Shohei Otani signs with Angels

[baseballsss]

If you're not willing to get into crazy money you're not getting him. Im not saying we should, but this is really a non-story for me.

 

This has nothing to do with money...The only money he's going to get coming over is going to be international signing bonus. Red Sox can give him like 8 mil and Yankees can give him something like 7.5, that's tops unless they trade for more money.

[Dr. Dinger]

 

BP Toronto‏

@BProToronto

 

A #BlueJays source opens up about the club's pursuit of Japanese phenom Shohei Otani. More: https://buff.ly/2f6eiAF

 

Japanese sensation Shohei Otani seems to have finalized his decision to come to North America this winter and make the transition from Japanese baseball to MLB according to reports in Japan. Otani is only 23-years-old and is famed for his ability to hit and pitch extremely well. The Blue Jays are definitely interested in Otani, as a source within the club told me that eight to ten members of the Blue Jays Front Office and scouting staff have been to Japan to watch the young phenom. So, how do the Blue Jays view Otani, and is it possible that they could land him this winter?

The source made it clear that the Blue Jays are interested in him beyond due diligence, evidenced by the fact that “it is not cheap” to send 8-10 members of the organization over to Japan to scout somebody. The source continued by saying that the Blue Jays will be involved in contract talks with Otani, “unless the money gets really crazy”, adding that if allowed, he would “give [Otani] the Stanton contract for sure and sleep at night.” That’s very high praise.

Despite this not seeming like something that is Mark Shapiro’s style, “this guy is the one who is unique” said the source, continuing with “most of us have never seen anything like him at his age”.

One flaw in this might be that the Blue Jays have already used some of their bonus money, and thus won’t be able to offer Otani as much as other clubs. However, the source said that when it comes to Otani, he gets the feeling that it is “about fit and future money,” and speculates that any contract the star player signs in MLB will have a handshake agreement on a long term deal once he has played for some time in North America.

The Blue Jays’ main point of contact in Japan is Dan Evans, who the source says “has an outstanding relationship he has cultivated with the GM and President of Nippon [Ham],” the team Otani plays for currently in the NPB. Evans “has a lot of weight [in Japan], and has been working on this for at least four years,” according to the source with the Blue Jays. “[Evans] wants him badly,” he continued.

The Blue Jays are also in the midst of expanding their presence in Asia under their new Front Office. They are “indentifying and developing relationships now with the Japanese clubs for the future,” creating much more of a “process in Asia” than what existed under Paul Beeston and Alex Anthopoulos.

The source’s report also says that Otani’s tools are all “near the top of the scale, to go along with the maturity of a 35-year-old” despite being only 23 years of age. He was also said to have “the humility of the 25th man on the bench” and be “a manager’s dream.” The club believes he is a “likely Ace and an All-Star 30/30 RF type” who would likely DH in MLB, though the source believes Otani wants to go somewhere he can play in the outfield from time to time.

The Blue Jays will likely have a couple of openings in their outfield this winter, especially in right field, so that could come into play.

In my view, the Blue Jays landing Otani seems like a big reach, but it’s exciting nonetheless to see how involved they are in the process and the strides they are making in Asia as a whole for the future.

Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton – USA Today Sports

[BTS]

If you're not willing to get into crazy money you're not getting him. Im not saying we should, but this is really a non-story for me.

 

What do you mean? His bonus will be capped at like $9M.

[Brownie19]

Kevin Gray reporting that Toronto is Otani's preferred detestation.

 

[Ray]

Shi Davidi article on Otani: http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-pick-scouting-otani-signing-unlikely/

 

It definitely seems like our level of interest is past due diligence. You don't send 10 or however many scouts to Japan unless you have legitimate interest. Apparently we have just over $1 million left in the bonus pool. Rangers have $3.5 million. Yankees have $3.25 million.

[Krylian]

This has nothing to do with money...The only money he's going to get coming over is going to be international signing bonus. Red Sox can give him like 8 mil and Yankees can give him something like 7.5, that's tops unless they trade for more money.

 

And what can the Jays give?

[Krylian]

What do you mean? His bonus will be capped at like $9M.

 

Not Darvish money obviously, but he's not going to take $1-2M.

 

Does anyone know if any team blew their IFA budget this year and will be penalized in 2018? If there is such a team, I look at them as being a significant player. If you're already in the hole, go all in.

[Bobthe4th]

Not Darvish money obviously, but he's not going to take $1-2M.

 

Completely disagree, if less than $10m was that important to him he could have waited 2 years and got 10 times that amount. He's going to be extremely rich from being so marketable to any sponsor who wants to appeal to the Japanese market.

 

Does anyone know if any team blew their IFA budget this year and will be penalized in 2018? If there is such a team, I look at them as being a significant player. If you're already in the hole, go all in.

