"Shohei Ohtani serve as leadoff hitter" - Joe Maddon shares desire to push reigning Los Angeles Angels MVP to the top of offensive lineup
Shohei Ohtani was a lethal component of the Los Angeles Angels lineup during the 2021 season. Through his excellence on the pitchers mound and in the batter's box, the two-way star will do something he has never done in his Major League career -- hit out of the leadoff spot. The Los Angeles Angels beat reporter for MLB.com, Rhett Bollinger, reported that Angels manager Joe Maddon stated his intentions to move Ohtani to position number 1 on the lineup card.
Joe Maddon said he plans on having Shohei Ohtani serve as leadoff hitter to start the season
This will be a new challenge for Shohei Ohtani
The "Japanese Babe Ruth" has overcome a lot of challenges, such as moving to a new continent, learning the English language, and rehabbing from a Tommy John Surgery for an ulner collateral ligament. But is he best suited to bat out of the number 1 spot in the lineup?
First pitch of the game Shohei Ohtani goes deep. 50 homers this year. Calling it now
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Previously, the leadoff spot was meant to be for the fastest player on the team. The assumption was that the player would be able to get on base and create chaos for the pitcher with the threat of stealing a base and, therefore, allow the hitters behind him to capitalize on potential mistakes. However, with the widespread adoption of analytics over the last two decades, the definition of a perfect leadoff hitter is usually the one with the highest on-base percentage. Quite simply, the more runners on base, the higher the likelihood for runs and pitchers tend to pitch worse from the stretch than they do from the windup.
For Ohtani, the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player, had an on-base percentage of .372, which was the highest of his career. For context, Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto led the Major Leagues in OBP with .462, nearly 25% better than Shohei Ohtani's. He should benefit from the return of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon to the lineup, as well as an approach at the plate that emphasizes patience.
This is nothing new for Los Angeles Angels skipper Joe Maddon. Maddon is constantly searching for ways to innovate and extract value in his lineups, from his intricate shift designs to his roster construction. It was this open-minded nature toward innovation that allowed him to experiment with lineup decisions, such as these, and yield results. Regardless of the outcome, Los Angeles Angels fans should be excited that Joe Maddon is looking for new and innovative ways to use the superior talents of Shohei Ohtani. Hopefully it will get the team back to the playoffs.