NW Sports on Shohei Otani
.
Shannon Drayer puts up a dense, to-the-point Greg Johns-like report of the latest on Ohtani. It is fact-based, very Seattle-favorable, and well worth the read (not that these are Johns' distinguishing characteristics).
Takeaways:
...
1. Ohtani isn't kidding around about 500 at-bats - hitting even on days he starts. One scout says "of course" every team will promise him an everyday spot in the lineup; Drayer opines that it will come down to the team's credibility. All NL teams then face the problem that they're asking Ohtani to play a new position.
Dr. D sez, the Mariners could go with Haniger-Heredia in CF, give DH to Ohtani with Nelson Cruz in RF, and then inform Ohtani that is is his own call if and when he feels comfortable in RF. Juicy, no?
Sounds kludgy we know, but special circumstances require bend. Figure on Ohtani being in the lineup daily if he gets here. Dr. D puts him "on a hand," that being Curtis Granderson - 60-75 PWR, 60 SPD, maybe not a lot else.
...
2. Japan thinks very highly of the Mariners' Japanese support staff. An important catch by Drayer, and obviously that's the case.
...
3. Dipoto has come out publicly with the idea that there will be more P/H combos in baseball. This caught Shannon wayyyy off guard, but two words. Micah Owings. (Where's the mic drop .gif. Anybody? Anybody?)
...
4. Ohtani is VERY "low-key", to the point of living in team dorms, which is one more thing pointing to Seattle.
...
5. Dr. D had been scared about the posting agreement, but at this point it looks like Ohtani will be "grandfathered" into the previous deal with nobody's objections.
.
Or not,
Jeff