Last Updated on 08/08/2022 by てんしょく飯
Even though Shohei Ohtani is playing well, his Angels team is not winning. With the team’s future uncertain, the possibility of a move before the trade deadline was raised, but in the end, the team decided to stay.
What is Otani’s goal? If he wants to continue to play two ways, it is best for him to stay with the Angels. If he wants to win, he should choose a strong team.
However, since Ohtani wants to play for a “winning team” and will become a free agent next offseason, the Angels’ treatment of Ohtani is likely to continue to be debated.
I didn’t think the Angels would lose this much. The Angels have some of the best players in the majors, including Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon. The Angels had a strong run since winning the world championship in 2002, but they have completely lost that spark.
The Angels have been out of the playoffs since the 2014 season, and have struggled, finishing fourth in the district for four consecutive years from 2018, when Ohtani joined the club, to last year. However, they were one of the league’s powerhouses in the 2000s, winning the World Series in 2002 and making the playoffs three years in a row starting in 2007. Although the team has been in the doldrums of late, it is not for lack of effort to strengthen the team.
Owner Arte Moreno is well known for his love of baseball. He will make a bold investment if he thinks it is necessary. He once signed Albert Pujols (then of the Cardinals) to a 10-year, $240 million contract. Although they are not outstanding in terms of financial power, they are second to none,” said a source from a sports management company.
This season, the Angels’ total annual salary is still in the top 10 of the 30 major league teams. However, as you know, the Angels’ investment has not been reflected in the results, due in part to their “poor” reinforcement strategy, which has been pointed out frequently. The team had a strong start to the season, but after a 14-game losing streak that began in late May, they unfortunately had to turn to the “sellers” before the trade deadline.
The team released starting right fielder Noah Syndergaard, reliever Lisel Iglesias, and young outfielder Brandon Marsh. The team is preparing for next season and beyond.
The players we acquired in this trade are not going to help us strengthen our lineup. It will be obvious that this is a move to make room in the team’s budget. Otani will become a FA in the off-season of 2023, but first he needs to create the money necessary to extend his contract.
There are three possible future scenarios for Ohtani: he will either be traded to another team before FA, or he will extend his contract with the Angels, or if not those two, he will become a FA next offseason and find a new team to move to.
A trade or FA would be the natural course of action to fulfill Ohtani’s desire to spend a tingly September. However, the Angels, who have become the face of the league, are not likely to let Otani go so easily.
The Angels would benefit greatly from having Otani stay with them. The Angels are so well known in Japan that there is no one who does not know who they are. They have attracted sponsors, and their merchandising is top class in the MLB. Even if the team does not win, they will be a great asset in terms of marketing,” said a sports management company official.
Also, Ohtani has to find a team where he can play a dual role as a pitcher and hitter, and it is not easy for him to move to another team. Because of his unique usage style, some believe that if a trade were to occur, it would be difficult during the season and would likely take place this offseason. Also, while his hitting has not been as good as last season, he has maintained an excellent performance as a pitcher this season. It would not be surprising to see the idea of selling him while he is still valuable as a trade piece.
The difficult part of another team’s move to acquire Otani is that they would have to rebuild their pitching staff if they wanted to go two-for-one. Normally, five starting pitchers are used in a four-day rotation, but they would need to add another pitcher to the rotation, making it six pitchers. We have to make the team based on the fact that Otani will be playing in advance. It is difficult to think about acquiring him during the season because there is no time to prepare, such as with other pitchers” (MLB scout in charge of the Asian region).
The Yankees, Dodgers, and other teams that can win often come up as candidates for Ohtani, but all of these teams are well-positioned, and it is difficult for the “two-faced” Ohtani to break into their ranks. Even if you simply want to go to a strong team, you have to have a lot of money to acquire Otani. It is not easy to find an “ideal destination,” including a trade.
It is up to the player himself to decide what he wants to achieve in the end. If he wants to continue to play two sports, it would be best for him to stay with the Angels. If he wants to win, he should choose a strong team. Ichiro also chose to join the Yankees in order to win. Otani may be attached to the Angels, but he should return to Anaheim at the end of his career like Ichiro, who returned to Seattle in his later years. He should follow his own instincts.
As for Ohtani’s path, it seems certain that it will pick up again as the season draws to a close. Some have pointed out that if he is going to be traded, as mentioned above, it will likely be this offseason. Otani will continue to play a leading role even after the season ends.
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