The hype for dual threat Shohei Ohtani was off the charts when he joined the Angels during the offseason, but the "Babe Ruth of Japan" has struggled as a pitcher and hitter in spring training.
YES Network analyst David Cone thinks the 23-year old phenom might be better off starting his season in the minor leagues as he tries to become the first player since Ruth in 1919 to be an everyday player and starting pitcher.
MORE: Ohtani discusses Mike Trout, baseball cards and spring training adjustments
"The talent is obviously there. He's a once-in-a-generation talent. He can legitimately hit and pitch. But it's a lot to ask of a young kid coming over to step right in from Day One. He may need a little more time to acclimate himself at this point. That's obviously up to the Angels," said Cone, the former MLB ace for the Yankees, Mets and Blue Jays who now works as a TV analyst for the Yankees' YES channel.
"I'm anxious to see more. Just a few highlights from spring training isn't enough to really form an opinion. Obviously, everybody agrees on his talent level — and what he's potentially capable of doing."
It's a tricky, delicate decision for the Angels, who maintain the 6-3, 190-pound Ohtani will be on their opening day roster when they start their new 2018 season on March 29.
How does a team demote a talent who has already been pitched as the savior to Angels fans, and who is viewed as a hero in Japan?
How many MLB rookies can you name who've been profiled by "60 Minutes" while he was still in Japan's Pacific League?
"It's going to be a very difficult decision for the Angels. But I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a little bit more time," said Cone. "A little bit of protection for a young player coming over from Japan is not a bad idea. Just to give him a little more time to get acclimated. To me, that's something that could be easily sold to the fan base and the fans in Japan as well.
"It's not an easy transition. He's still very young and he's had some injuries," said Cone, who threw the 16th perfect game in MLB history in 1999. "He had an ankle injury last year that really slowed his season down. He may legitimately just need a little more time to get fully healthy and get fully adjusted to the major league game. Because it's very different than what he's used to."
