Angels News: Shohei Ohtani Gets High Praise From Former Manager Joe Maddon
Joe Maddon has been around the game of baseball for a very long time. He was a minor-league player for the California Angels back in 1975. He was a scout and on the coaching staff for the Angels from 1979 until 2005. He then got his first managerial gig with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2006. In 2015, Maddon joined the Chicago Cubs. And finally, in 2020, Maddon came back to the Angels as the manager.
So it's safe to say he's been around his fair share of great players over the past 45 or so years. And yet, he had some high praise for a guy who he managed for just a couple seasons.
"He’s one of the best I’ve ever been around," Maddon said about Shohei Ohtani on AM570. "One of the most fun, most cooperative."
For someone who's been arounds thousands of players over the course of his baseball career, that is about as high as the praise can get. But Maddon didn't stop there. He wanted to get into the specifics of what sets him apart.
"When he pitches a game, he’s not following a scouting report," Maddon said. "He’s following his instincts and what he sees and what he feels. That’s the pure genius of Shohei."
It's no wonder Ohtani continued to amaze in 2022 following his unanimous MVP season in 2021.
It's also no wonder the Angels gave him a record contract for the 2023 season. But GM Perry Minasian still wants to figure out how to lock his superstar up for the much longer future. I don't think anyone can question that decision.
