One key factor in Ohtani’s decision will be which team can be patient with his desire to pitch and hit

Back in September, as Hiroshi Sasaki told stories about Shohei Ohtani in a visitor’s room at Hanamaki Higashi High School, the longtime baseball coach paused to ask a question of his own.

Would Ohtani be criticized for trying to play both ways in the major leagues?

Sasaki, who coached Ohtani in…