Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani getting interesting fantasy treatment
By David Hill
Now that Shohei Ohtani is a member of the Los Angeles Angels, the baseball universe can focus on other details. For example, how will this unique talent be handled on fantasy baseball platforms?
There has not been another player like Los Angeles Angels pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani in baseball for decades. The Japanese Babe Ruth, Ohtani has been coveted as both a pitcher and hitter for years, with teams salivating over his tremendous power and 100 MPH fastball. Now that he is in Los Angeles, baseball fans will finally get the chance to see if his impressive performance in Japan will translate to the majors.
Now that Ohtani is stateside, he also becomes eligible for fantasy baseball leagues. This also leads to the question of how he will be handled by these leagues, as different fantasy platforms do not give hitting stats to pitchers, and vice versa. Ohtani, however, is a completely different player, capable of being in the lineup and on the mound.
We may now have some insight as to how he will be handled in fantasy leagues. Yahoo.com has announced that there will be two different Ohtanis on their platform, one for his hitting stats, and the other for his pitching. Both versions of Ohtani can be drafted by different teams, or league commissioners can create a work around that will allow one team to have both players.
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In explaining their decision, Yahoo explained the dilemma they had come against. He could have been treated as a regular pitcher, with his hitting stats not counting. Or, Yahoo could have made every pitcher’s batting stats count, which would be a boost to Madison Bumgarner owners, but no one else.
Otherwise, Ohtani would have forced the site to completely change their platform. He would have been eligible at both SP and Utility, the only player in the game with such a designation. That would have caused Yahoo to rebuild the site, an undertaking they were against doing for only one player. In their view, the two versions of Ohtani, while not perfect, was the most acceptable option.
While one can understand not wanting to chance everything for one player, different fantasy baseball platforms may need to substantially alter how players are handled. Anthony Gose is attempting to become a two way player, and the Padres tried that experiment with Christian Bethancourt last year. The Rays drafted Brendan McKay with the idea that he would be a two way player as he worked his way up through the minors. Those players, while still rare, and starting to appear in the game.
Given how teams are looking to maximize their precious few roster spots, there may be more two way players in the game in the coming years. While players like Gose and Bethancourt are not exactly fantasy relevant, there could be others who become viable options on both sides of the ball. Change may well be coming to the game, and Ohtani could be the start.
For now, there will be two versions of Los Angeles Angels prospect Shohei Ohtani on Yahoo. However, different platforms will have to make a decision as to how these players are handled, especially if more two way players appear in professional baseball.