Dodgers Coach Ron Roenicke on Shohei Ohtani: 'He's a Different Athlete'

"He's just so powerful."

Of all the tools that the Los Angeles Dodgers use for training, the 1080 Sprint is a favorite. 

The machine is a portable training device that attaches a motorized wire to a harness strapped around a player’s waist, slowing them down as they practice straight-line sprints and quick-twitch movements.

According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, it’s like a modern version of running with a parachute tied to your back. The machine applies mechanical resistance to a player as they run. The hope is it will efficiently strengthen their stride, improve their acceleration, and — in baseball — make them a higher-speed threat in the field and on the bases.

When Shohei Ohtani strapped on the machine earlier this spring, he surprised everyone by breaking it. He severed the wire.

The moment left special assistant Ron Roenicke laughing but with amazement, instead of comedy.

“He’s just so powerful, with strength and quickness,” Roenicke said, still wearing a look of disbelief while recounting the moment a few days later. “I’m sure they see that in the NFL. But you don’t see that very often in baseball, not with that kind of speed and strength. It’s different. He’s a different athlete.”

Ron Roenicke via L.A. Times

With less than a month to Opening Day and Ohtani only focusing on hitting this season, he could increase his power and produce. A 40-home run, 40-steal season is in the cards for Ohtani, something that has only been done five times in MLB history.