Poised for improvement? Why Shohei Ohtani could be an even bigger offensive threat in 2024.
PHOENIX — Of all the tools at the disposal of the Dodgers' player performance department, a small rectangular machine called 1080 Sprint is one of their preferred methods for improving quickness and speed.
A portable resistance training device, 1080 Sprint 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.
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.
Early this spring, Travis Smith, the Dodgers' strength and conditioning coach, set up the machine on an open field at the team's Camelback Ranch facility, and strapped the harness around Shohei Ohtani — the club's new $700-million superstar acquisition.
Like everyone else in camp, Smith knew Ohtani possessed an unmatched combination of
