Can Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels make one final playoff push?
He’s pitched more innings and logged more at-bats than any other Los Angeles Angel this season. And Shohei Ohtani has been remarkable through it all. But he’s exhausted. Many major leaguers are running on fumes in August, known as the dog days of summer. But none have ever carried the workload that Ohtani has. This does not bode well for the so-called pennant push for the slumping Angels…
When the Angels’ Taylor Ward (Shadow Hills High) got beaned recently, it reminded many of us about the time Tony Conigliaro got hit in the head (by the Angels’ Jack Hamilton) in 1967. A rising star for the Red Sox, Conigliaro was only 22 and had already hit 104 major league homers. He came back for one glorious season, but was never the same…
If Kiki Hernandez can go back to the Dodgers and C.J. Cron and Randall Grichuk can return to the Angels, why can’t the Dodgers re-sign Cody Bellinger? The popular center fielder is having a bounce back year with the Cubs (over .300 all season) and at age 27 will be a free agent...
When asked about his favorite time filming a movie, Tom Hanks lists “A League of Their Own”, the brilliant 1992 film on the short-lived Women’s Professional Baseball League. “I had a great summer, played baseball, fielded grounders, shagged fly balls,” said America’s favorite actor…
Speaking of films, do not miss “It Ain’t Over,” the splendid documentary on Yogi Berra. Not only is it especially well done, but it accurately portrays Yogi as what he was – A great and most beloved American…
Walker Buehler says he expects to be back on the mound by Sept. 1. Does that mean the mound at Dodger Stadium? If so, it would be a significant boost for their starting rotation…
By the way, the Dodgers were heavily criticized for not doing enough at the trade deadline, but infielder Amed Rosario (from Cleveland) has driven in nine runs in his first eight games and is hitting cleanup while veteran pitcher Lance Lynn (from the Chicago White Sox) has won his first two starts…
Sometimes lost in all the Ohtani (deserved) hoopla is the season being put together by the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman. Not only does he lead the majors with an impressive 40 doubles, his batting average is hovering around .340…
And the same for the Braves’ Robert Acuna Jr., who has stolen 53 bases, hit 26 home runs and has a lofty .343 batting average…
Acuna and Freeman will finish 1-2 or 2-1 in the National League MVP voting…
When is news no longer news? When it happens all the time. Case in point. The other night, Ohtani homered, scored twice, stole a base and pitched four shutout innings. The Angels lost. Ho hum. Not news…
Pete Donovan is a Palm Desert resident and former Los Angeles Times sports reporter. He can be reached at pwdonovan22@yahoo.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Can Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels make one final playoff push?
