His first surgery was on 10/1/18, the day after the season needed. He didn’t announce beforehand the date, but his agent gave the results afterwards, stating Shohei wanted to be playing ASAP. He missed ST but did his ramp up in April and was DH by May 2019. Pitching took longer, with only two starts in pandemic 2020, neither of them good. That is what made the MVP year in 2021 so remarkable, because some thought his days on the mound might be done. His ability to confound expectations of others is still off the charts.
I’ll say also your explanation was 1,000 times more coherent than Balelo’s, and he’s the one who actually spoke with the surgeons. He sounded at times like a kid giving an oral report on a book he hadn’t read (“Yes, she was proud, but she was also prejudiced...”).
His first surgery was on 10/1/18, the day after the season needed. He didn’t announce beforehand the date, but his agent gave the results afterwards, stating Shohei wanted to be playing ASAP. He missed ST but did his ramp up in April and was DH by May 2019. Pitching took longer, with only two starts in pandemic 2020, neither of them good. That is what made the MVP year in 2021 so remarkable, because some thought his days on the mound might be done. His ability to confound expectations of others is still off the charts.
Great notes. He's singular. I don't think there's much question that he can come back as a pitcher, it's now a question of when and how.
I’ll say also your explanation was 1,000 times more coherent than Balelo’s, and he’s the one who actually spoke with the surgeons. He sounded at times like a kid giving an oral report on a book he hadn’t read (“Yes, she was proud, but she was also prejudiced...”).
Ha, thanks. Then again, you wouldn't want me negotiating a contract. We all have our skills.