Spanky__99

Fluff piece really, but what the hell... one can hope! Pitching Otani: How Blue Jays could lure Japanese star to Toronto David Singh @_DavidSingh November 10, 2017, 9:55 AM Pat Gillick had a leg up on his peers one of the first times a generational baseball talent moved from Japan to North America. He was general manager of the Seattle Mariners in late 2000 when the club inked Ichiro Suzuki to a three-year contract. But the signing wasn’t just a result of the Mariners winning the negotiation bid for the outfielder’s services. “The U.S. situations are about dollars and cents. The Asian situations, from my experience, are about relationships,” said Gillick, now a senior adviser to the president and GM for the Philadelphia Phillies. “We had a tremendous relationship with Ichiro and so consequently, we knew that if we got the rights to him, we were going to be able to sign him.” Jim Colborn, the Mariners’ director of Pacific Rim scouting at the time, had developed a close relationship with Suzuki. Colborn spent time in the early 1990s as a pitching coach on Suzuki’s Japanese Pacific League team, the Orix Blue Wave, and was instrumental in the star’s decision to head to Seattle. Seventeen years later, a player with perhaps as much superstar potential could be coming to MLB. Shohei Otani is known as the Japanese Babe Ruth because of his elite abilities as both a hitter and pitcher. Unlike Ichiro, though, Otani will be available to all 30 teams because of revisions to the league’s international signing rules, a system still being negotiated by MLB and the NPB. “You move to another generation, things change,” said Gillick, who was GM of the Toronto Blue Jays from 1978 to 1994. “But I know that relationships still go a long way, so whoever is building a relationship with this player probably is going to have the best opportunity if he decides to come over.” Otani is largely a mystery and it’s nearly impossible to gauge which organizations have fostered a strong bond with him, if any. In that case, the key to acquiring the 23-year-old might boil down to a superior pitch and there’s little doubt some front offices are hunkered down right now, refining their recruitment strategies. Assuming the Blue Jays are among the teams with some interest, here’s a look at some selling points they could include in a potential pitch to Otani… We’ll let you be like Babe Ruth Otani is said to covet the opportunity to hit and pitch in the majors, and the Blue Jays — like all American League teams — have the advantage in allowing him to do that. It’s unlikely the Blue Jays would use Otani to fill an outfield opening but one possible scenario could have him pitch out of the team’s starting rotation and see time as a designated hitter on some non-throwing days. The Blue Jays, of course, have Kendrys Morales currently occupying the DH spot, so barring a trade, the team would need to be creative in its lineup construction to accommodate the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters star. Otani batted .286/.358/.500 with 48 home runs, 70 doubles and 166 RBI in 403 games across five seasons in Japan. As a pitcher, he owns a 2.52 ERA and 10.3 K/9 rate over 85 games, 82 of which were starts, and 543 innings. You will feel at home here This is among the easier selling points for the Blue Jays. Toronto is a diverse, international city not much different from other major markets in the U.S., such as Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Toronto’s Japanese population is listed at approximately 30,000, according to Rui Umezawa, a chief adviser to the city’s consul general of Japan. He says T.O.’s multiculturalism is the most appealing factor to foreigners and the city provides a dose of home for Japanese residents. “They can get a lot of choices as far as Japanese food is concerned, whether it’s buying Japanese groceries, or going out for Japanese food,” Umezawa said. “Japanese people from places like Tokyo would be very used to having restaurant-type of food and various cultural things available from around the world and Toronto offers that as well, so that would be very appealing. “From the perspective of once they get here, what do they find? I think it’s how safe it is here,” Umezawa added. “Relatively low crime rate, you can go out at night without worrying too much. That is a big plus that Japanese people find living in Toronto.” Umezawa highlights a burgeoning stretch on Dundas street that’s becoming known as Toronto’s Little Japan. It features several Japanese businesses, including Izakayas (Japanese gastropubs), ramen restaurants, Japanese-style coffee shops and Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake. We can offer you future success The Blue Jays are presumably not a championship favourite in 2018 the way the Astros, Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees figure to be. However, Toronto boasts a top-tier farm system and could entice Otani on the chance to get in near the ground floor as the organization repositions itself into a stable contender. Top prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette will be mentioned in the pitch because the Blue Jays hope they’ll be the foundation of a championship core going forward. It’s worth noting that Otani’s not much older than the duo. You also don’t have to be a contender to lure free agents. In 2014, the Chicago Cubs successfully courted ace Jon Lester following a season in which they finished last in their division. The Cubs sent the free-agent left-hander a fictional DVD depicting a win over the Yankees in Game 7 of a World Series. They used some imagery from a 2012 Playstation advertisement and also featured on-field celebrations and media coverage in the video. “We felt like not everyone will read a letter or flip through a brochure. But if you get a DVD, it’s going to be watched because of the curiosity factor,” Cubs general manager Theo Epstein recalled last year. You can be the top Asian athlete in Canadian history If Otani signs here and succeeds, he could soon attain iconic status. He would easily become the most prominent Japanese athlete this country has ever seen and it’s not a stretch to say Otani might also be considered Canada’s most prominent athlete of Asian descent. Patrick Chan and Paul Kariya come to mind as other choices, but with Otani playing for a major Canadian team, he may take the crown. This is probably not a deciding factor for Otani, as he doesn’t appear to have preexisting ties to Canada, but achieving a unique status that’s not exactly afforded in the U.S. might prove compelling. “The Japanese community would be very excited to have a Japanese player playing for the Blue Jays,” said Umezawa. “He would feel very welcome. It would be a big source of pride.” Don’t underestimate the sponsorship opportunities that come with representation, as well. Suzuki was an advertising darling when he signed with Seattle and Otani could be the same in Canada, a nation that prides itself on diversity.

