Email a copy of 'Christian Bethancourt To Pitch In Panama Winter League' to a friend
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By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Christian Bethancourt To Pitch In Panama Winter League' to a friend
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jd396
Cool idea, anyway.
Lorenzo
Is this the new competitive edge, the mining of the latest inefficiency? Are we going to see strong-armed third basemen and shortstops, and maybe outfielders doing double duty as relievers? How does a manager formulate strategy when a team can call on up to 10 or 12 relievers in a game?
ethanhickey
Maybe not when it comes to late and close games, but extra inning games early in the year could have something brewing. Having a guy who can pitch in the field and not burning a relievers arm early in the year and going to your left fielder for an inning or two might be something on the rise.
roadapple
It’s all very complicated that some sabermetric stat will capture soon. Is there anything those people DON’T know?
TheMichigan
Maybe, it seems like an interesting dual enrolling in pitching and defense, it could be like little league where you just pick the kid out in left field to come in to pitch and put the pitcher at second and have the second baseman shift to left field
I think it would be interesting to see a combined pitcher hitter top prospect who can rake and hit 99 on the gun
Steve Adams
You basically just described Shohei Otani, who posted a 1.86 ERA in 140 innings in Japan this season while also hitting .322/.416/.588 with 22 homers in 382 plate appearances as an outfielder/pitcher. Fastball has run up to 101, sits in the upper 90s. Unreal to think about, but he’s 22 and doesn’t need to be posted anytime soon.
Cam
Otani is just…he’s incredible. Those numbers – both ways – are just phenomenal.
I have never had such anticipation for a potential posting – even if it’s a while away – before.
ethanhickey
Otani should be posted by 25. That guy will come over and be a guy to play every day. Whether it be on the mound or out in the grass, he would easily become an NL managers golden goose come time for a playoff push
jd396
Otani like when you make yourself in a video game and crank all the attributes to 100%, and then pitch and bat third in every game.
SixFlagsMagicPadres
Yeah, that guy is playing on the easiest difficulty with all the cheat codes set to “on.”
jd396
On MVP Baseball 2005 I once that to the fullest extent possible and got bored when it was 83-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Don’t forget Carlos Marmol……and David Ross too!
sluggo79
Trevor Hoffman was a shortstop as was Matt Bush for the Rangers. this is not that abnormal other than he has a good chance to make the club as a catcher/utility player without the pitching angle. This idea was borne from a couple of outings when the game was out of control and no more relief pitchers were available. everyone was amazed at the ease in which he through in the high 90’s
stubby66
WOW a new concept, oh wait a minute Babe Ruth did it. He started out as a pitcher and was quite good at it.
davidcoonce74
Brooks kieshnick was a two-way player for the Brewers just a handful of years ago. Micah owings was a pinch-hitter and pitcher a few years back. Someone mentioned Babe Ruth but he was a pitcher only when he came up – he wasn’t used as an outfielder on his off-days. When MLB introduced the “live” ball in 1920 Ruth quit pitching for good
SixFlagsMagicPadres
When the game is on the line, it’s Bethancourt Time….