 

It's now a hard cap - no one can go over their allocation (whatever it is originally plus up to 75% extra acquired though trades). Legacy penalties are carried on which is why a few teams have restrictions for this year.

[metafour]

You can't go above your bonus pool anymore, this was introduced in the new CBA.

 

Again, if Otani only cared about the most money, he wouldn't be coming over now when his expected bonus revolves around measly pennies handed out to 16 year olds. Whoever signs him will be doing so under the gesture that they have a future deal in place which compensates him to his worth. $1 or $2 million more "IFA money" isn't going to be the difference between signing him or not.

[Abomination]

You can't go above your bonus pool anymore, this was introduced in the new CBA.

 

Again, if Otani only cared about the most money, he wouldn't be coming over now when his expected bonus revolves around measly pennies handed out to 16 year olds. Whoever signs him will be doing so under the gesture that they have a future deal in place which compensates him to his worth. $1 or $2 million more "IFA money" isn't going to be the difference between signing him or not.

 

I think I read that MLB and Japan are looking to make a new deal regarding the posting system before Otani is posted. I have to wonder if there could be a provision to allow higher posting fees, but some of the extra is split between the team and the player or something?

 

More interestingly, maybe the player could be granted service time for playing in Japan or something if they're under 25 when they're posted.

[Bobthe4th]

I think I read that MLB and Japan are looking to make a new deal regarding the posting system before Otani is posted. I have to wonder if there could be a provision to allow higher posting fees, but some of the extra is split between the team and the player or something?

 

More interestingly, maybe the player could be granted service time for playing in Japan or something if they're under 25 when they're posted.

 

According to the Japan Times (link here) they are talking about it but it's with the opposite intention - to try to reduce posting fees to save MLB owners even more money.

 

The proposed new system would give the Japanese team up to 15% of the total package given to the player. In Otani's case that'd be much less than $20m.

[Abomination]

According to the Japan Times (link here) they are talking about it but it's with the opposite intention - to try to reduce posting fees to save MLB owners even more money.

 

The proposed new system would give the Japanese team up to 15% of the total package given to the player. In Otani's case that'd be much less than $20m.

 

Interesting, yeah definitely kinda screws over Otani's team, but makes more sense in general (and may be better for Japanese teams in general too, as stars who are posted could net them a larger payout).

[UWHabs]

It's really hard to predict what he'd want to do, and which team is most likely. I mean, we can all pretty much assume that he's not going to go to a small team like KC or Milwaukee, and given that nobody can give him a deal more than a few mill, you have to assume he'll go based on who has the best under the table offer for the future, and who can give him the best playing time.

 

The real question I think will come down to who believes in him the most to potentially risk playing an ace starter in the field on a regular basis. Do you limit him to only DH/PH where he doesn't have to throw, or can you give him games in the OF too? As an AL team, you can offer him more DH chances, but on the flipside, you either forego his bat on days he pitches or give up the DH, so hard to say which is preferable.

[Abomination]

The real question I think will come down to who believes in him the most to potentially risk playing an ace starter in the field on a regular basis. Do you limit him to only DH/PH where he doesn't have to throw, or can you give him games in the OF too? As an AL team, you can offer him more DH chances, but on the flipside, you either forego his bat on days he pitches or give up the DH, so hard to say which is preferable.

 

I doubt giving up the DH would matter much. Assuming his bat is average for a DH (98 wRC+ this year), then you'd be talking about roughly 3 innings every five days, and being able to mix and match to the pitchers for those innings probably negates the downside. Now where it would matter, is the DH is kinda useful when you have a vet with a nagging injury - and we have a lot of those lol.

[glory]

I hate you *******s for getting my hopes up for Otani now. I know it isn't happening but dammit now I think there's a chance. If Shapiro pulls this off.....

[Krylian]

I hate you *******s for getting my hopes up for Otani now. I know it isn't happening but dammit now I think there's a chance. If Shapiro pulls this off.....

 

This.

[TheHurl]

I don't think money will be a factor. He'll sign where he wants to play. He gets paid the following year

[fatcowxlive]

I think we gotta go for this. We don't lose a pick and we don't trade a player to get a guy who if he succeeds will be a top tier pitcher

 

I expect almost all 30 teams to throw their hat in the barrel

[Dick_Pole]

The Jays have a better than 1 in 30 shot. How many North American cities would be recognized by someone overseas? LA, NYC and Chicago for starters. Toronto would be up there. There are too many people here with a Canada complex. Although to be fair the Jays have yet to succeed in posting.

 

If Otani is a libtard that hates Trump and loves beta males like Trudeau, it's basically 100% chance. Hell, if Trudeau can recruit him to Canada that will be his political legacy. Refugees are coming across the border by the dozens. Let's at least get one that would be useful.

