Shohei Ohtani

[Big League Wood]

How’s the NFBC handling Ohtani?

[DOUGHBOYS]

As a P and U, but the drafter must pick one or another each week.

[Big League Wood]

Thanks. Makes sense.

[mdecav]

This might be explicitly clarified somewhere, but if you put Ohtani in Utility, it is assumed you get his hitting stats for that period, correct? Meaning you can’t ever use him as a 10th pitcher on your active roster at utility.

In some private leagues I’m in the utility spot can be used for either a hitter or pitcher.

[Greg Ambrosius]

This might be explicitly clarified somewhere, but if you put Ohtani in Utility, it is assumed you get his hitting stats for that period, correct? Meaning you can’t ever use him as a 10th pitcher on your active roster at utility.

In some private leagues I’m in the utility spot can be used for either a hitter or pitcher.

You are either using him at DH to get hitting stats for that week or P to get pitching stats for that week. Easy enough.

For the Cutline Championship, it will put him at the spot that earns the most points for your team. That's the criteria used for that Best Ball Championship.

[Yah Mule]

I realize nothing can be changed about the way we're handling Shohei Ohtani this year since drafts have already happened, but I think the current option of designating him as a pitcher or a hitter each week is less than optimal for this unique talent. Certainly, if he were projected for 600 at bats this year, his ADP would be higher than 87. Not so much as a pitcher, perhaps, as the Angels are planning to give him a maximum of 26 starts this year (every Sunday) as he returns to the mound. I think it's unfortunate that we're further limiting his value. I might have a workable solution and I'd like some feedback.

This is my proposal for Ohtani (and any other viable two-way players) next year and moving forward. We have the system regard him as two separate entities, Ohtani the Hitter and Ohtani the Pitcher, but when you draft him, you get both versions. Say you select Ohtani the Pitcher in round 6, you automatically get Ohtani the Hitter in round 30 (or round 50). When you draft him, you know you're really rostering 29 (or 49) players and you'll lose two players if he gets hurt, but now you also retain the option of using him as a DH in Yankee Stadium from Monday to Thursday, while still starting him against the Tigers on Sunday.

Thoughts?

[DOUGHBOYS]

I echo your sentiments, Jim. This is a watered down version of Ohtani for fantasy purposes.
The Angels can use Ohtani as both a pitcher and hitter at their will every week. We cannot.
However, I do not believe that a drafter of Ohtani should have to pay a penalty of a last draft pick.
Ohtani, like Lorenzen, or other two way players should have an asterisk, star, or some other designation by the name indicating that we can use this player as both a pitcher and offensive player.
This designation would separate them from 'normal' pitchers and other players.
Ohtani does not take up two roster spots for the Angels. It should be the same for us.
It is exciting to see these players do well at both ends of the spectrum in real baseball and it should be just as exciting in our fantasy realm.
Maybe next year.

[Edwards Kings]

I understand what you are suggesting, but I give this a resounding "Ehhhh". I think it adds an unnecessary complication. Since we are, for all intents and purposes, a weekly league, the current method of designation (all hitter for that week or all pitcher for that week) works best. Unfortunately for Ohtani potential owners, the fact that the Angels are designating a specific day for his pitching every week and since that day is the last day of our fantasy week (and we all have experienced the unexpected MLB roster changes during the period from Monday to Sunday), Ohtani takes a ding pitching wise.

I think the current method may be the best and the two-fer proposal is a lessor option in my opinion.

[DOUGHBOYS]

You make a good point about the Sunday pitching, Wayne.
A lot of things can happen during a week to nullify Ohtani even pitching at all during a week.
Combined with coming back from Tommy John surgery and the NFBC ruling, Ohtani has certainly lost luster in his ADP.

[Yah Mule]

I agree with you, Dan. I brought up the Dual Ohtani solution as a compromise if it's easier for scoring purposes. Anything would be preferable to this unnecessarily hamstrung version of a very exciting player.

[fwicker]

I believe that Ohtani should be usable in exactly the same way as the Angels are able to use him. Minimally, I should be able to use him as a super utility, occupying one roster spot, switchable during NFBC transaction windows.

[Deadheadz]

I realize nothing can be changed about the way we're handling Shohei Ohtani this year since drafts have already happened, but I think the current option of designating him as a pitcher or a hitter each week is less than optimal for this unique talent. Certainly, if he were projected for 600 at bats this year, his ADP would be higher than 87. Not so much as a pitcher, perhaps, as the Angels are planning to give him a maximum of 26 starts this year (every Sunday) as he returns to the mound. I think it's unfortunate that we're further limiting his value. I might have a workable solution and I'd like some feedback.

This is my proposal for Ohtani (and any other viable two-way players) next year and moving forward. We have the system regard him as two separate entities, Ohtani the Hitter and Ohtani the Pitcher, but when you draft him, you get both versions. Say you select Ohtani the Pitcher in round 6, you automatically get Ohtani the Hitter in round 30 (or round 50). When you draft him, you know you're really rostering 29 (or 49) players and you'll lose two players if he gets hurt, but now you also retain the option of using him as a DH in Yankee Stadium from Monday to Thursday, while still starting him against the Tigers on Sunday.

Thoughts?

It’s an interesting twist on the 2 separate Ohtani option.

What I find irritating is these guys who don’t want Ohtani to be treated any differently than he’s able to be used by the Angels but NO WAY IN HELL will they agree to having the hitting stats of the rest of their pitchers count against their totals.

Have your cake and eat it too?

[fwicker]

What I find irritating is these guys who don’t want Ohtani to be treated any differently than he’s able to be used by the Angels but NO WAY IN HELL will they agree to having the hitting stats of the rest of their pitchers count against their totals.

Actually I think that's quite reasonable. And the reverse, if a hitter pitches, those stats should be counted too. I'd like to mirror the MLB game as much as possible. in that light I'd prefer daily transactions too, but I understand that many players don't have the time for that, and two weekly transactions is a reasonable compromise.