Dual threat Ohtani chooses Angels
ANAHEIM, CALIF.» Shohei Ohtani has decided he’s on the side of the Angels.
The Japanese two-way star announced Friday that he will sign with the Los Angeles Angels, ending the sweepstakes surrounding his move to the major leagues in a surprising destination.
Ohtani, who intends to be both a starting pitcher and an everyday power hitter, turned down interest from every other bigleague club to join two-time MVP Mike Trout and slugger Albert Pujols with the Angels, who are coming off their second consecutive losing season and haven’t won a playoff game since 2009.
The Angels’ combination of a promising core and a beautiful West Coast location clearly appealed to the 23-year-old Ohtani, who has confounded baseball experts at almost every step of his move to North America as one of the most coveted free agents in years.
Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, issued a statement Friday announcing the decision after meeting with several finalists for his services earlier in the week.
Balelo said the 2016 Japanese MVP “felt a true bond with the Angels. He sees this as the best environment to develop and reach the next level and attain his career goals.”
After his unusual courtship, Ohtani will attempt to chart a unique career path as the majors’ first regular two-way player in several decades. Ohtani already has drawn numerous comparisons to Babe Ruth, who excelled as a hitter and a pitcher early on.
Ohtani is expected to be both a righthanded starting pitcher and a left-handed designated hitter for the Angels, who are expected to give him ample playing time in both roles.
Many baseball observers have long assumed Ohtani would choose a higher-profile franchise such as the Yankees or Dodgers, who would have both welcomed him into their rotation and lineup. He received serious attention from Seattle and Texas, who both could have given him more money than the Angels.
Ohtani listened to his suitors’ final pitches in Los Angeles before choosing the Angels, who play about 28 miles from downtown L.A. in laid-back Orange County. Most of the Angels live in coastal Newport Beach and enjoy a comfortable, warmweather lifestyle with ample big-market media attention, but without the withering scrutiny of other top destinations.
Yet Angels general manager Billy Eppler is very serious about winning, and he has spent several years scouting Ohtani, ever since his previous job with the Yankees.