Not sure where he's going to end up, but it will be interesting to see how long he is allowed to stick with being a "two-way" player. MLB teams don't like to think too far outside their comfy little box when it comes to player utilization.

I can see him being used both ways if he spends time in the minor leagues . . . he'll be a great draw. But at the Major League level, I think that a two-way experiment will only last a short while, maybe a quarter to a half of a season at most, before he gets slotted exclusively as a pitcher.

Thoughts about where he ends up and how he gets used?

I think if he ends up with an AL team, there are managers who will have no problem DHing him regularly (and letting him hit for himself when he pitches). I don't see him being an everyday player in the field on his off days though.

Seattle seems like a good fit. They could use his arm and his bat.

If he's in the AL, I don't think he'd be allowed to hit for himself on days when he pitches. If the pitcher bats in an AL game, then his team has forfeited the use of the DH, and any subsequent relief pitcher would have to either bat for himself or be pinch-hit for. I don't believe an AL manager would be happy about effectively losing his DH once he takes Ohtani out of the game. He would probably DH 2-4 times a week on days when he's not pitching, if he proves good enough with the bat to be worth it.

He does seem best-suited (as a potential 2-way player) for the AL where he can DH instead of play the field on days when he isn't pitching. Seattle is an obvious fit based on team needs and the history of Japanese players having success there, but the Rangers and Yankees can give him the biggest signing bonuses. I hope he gets the chance to hit and pitch.

His other advantage for NL teams would be for double switches. If there's a tough lefty coming up in a key mid- or late-game situation, you could put Otani in LF and bring in your lefty specialist, then put Otani back in. They could also get him plenty of ABs as a PH.

The drawback for him as a hitter would be the potential to get injured while base running.

MLB teams are far too risk averse to take a chance that a quality pitcher (if he turns out to be one) getting hurt doing something outside of pitching.

I can see him as an occasional PH. But not a regular or even semi-regular DH.

This is why I don't see "two-way" playing out long term. Despite whatever offers and promises he may get.

I was actually thinking, if good enough, he could DH on two off days between starts. I think the bigger problem with any hitting is putting the time to be a good hitter. After a start, there's a process to getting ready for the next start. I don't think it includes a lot of batting practice. He'd have to have his own schedule and, unless something has changed, Japanese pitchers only pitch once a week. So he has to change his schedule to once every 5 days while getting in the required BP. The "adjustment period" might be more of a deterrent than skill or team wishes.

I think he pitches exclusively. If he’s on an NL team, he’ll obviously bat when he starts and may pinch hit occasionally, but, if he’s on an AL team, he won’t need to get his bat out until playoffs.

So AL managers aren't going to let him hit in interleague games?

Posted by Jtpsops on 11/27/2017 11:38:00 AM (view original):
So AL managers aren't going to let him hit in interleague games?

7+ hours and b_l hasn't yet come-up with a way to try to back out of his statement.
This must be killing him.

I honestly don't see why he wants to come over so badly right now. It makes me wonder a bit if he doesn't feel that his recovery from his injury has him back at the level he used to play at. He doesn't seem ready to gamble on himself. If his skills have not eroded, he is badly damaging his projected career earnings by coming to MLB now instead of waiting 2 years. Of course, since the price right now is so low, it's still not a bad gamble for any MLB franchise. I just have to wonder.

Posted by dahsdebater on 11/27/2017 6:56:00 PM (view original):
I honestly don't see why he wants to come over so badly right now. It makes me wonder a bit if he doesn't feel that his recovery from his injury has him back at the level he used to play at. He doesn't seem ready to gamble on himself. If his skills have not eroded, he is badly damaging his projected career earnings by coming to MLB now instead of waiting 2 years. Of course, since the price right now is so low, it's still not a bad gamble for any MLB franchise. I just have to wonder.

I wonder if he has some sort of end-around already in place? Tough to see an MLB team risking it, though, after what happened in Atlanta.

Dude doesn't give 2 ***** about money. wants to play against the best.

Mariners are willing to put Cruz in the OF a couple of times a week according to DiPoto.

Posted by The Taint on 11/27/2017 7:51:00 PM (view original):
Dude doesn't give 2 ***** about money. wants to play against the best.

Source?

bunch of articles. Been following it closely as I think he's the M's only chance to really contend the next few years.

But by all accounts, Otani doesn’t care much about money. Here’s what SI’s Jon Wertheim wrote in an April profile:

“As long as I have enough money to be able to play baseball and am enjoying baseball,” [Otani] says, “that’s all I’m asking for right now.” This is more than lip service: Ohtani is not exactly Babe Ruth’s equal in the Department of Sybaritic Living. Fighters sources say that Ohtani spends virtually nothing, lodging at the drab team dorms and reportedly living on less than the $1,000 a month his parents send him from his earnings. He takes team-subsidized cabs to games. He seems to spend mostly on fitness books and workout equipment. Depending on the sponsor that night, the Fighter Player of the Game will sometimes receive free bags of rice or salmon steaks or stalks of asparagus; Ohtani will happily take them, figuring it’s one less run to the grocery store.