More important for Daniels is to lay the groundwork for potential offseason negotiations if Ohtani becomes a free agent and heads to the United States. That was the primary purpose of Daniels' trip to Japan in 2011.
Ohtani is considered a special talent because not only is he an outstanding pitcher with a fastball that has been clocked in excess of 100 mph, but he is also a great hitter.
Playing for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters last season, Ohtani was 10-4 with a 1.