Ohtani to the Mound

Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to start the game as a pitcher on Sunday:

Ohtani will start Sunday night in a nationally televised game against the first-place Astros, manager Mike Scioscia announced Thursday.

The start will come just under three months after Ohtani was diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.

“I always wanted to get back on the mound as soon as I could,” Ohtani said through his interpreter ( via the Orange County Register ), “especially with all our starting pitchers getting hurt, going on the DL, it made me want to get back out there even more. Hopefully, I can finish the year strong, with a month left, with no setbacks or injuries.”

I see this as a mistake. Ohtani might be an all-star as a hitter, and he likely will hit well enough to give the Angels a good return on their investment. If he blows out his elbow pitching, he will be lost to the team for at least a year, no bat, no arm. I felt the same way when Bo Jackson decided to play football. Why risk a long and profitable baseball career for a stunt?

I appreciate Ohtani’s desire to help his team. I appreciate that part of the draw of Ohtani is his ability to be a two-way player. I just think this is going to end badly. I hope I’m wrong.

from baseballmusings.com https://ift.tt/2wwKLFO