[Captain Adama]

The Jays have a better than 1 in 30 shot. How many North American cities would be recognized by someone overseas? LA, NYC and Chicago for starters. Toronto would be up there. There are too many people here with a Canada complex. Although to be fair the Jays have yet to succeed in posting.

 

If Otani is a libtard that hates Trump and loves beta males like Trudeau, it's basically 100% chance. Hell, if Trudeau can recruit him to Canada that will be his political legacy. Refugees are coming across the border by the dozens. Let's at least get one that would be useful.

 

I f***ing lol'd

[Jimcanuck]

If money is a consideration for Ohtani and I don't doubt it is, potential endorsement deals are a factor for year 1 anyway. I'm sure Shapiro has been 'facilitating' potential 'sponsors'. Toronto may have the edge here as a national team.

[Dick_Pole]

I f***ing lol'd

 

I'm glad you could find humour in it. I was prepared to take my virtuous scolding from Jim and call it a day.

[Abomination]

If money is a consideration for Ohtani and I don't doubt it is, potential endorsement deals are a factor for year 1 anyway. I'm sure Shapiro has been 'facilitating' potential 'sponsors'. Toronto may have the edge here as a national team.

 

I don't think we'd have a big advantage there. Having guys like Kawasaki raving about us could definitely have an impact though, as does the fact we'll almost certainly have room for him to play some in the outfield. The fact that Toronto is quite a multinational city should also help a lot. The fact we aren't on the west coast (which probably hurts endorsements and viewership of games in Japan) almost certainly hurts us.

[Spanky99]

I think we gotta go for this. We don't lose a pick and we don't trade a player to get a guy who if he succeeds will be a top tier pitcher

 

I expect almost all 30 teams to throw their hat in the barrel

 

Would be nice, as you've mentioned everyone's going to post the money to negotiate with him, in saying that he'll likely play on the West Coast, closer for family, etc... his call, all we can do is hope, doubt he chooses the T.Dot.

[Spanky99]

The Jays have a better than 1 in 30 shot. How many North American cities would be recognized by someone overseas? LA, NYC and Chicago for starters. Toronto would be up there. There are too many people here with a Canada complex. Although to be fair the Jays have yet to succeed in posting.

 

If Otani is a libtard that hates Trump and loves beta males like Trudeau, it's basically 100% chance. Hell, if Trudeau can recruit him to Canada that will be his political legacy. Refugees are coming across the border by the dozens. Let's at least get one that would be useful.

 

[Dick_Pole]

I don't think we'd have a big advantage there. Having guys like Kawasaki raving about us could definitely have an impact though, as does the fact we'll almost certainly have room for him to play some in the outfield. The fact that Toronto is quite a multinational city should also help a lot. The fact we aren't on the west coast (which probably hurts endorsements and viewership of games in Japan) almost certainly hurts us.

 

Have you been paying attention to the news recently? If I happened to be a star baseball player located in Japan with an opportunity to head to North America, I'd prefer to be nowhere near the Pacific Rim. Based on the past month or so I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Florida nor the Gulf Coast either. Probably don't want to be anywhere near the San Andreas fault line either....which I guess is 2 points against San Fran and LA because of the whole Pacific Ring thing.

 

Every geopolitical, weather and any major global event outside of the realm of baseball has Toronto as a desirable North American destination right now. This is 100% all on Shapiro if the Jays don't have this guy in uniform by February. His sales pitch needs to be "if you sign with us for 2018, there's a good chance you will live to see 2019".

[Spanky99]

Have you been paying attention to the news recently? If I happened to be a star baseball player located in Japan with an opportunity to head to North America, I'd prefer to be nowhere near the Pacific Rim. Based on the past month or so I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Florida nor the Gulf Coast either. Probably don't want to be anywhere near the San Andreas fault line either....which I guess is 2 points against San Fran and LA because of the whole Pacific Ring thing.

 

Every geopolitical, weather and any major global event outside of the realm of baseball has Toronto as a desirable North American destination right now. This is 100% all on Shapiro if the Jays don't have this guy in uniform by February. His sales pitch needs to be "if you sign with us for 2018, there's a good chance you will live to see 2019".

 

Bwahahahaha...

[Cleveland Steamer]

Jays should go after this guy hardcore.

[Sammy225]

Jays should go after this guy hardcore.

 

Every team is going to put up the posting bid and then he can choose who he gets to negotiate with exclusively we have little say in it unless there is tampering involved lol. It always seems that guys that come over go to a west coast city.

[Daniel Labude]

Every team is going to put up the posting bid and then he can choose who he gets to negotiate with exclusively we have little say in it unless there is tampering involved lol. It always seems that guys that come over go to a west coast city.

 

I think we have a really good shot this time