the evaluation process. The Angels mostly look at the objective data — like velocity and spin rate — to gauge their pitchers.

For his part, Ohtani doesn’t seem to have any doubts he’s going to get where he needs to be by the start of the season, less than three weeks away.

“At this point, I feel like I’m taking the right steps forward,” he said. “Over the last few years, I’ve gotten where I need to be. I think I’ll be ready.”

View the full article

[Ohtaniland]

 

 

[tdawg87]

Their bat boy was a midget.

[Chuck]

Fastball was straight today, albeit hard. The strikeouts were impressive to watch..

Got this pic. 

[Second Base]

21 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Their bat boy was a midget.

Rude! I'm 5'9 jerk. 

[WeatherWonk]

20 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Their bat boy was a midget.

I have attended many games in Mexico. They have many things that wouldnt be allowed in the Politically Correct United States of America.

Like VERY scantily clad cheerleaders

Like midgets as bat boys

Like mascots that pantomime references to sexual acts and drug use or weapon use.

Like NO STINKIN' 7TH INNING CUTOFF OF ALCOHOL.

Like guys hawking shots of tequila in the stands and pouring them right there.

It's a different experience. Very fun, really. And the baseball is very good.

But it is a noisy affair. Loud music and humorous sound effects are played almost continuously between pitches. That part I REALLY dont like.

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

Their bat boy was a midget.

Angels bat boy was a player from our travel ball team (Califoria Combat).We’re here playing a three day tournament in Scottsdale. 

He’s Japanese (Apollo) probably the reason why he got the gig.

 

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

Their bat boy was a midget.

Can he pitch?

[tdawg87]

11 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Can he pitch?

Yes

[Docwaukee]

dead arm phase.  

[Jobu]

Rise ball.

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Scotty@AW said:

Rude! I'm 5'9 jerk. 

We already knew you are a jerk but thanks for the height information.

Just so you know, in @nate's world you are a giant.

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, calscuf said:

I love midgets so much.

They're really easy to hide.

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

They're really easy to hide.

Richard Gere agrees.

[Broad Street]

Sooooo does he start in AAA?

 

[Glen]

I was roughed up in Tijuana once.  I haven't walked the same since.

[Mark68]

10 minutes ago, Glen said:

I was roughed up in Tijuana once.  I haven't walked the same since.

That's what you get for trying to PARTICIPATE in the donkey show. You're only allowed to spectate.

[halonatic13]

47 minutes ago, Glen said:

I was roughed up in Tijuana once.  I haven't walked the same since.

Donkey Show participant? 

[halonatic13]

37 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

That's what you get for trying to PARTICIPATE in the donkey show. You're only allowed to spectate.

Ha!  Beat me by a minute.

[Lou]

2 hours ago, WeatherWonk said:

I have attended many games in Mexico. They have many things that wouldnt be allowed in the Politically Correct United States of America.

Like VERY scantily clad cheerleaders

Like midgets as bat boys

Like mascots that pantomime references to sexual acts and drug use or weapon use.

Like NO STINKIN' 7TH INNING CUTOFF OF ALCOHOL.

Like guys hawking shots of tequila in the stands and pouring them right there.

It's a different experience. Very fun, really. And the baseball is very good.

But it is a noisy affair. Loud music and humorous sound effects are played almost continuously between pitches. That part I REALLY dont like.

Viva los Charros de Jalisco !!!

 

[Ohtaniland]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

I was roughed up in Tijuana once.  I haven't walked the same since.

 

[WeatherWonk]

37 minutes ago, Lou said:

Viva los Charros de Jalisco !!!

 

Jabari Blash played there this winter, I believe. Sergio Romo, too.

 

[Tank]

So the first time he got a taste of Mexican it went right through him?

been there done that.

[Lou]

On 3/9/2018 at 6:42 PM, WeatherWonk said:

Jabari Blash played there this winter, I believe. Sergio Romo, too.

Yep. Fernando Valenzuela did, too, in the early '90s.

[laagamer]

On 3/9/2018 at 3:16 PM, WeatherWonk said:

I have attended many games in Mexico. They have many things that wouldnt be allowed in the Politically Correct United States of America.

Like VERY scantily clad cheerleaders

Like midgets as bat boys

Like mascots that pantomime references to sexual acts and drug use or weapon use.

Like NO STINKIN' 7TH INNING CUTOFF OF ALCOHOL.

Like guys hawking shots of tequila in the stands and pouring them right there.

It's a different experience. Very fun, really. And the baseball is very good.

But it is a noisy affair. Loud music and humorous sound effects are played almost continuously between pitches. That part I REALLY dont like.

Thank you.