He’s better offensively

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

On 9/6/2018 at 12:15 AM, Taylor said:

Could he play in the field (and have to throw) while recovering from Tommy John?

NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

On 9/5/2018 at 8:12 PM, BackUpTheTruck said:

He should pitch. But FFS, don't take his bat away for half the season. That's insane.

He has said he wants to play more often than pitching 1 day a week and hitting 3/4 games a week. Let him pitch every 5 days if he wants and hit as often as he wants he is young. How much does 4/5 AB a day take away from this incredible athletes ability to pitch every 5/6 days?

As long as he is healthy and his elbow is completely healed let him slowly work himself into a regular 5 man rotation. At least let him hit the day after a start if not the day before.

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

He has said he wants to play more often than pitching 1 day a week and hitting 3/4 games a week.

when did he say he wants to hit 5/6 games a week? 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

3 minutes ago, Lou said:

when did he say he wants to hit 5/6 games a week? 

I didn't say he said he wants to hit 5/6 days a week. He said he wants to hit more often, he then said it wasn't his decision.

When? Sometime this season prior to going on the DL. Fletcher said maybe in the future he might hit on the days after he pitches. Ohtani has said more than once he wants to play more often than he had before he went on the DL.

As far as the exact day and time I couldn't say, and I'm not going to search for it either.

[Lou]

more than 3/4 games per week would be 5/6 games per week.

link?

[GrittyVeterans]

5 hours ago, Troll Daddy said:

Pujols will either comeback healthy enough to play first base or he will retire imo. A platoon of Pujols and Ohtani shouldn’t be a reality. 

There have been zero indications that he will retire under any circumstances. The organization needs to force him to the bench or off the roster. It's nonsensical to keep playing him and hope he will just retire someday. 

This is a huge issue if it continues on into next season and the fact that we haven't seen Walsh or Thaiss yet makes me think it will. Not good

[Troll Daddy]

16 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

There have been zero indications that he will retire under any circumstances. The organization needs to force him to the bench or off the roster. It's nonsensical to keep playing him and hope he will just retire someday. 

This is a huge issue if it continues on into next season and the fact that we haven't seen Walsh or Thaiss yet makes me think it will. Not good

He not going to retire but his body might

[IEAngelsfan]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I didn't say he said he wants to hit 5/6 days a week. He said he wants to hit more often, he then said it wasn't his decision.

When? Sometime this season prior to going on the DL. Fletcher said maybe in the future he might hit on the days after he pitches. Ohtani has said more than once he wants to play more often than he had before he went on the DL.

As far as the exact day and time I couldn't say, and I'm not going to search for it either.

I remember reading that too, but I think Ohtani was referring to being benched against lefties.  

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

5 minutes ago, IEAngelsfan said:

I remember reading that too, but I think Ohtani was referring to being benched against lefties.  

I think he just wants to play as much as they will let him...

[Lou]

6 minutes ago, IEAngelsfan said:

I remember reading that too, but I think Ohtani was referring to being benched against lefties.  

that's different than saying he wants to play 5/6 games per week 

[disarcina]

Ohtani and Pujols can platoon.

Pujols should be playing part time anyway.

Long term - if Ohtani returns to pitching (in 2020 ?) -- not that he'd like this -- but I would take Ohtani out of the rotation and would use him as a two inning pre-set up guy in the 6th/ 7th innings.  And I'd maximize his ABs.  Ohtaini would play in close to 162 games if I were calling the shots.......in games he did not start as a DH, he might pitch or be called upon to Pinch run.

I'd find a place for him to PR in the 8th or 9th.

[gurn67]

Give this guy 600+ plate appearances and he's proven he's very capable of .300+ avg 40+ HR 20+ SB 100+ Runs 100+ RBI's. That's a very very elite group of players in the history of the game who have that kind of talent and I may be conservative on the stolen bases.

[Angelsjunky]

Top 5 Hitters by wRC+, 250+ PA

1. Trout 191

2. Betts 180

3. Martinez 172

4. Bregman 167

5. Ohtani 162

Think about that: Ohtani is the 5th best hitter in the majors right now.

[GrittyVeterans]

34 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Top 5 Hitters by wRC+, 250+ PA

1. Trout 191

2. Betts 180

3. Martinez 172

4. Bregman 167

5. Ohtani 162

Think about that: Ohtani is the 5th best hitter in the majors right now.

