Dodgers News: How Dave Roberts Views All the Extra Media Attention Around Shohei Ohtani
The Dodgers' addition of Shohei Ohtani this offseason made waves throughout Major League Baseball. Not only did they sign him to a record contract, but he now lands in one of the biggest media markets in the world.
The city of Los Angeles always has media coverage around it, so they aren't new to attention. But for the Dodgers, Ohtani has brought a newfound reality to the team that many likely never expected.
"But while the Dodgers have certainly generated attention in the past, no spring — and no player — has drawn anything quite like this."
Ohtani is the biggest star in the game of baseball today while also being a worldwide sensation as well. The attention that he brings is unlike anything the Dodgers have seen.
Manager Dave Roberts said that this would take some getting used to, but it's nothing that the team can't handle.
“It’s going to be a learning curve for everyone. But I think that part of my messaging to the players is going to be, it comes with the territory. I think that the expectations of winning, the expectations of answering questions when you don’t feel like it, it’s part of the job.”
With Spring Training just starting up, Los Angeles can use this new attention to get accustomed to his presence. The media is going to be around far more often than normal, so it's something they will have to deal with.
This is the new reality. The Dodgers were always going to draw attention, especially after spending as aggressively as they did this past winter. This offseason, of course, was different. Ohtani is different, in Japan and in the greater consciousness, a celebrity who transcends his sport in multiple countries but particularly back home."
