What a Surprise

The news was everywhere over the weekend—White Sox rookie Daniel Palka may need Tommy John surgery for a grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.  Just kidding.  Angels’ “sensation” Shohei Ohtani is the player who could be facing surgery soon.  The only people outside of  White Sox nation—and a small one it is, more a principality, really—who know of Palka’s existence are his family and friends.  Thank you, sports-media complex.

Going into yesterday’s game against the Indians, Palka was batting .264 in 125 at-bats with 14 runs scored; 22 RBIs; six homeruns to go with eight doubles and three triples; a .298 on-base percentage; .520 slugging percentage; and some of the hardest-hit balls this season.  All in all, those figures are pretty Ohtani-like, if only anybody bothered to notice.

In 114 at-bats, Ohtani is hitting .281 with 17 runs scored; 20 RBIs; six homers to go with eight doubles and one triple; a .372 OBP; and .535 slugging percentage.  Oh, and he’s 4-1 in nine starts with a 3.10 ERA.  Therein lies the problem.  Ohtani was touted as the second coming of the two-way player a la the early Babe Ruth.  Maybe not.

Nobody seemed too concerned back in December when Ohtani signed with the Angels that he had a grade 1 UCL sprain; supposedly, a non-surgical regimen would take care of things.  When is that ever the case with somebody who throws the ball at 100 MPH, like Ohtani can?  So, now the Angels find themselves with a much-ballyhooed player who may or may not need surgery.  Whatever happens, it looks like the two-way may ultimately be reduced to one.