No “model” to bring Shohei Ohtani as a launcher – Orange County Register

Glendale, Arizona – The return route to the status of two -way player is not delivered with a card.

Dodgers’ launch coach Mark Prior said that the decision to “play slow” at the Shohei Ohtani launch program while the team is preparing to head to Japan was a pivot made in “the last 72 hours about” in response to the very unique situation that the Ohtani presents.

“This is one of those things where … We have to rely a lot on him,” said on Friday. “We don’t really have this model or this roadmap or even the experience really dealing with a guy with a two -way situation. So we rely on him, what he feels. I know they are trying to control the overall management of the workload with his left shoulder, coming back from this (surgery). The blow is preparing for the season – clearly, it is an important part on our offensive side of the ball.

“I think at the moment, there is a little change to make sure it is composed, ready to leave, from the point of view of the DH. It was going to become a little weird, you know, in Japan, just because of days off and training and things like that. So I think it was the right time for a bit like getting rid of and making sure it is prepared, ready to leave, then continue to launch and then prepare once we returned. “”

Ohtani launched four sessions of enclosure of the lifts in just over a week, building up to 30 throws during the February 25 session. But he has not thrown a mound since then, continuing to play sockets and throw a flat floor.

Prior said that there was nothing negative that precipitated the decision to retreat on the launch program of Ohtani which he was “aware”. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that coaches continue to monitor Ohtani’s speed during his flat launch sessions and that is “just where he should be”.

The Dodgers made a similar decision last fall. Ohtani has accumulated to launch sessions of enclosure of lifts at the end of the regular season, but stopped throwing a mound and limited his work to play Catch in the outer field on an occasional basis while focusing on being the DH Dodgers during their after-season race.

“It’s not an ideal thing,” said Prior. “But you find different ways. It is not something personally or professionally that we have gone through, with regard to management.

“There are many variables that are unique to its situation. So I think it’s just about having an open mind and trying to be prudently optimistic and adopting the right approach. Again, many things are somehow where Sho is and ensuring that he feels comfortable with what he does. »»

The plan for the moment is to have Ohtani “Ramp Back Up” when the Dodgers return from Japan and are preparing for their home opening match on March 27. It will start to face the strikers in simulated game parameters at some point.

“But we will just see a little where we are after the next 10 days, two weeks,” said Prior.

Prior also pointed out that the depth of the dodgers in the start of pitching options allows them not to pressure on Ohtani to return quickly and rather focus on having fully strength for another race in the playoffs.

“This is not a situation where we need him to complete five runners, in a traditional sense,” said Prior. “He will not be a traditional starter anyway. He will probably launch once a week, and the idea is to make sure we have it at the right time of the season to maximize it. »»