✹The PERENNIAL Shohei Ohtani Thread✹

[livfreely]

Originally Posted by al3xmac10

wow, Platinum 1/1???

lol …yes! I’ll get you a great deal

Sadly it’s just a base in the 2025 Topps Heritage, but a cool card nonetheless. I love his batting stance


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[BoSoxFan1999]

Sooo.....if he goes 50/50 again, will that devalue his first 50/50 season cards? Lol

[livfreely]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Sooo.....if he goes 50/50 again, will that devalue his first 50/50 season cards? Lol

I would think short term, but not so in the long term. I do know his RC values will steadily climb


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[atk825]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Sooo.....if he goes 50/50 again, will that devalue his first 50/50 season cards? Lol

He's going to pitch this year at some point. He could also start the first 40/40/40 club with HR, SB and Ks. That he's basically kept his unicorn status just playing offense has been a really underrated aspect of him.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by atk825

He's going to pitch this year at some point. He could also start the first 40/40/40 club with HR, SB and Ks. That he's basically kept his unicorn status just playing offense has been a really underrated aspect of him.

Original projections were him pitching in games by May, but obviously that's not happening.
I wonder for this year if it's better for the Dodgers to just ease him back into pitching and use him exclusively in relief situations this season (maybe even as closer?) instead of trying to get him back up to a starting pitcher's workload.

[Trueblue]

The problem is that dodgers need starters. Glasnow, Snell always on shelf with Roki a big question mark figuring out his FB. Kershaw coming back but who knows how effective he will be. Gonsolin isn't a guy you want facing hitters third time through the lineup - five and dive type. Same with May at this point with his lack of missing bats. They need a workhorse alongside Yamamoto and Sho is the best candidate.

[seanrs1]

I agree...the Dodgers need Ohtani to be a starting ace pitcher that they can rely on during the playoffs. I also think it is easier for Ohtani to prepare as both a hitter and pitcher as starter vs a reliever. Would be nice to see Ohtani back pitching after the all star break.

[atk825]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

The problem is that dodgers need starters. Glasnow, Snell always on shelf with Roki a big question mark figuring out his FB. Kershaw coming back but who knows how effective he will be. Gonsolin isn't a guy you want facing hitters third time through the lineup - five and dive type. Same with May at this point with his lack of missing bats. They need a workhorse alongside Yamamoto and Sho is the best candidate.

They need innings. So if Ohtani can do what Ben Casparius is doing now, it would help a lot regardless of who comes back or gets hurt.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by atk825

They need innings. So if Ohtani can do what Ben Casparius is doing now, it would help a lot regardless of who comes back or gets hurt.

Can't really perform DH duties while juggling the mysteries of when to run to the bullpen to warm up. If the opener gets shelled are you going to pitch Ohtani? If an opener is doing well, do you still take him out because Ohtani is warmed up? I just don't see how that can happen.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

Can't really perform DH duties while juggling the mysteries of when to run to the bullpen to warm up. If the opener gets shelled are you going to pitch Ohtani? If an opener is doing well, do you still take him out because Ohtani is warmed up? I just don't see how that can happen.

Hmm...I didn't think about having to warm up. Let's say he just hit a go-ahead HR in the 8th inning. He then immediately goes to warmup in the pen but then the Dodgers bat around and he's due up to hit again. He'd then have to stop warming up, run back to the dugout, grab his hitting gear, then go to bat. Then if he's the final out, quickly grab his glove and start his final warmup throws again.

Serving as a closer or even reliever is a lot more complicated than I thought.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Hmm...I didn't think about having to warm up. Let's say he just hit a go-ahead HR in the 8th inning. He then immediately goes to warmup in the pen but then the Dodgers bat around and he's due up to hit again. He'd then have to stop warming up, run back to the dugout, grab his hitting gear, then go to bat. Then if he's the final out, quickly grab his glove and start his final warmup throws again.

Serving as a closer or even reliever is a lot more complicated than I thought.

I think closing is a bit less complicated since it's more than likely going to be the 9th inning which allows some planning to take place by the 7th/8th. I would also assume that you need to DH Sho's spot (which I believe does not eliminate his reentry as a pitcher) if he starts warming up and his batting spot comes up. The dodgers would need to weigh whether they need his bat or arm more at that point in the game.

To be clear, this is just a scenario. Sho has never expressed the desire to be a closer but I'm sure he'd consider the Eckersley path later in his career if he can no longer handle the workload.

[NYRE2PECT]

Aces gotta Ace.

We can talk closer role in a few years.

[kltomek]

I think I asked this before, but with all of these injuries, what’s keeping Mark Prior as their pitching coach? He’s responsible for working with their mechanics to help try and prevent injuries. Dodger pitching, especially starters, have dropped like flies the last couple of years.


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[Trueblue]

Dodgers have a tendency to sign high upside injury risk pitchers. Makes no sense to blame prior when the risk was assumed by the organization upon signing.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by kltomek

I think I asked this before, but with all of these injuries, what’s keeping Mark Prior as their pitching coach? He’s responsible for working with their mechanics to help try and prevent injuries. Dodger pitching, especially starters, have dropped like flies the last couple of years.


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Hopefully they aren't following the same conditioning plan Prior followed.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan5990

Hopefully they aren't following the same conditioning plan Prior followed.

That would depend on whether they replace Dave Roberts with Dusty Baker.

[atk825]

Originally Posted by kltomek

I think I asked this before, but with all of these injuries, what’s keeping Mark Prior as their pitching coach? He’s responsible for working with their mechanics to help try and prevent injuries. Dodger pitching, especially starters, have dropped like flies the last couple of years.


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They just won their second World Series with him as pitching coach where the run consisted of heavy use of bullpen games. It’s not really his job to keep pitchers healthy. And I don’t think the Dodgers really have that issue anymore than a whole bunch of teams. Max effort and heavy slider usage causes a lot of injuries. It is what it is.

[dodgerfanjohn]

Of course it helps a lot when your backups are Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, and Shohei Ohtani. And then in the minors you have Landon Knack and others at AAA

I’m pretty sure that those five would replace the entire starting staffs of some teams.

[SleepyWill]

Most Unique season ever?

40 Homeruns
40 Steals
100+ RBI's
8+ WaR

10+ Wins

[zworykin]

Originally Posted by SleepyWill

Most Unique season ever?

40 Homeruns
40 Steals
100+ RBI's
8+ WaR

10+ Wins

No, but only because every season is equally unique - either it IS unique, as in there's never been one exactly like it, or it is NOT unique, as in there's been at least one exactly like it. There are no degrees of 'uniqueness.'


That said, it would certainly be a strong candidate for most notable, most unusual, most outside-the-norm, etc.

[hammertime]

A couple recent Sho pickups.

[ThoseBackPages]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!!!!!!!

[hammertime]

The SC SP pairs nicely with his 2020 card.

[nbalinks]

Originally Posted by hammertime

The SC SP pairs nicely with his 2020 card.

Those cards look so good together. Topps actually did something right!


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[al3xmac10]

Originally Posted by hammertime

The SC SP pairs nicely with his 2020 card.

That is a perfect 2-way Shohei pair.