Maddon on Ohtani

[Dtwncbad]

Maddon basically is saying he doesn’t want to baby Ohtani and get the maximum number of at bats out of him.

Thank God.  I love Maddon so far.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/01/04/baseball/mlb/new-angels-manager-joe-maddon-says-shohei-ohtani-bat-often/#.XhDLaiSIYlQ

https://www.mlb.com/news/joe-maddon-open-to-shohei-ohtani-hitting-when-he-pitches

Edited January 4, 2020 by Dtwncbad

[tdawg87]

When he gets hurt do we fire Maddon?

[Jason]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

When he gets hurt do we fire Maddon?

Angel fans love Maddon so they'll blame Eppler instead 

[Justin]

5 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

When he gets hurt do we fire Maddon?

Nah, it's gonna be Sciocia's fault for babying Ohtani in '18 and not preparing him to hit every single day. 

When Ohtani has a bad start and lasts less than 5 innings and suddenly Bedrosian is taking at bats in the 8th inning of a tie game in August, THEN we can blame Eppler. 

[Dtwncbad]

6 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

When he gets hurt do we fire Maddon?

So we fire Maddon retroactively?

[tdawg87]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

Angel fans love Maddon so they'll blame Eppler instead 

I'll blame Scioscia.

[angelsnationtalk]

Maddon said this back at the Winter Meetings. Old news.

[Stradling]

The whole premise that they are babying him is stupid.  He’s basically doing twice what everyone else is doing but since they choose to not ask him do it six days a week they are babying him.  Bullshit. 

[Dtwncbad]

3 minutes ago, Stradling said:

The whole premise that they are babying him is stupid.  He’s basically doing twice what everyone else is doing but since they choose to not ask him do it six days a week they are babying him.  Bullshit. 

OK maybe the word “babying” him bothers you because it suggests Ohtani is a baby.

How about looking at it this way:  Ohtani is very unique and how to use him is unresolved.  There is an argument that it may be too easy to be too conservative.

Would that be “bullshit”?

[tdawg87]

4 minutes ago, Stradling said:

The whole premise that they are babying him is stupid.  He’s basically doing twice what everyone else is doing but since they choose to not ask him do it six days a week they are babying him.  Bullshit. 

No fuck that. None of this pussy bullshit. 

He needs to pitch 180 innings and also hit 6 days a week. 

He's a grown man. Not a baby. Unleash the Jap.

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

OK maybe the word “babying” him bothers you because it suggests Ohtani is a baby.

How about looking at it this way:  Ohtani is very unique and how to use him is unresolved.  There is an argument that it may be too easy to be too conservative.

Would that be “bullshit”?

Coming off of TJ surgery, yes.  Pitchers get their power from their legs.  He is a power pitcher.  Having him run the bases and doing all the drills it takes to be a hitter very well could cause more wear and tear.  We’ve also read that the tiniest adjustment can cause other injuries.  So yea, I say tread lightly and appreciate what he brings not what he can’t do a day or two a week.  

[tdawg87]

Ohtani right now:

[Chuck]

39 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Unleash the Jap.

[greginpsca]

1 hour ago, SoPas Angel said:

Nah, it's gonna be Sciocia's fault for babying Ohtani in '18 and not preparing him to hit every single day. 

When Ohtani has a bad start and lasts less than 5 innings and suddenly Bedrosian is taking at bats in the 8th inning of a tie game in August, THEN we can blame Eppler. 

8th inning of a tie game is a guarantee there would be a pinch hitter.

[Jeff Fletcher]

After Maddon said this at the winter meetings, Eppler sort of doused water on it with something like “Joe is very enthusiastic but we are a long way from having this discussion.”

I think it’s fair to wonder if Ohtani can do more eventually, but it’s going to be gradual. They are going to start conservatively and maybe see as they go along how much they can push the envelope. 
 

It’s not realistic to have this conversation in the winter after he just finished TJ rehab. He has to actually go out and play and see what happens, and then they can decide when he’s ready for more. 

[John Taylor]

2 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

Ohtani right now:

[ScottT]

Having him not hit when he is pitching...

is babying him.

I hope we aren't looking at 90-110 innings as I think someone suggested. That's babying  too. 90 is borderline wacky. 

[Pancake Bear]

4 minutes ago, ScottT said:

Having him not hit when he is pitching...

is babying him.

I hope we aren't looking at 90-110 innings as I think someone suggested. That's babying  too. 90 is borderline wacky. 

 Coming off of TJS. Hasn’t pitched since 2018. Only threw 50 innings in 2018. Only threw 25 innings in Japan in 2017. He needs to be stretched out. What exactly would you expect as reasonable?

[ScottT]

120-140

[ScottT]

Innings are innings. If he has a few and hits on the same day, so be it.  Lots of pitchers do it and have done it for a long time. Would they avoid starting Ohtani in NL parks? Seems silly.

[Stradling]

Just now, ScottT said:

Innings are innings. If he has a few and hits on the same day, so be it.  Lots of pitchers do it and have done it for a long time. Would they avoid starting Ohtani in NL parks? Seems silly.

Yes, lots of pitchers do it and then they take 4-5 days off.  If you guys had it your way he would then hit the next day.  

[ScottT]

Tight race in September... or playoffs, he'll hit the previous day. same day, and the day after

It's not like playing football, hockey, or basketball three days in a row

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, ScottT said:

Tight race in September... or playoffs, he'll hit the previous day. same day, and the day after

It's not like playing football, hockey, or basketball three days in a row

Right it is 162 games and they play 6 days a week.  It has its own grind.  

[ScottT]

Its borderline absurd that it has taken this long for players be attempting to be a hitter and pitcher

[Stradling]

Just now, ScottT said:

Its borderline absurd that it has taken this long for players be attempting to be a hitter and pitcher

It should tell you how difficult it is rather than question why it hasn’t happened.