Really amazing how weak the National League has been this year. Harper, Kris Bryant, etc have had down seasons

[AngelStew43]

Optimal recovery time from TJS is 6 months.  That is without setbacks, and certainly no throwing.  This means that Ohtani could possibly be taking at bats in spring games in March, maybe April.  The upside is that he is only 23 years old, and youth heals faster.  Who knows, if he has a solid 2019 season at the plate, he may change his mind about pitching, at least as a starting pitcher.  

With that 99 mph heat, he'd make a heck of a closer.

[Glen]

10 hours ago, disarcina said:

Ohtani and Pujols can platoon.

Pujols should be playing part time anyway.

 

No. Just no. You don't platoon one of the best hitters in the game.

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

No. Just no. You don't platoon one of the best hitters in the game.

With a new manager next year, and with Ohtani being a huge draw for us and our second best hitter, I feel very confident that Ohtani will be our full-time DH next year.  Conversations will be had this offseason, and I think Pujols will be made to accept the fact that he will play to the extent that he can field - perhaps 3-4 times a week as the starting 1B, and once every 1-2 weeks at DH when Ohtani is given a day off.  We can promote Thaiss, give him some reps at 1B and somewhat platoon with Pujols, then pave the way for us to move on from Pujols after 2019 and give Thaiss the full-time job (provided he shows he is capable).

[Tank]

6 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

With a new manager next year, and with Ohtani being a huge draw for us and our second best hitter, I feel very confident that Ohtani will be our full-time DH next year.  Conversations will be had this offseason, and I think Pujols will be made to accept the fact that he will play to the extent that he can field - perhaps 3-4 times a week as the starting 1B, and once every 1-2 weeks at DH when Ohtani is given a day off.  We can promote Thaiss, give him some reps at 1B and somewhat platoon with Pujols, then pave the way for us to move on from Pujols after 2019 and give Thaiss the full-time job (provided he shows he is capable).

what makes you so sure don mattingly will follow this strategy?

[Warfarin]

4 minutes ago, Tank said:

what makes you so sure don mattingly will follow this strategy?

Because we'll force him to shave his sideburns  

[AngelsLakersFan]

Ohtani should begin his rehab at first base... learning to throw again while taking reps there with a glove. As the season progresses and Ohtani gets more healthy and comfortable with the position the team will be able to keep Pujols and DH without taking Ohtani out of the lineup. The team is also going to have to bring in a Luis Valbuena type who hopefully doesn't suck.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

17 hours ago, Lou said:

that's different than saying he wants to play 5/6 games per week 

Never said he wants to play 5/6 games per week. Suggest you reread my post.

re-post

He has said he wants to play more often than pitching 1 day a week and hitting 3/4 games a week. Let him pitch every 5 days if he wants and hit as often as he wants he is young. How much does 4/5 AB a day take away from this incredible athletes ability to pitch every 5/6 days?

Edited September 9, 2018 by Ace-Of-Diamonds

[Stradling]

7 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

Never said he wants to play 5/6 games per week. Suggest you reread my post.

re-post

He has said he wants to play more often than pitching 1 day a week and hitting 3/4 games a week. Let him pitch every 5 days if he wants and hit as often as he wants he is young. How much does 4/5 AB a day take away from this incredible athletes ability to pitch every 5/6 days?

I don’t know, let me ask all the other guys who’ve done it.  

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

6 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I don’t know, let me ask all the other guys who’ve done it.  

The point was I didn't say Ohtani said he wants to hit 5/6 days/week that was attributed to me by Lou.

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

The point was I didn't say Ohtani said he wants to hit 5/6 days/week that was attributed to me by Lou.

you claimed that Ohtani had stated he "wanted to play more than 3/4 games a week"

what is more than 3/4? i would argue that it's 5/6.

and I would be correct.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

13 minutes ago, Lou said:

you claimed that Ohtani had stated he "wanted to play more than 3/4 games a week"

what is more than 3/4? i would argue that it's 5/6.

and I would be correct.

5 is more 3 or 4, right? You needn't go to 6, but if he is pitching 6 may not be doable unless he hits when he pitches since there are a lot of weeks with only 6 games.

Edited September 9, 2018 by Ace-Of-Diamonds