Canadian RJ Barrett commits to Duke, brah!

Fan votes for the Esurance Awards airs Friday at 6 PM Est on MLB Network... some quirky categories, kind of fun. https://securea.mlb.com/mlb/awards/y2017/mlb-awards/ Stream... http://www.sportshd.me/mlb/1/t

Players Choice Awards Player of the Year: Jose Altuve (HOU) Man of the Year: Anthony Rizzo (CHC) American League Outstanding Player: Jose Altuve (HOU) Outstanding Pitcher: Corey Kluber (CLE) Outstanding Rookie: Aaron Judge (NYY) Comeback Player: Mike Moustakas (KC) National League Outstanding Player: Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) Outstanding Pitcher: Max Scherzer (WSH) Outstanding Rookie: Cody Bellinger (LAD) Comeback Player: Ryan Zimmerman (WSH)

Awards start Monday at 6 PM Est on MLB Network... for ROTY Tue: MOTY Wed: CY Thur: MVP Stream... http://www.sportshd.me/mlb/1/t

Silver Slugger Awards American League C: Gary Sanchez, NYY 1B: Eric Hosmer, KC 2B: Jose Altuve, HOU 3B: Jose Ramirez, CLE SS: Francisco Lindor, CLE OF: Aaron Judge, NYY OF: George Springer, HOU OF: Justin Upton, LAA DH: Nelson Cruz, SEA National League C: Buster Posey, SF 1B: Paul Goldschmidt, ARI 2B: Daniel Murphy, WSH 3B: Nolan Arenado, COL SS: Corey Seager, LAD OF: Giancarlo Stanton, MIA OF: Marcell Ozuna, MIA OF: Charlie Blackmon, COL P: Adam Wainwright, STL

Gold Glove Awards American League C: Martin Maldonado, LAA 1B: Eric Hosmer, KC 2B: Brian Dozier, MIN 3B: Evan Longoria, TB SS: Andrelton Simmons, LAA LF: Alex Gordon, KC CF: Byron Buxton, MIN RF: Mookie Betts, BOS P: Marcus Stroman, TOR National League C: Tucker Barnhart, CIN 1B: Paul Goldschmidt, ARI 2B: DJ LeMahieu, COL 3B: Nolan Arenado, COL SS: Brandon Crawford, SF LF: Marcell Ozuna, MIA CF: Ender Inciarte, ATL RF: Jason Heyward, CHC P: Zack Greinke, ARI

Here are the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year winners: C: Martin Maldonado, Angels 1B: Carlos Santana, Indians 2B: DJ LeMahieu, Rockies 3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies SS: Andrelton Simmons, Angels LF: Alex Gordon, Royals CF: Byron Buxton, Twins RF: Yasiel Puig, Dodgers P: Tyler Chatwood, Rockies Best Overall Defensive Player: Byron Buxton, Twins Defensive Team of the Year: Los Angeles Dodgers

Matthews didn't get on the plane to Boston, that'll give him a full week to heal up what ails him, as Toronto doesn't play again till next Thursday. Curtis McElhinney between the pipes tomorrow night, get em Buds!

Woohoo... JVR's been a beast! Yes... great play, good W!!!

Oh noes... puppies! https://zodab.com/nhl/national-anthem-singer-dress-codes-in-sweden-are-a-little-bit-more-relaxed/ Anyhow... Go Leafs Go!

Yeah, that ain't happening.

Statement from the Halladay Family MLB.com | November 9th, 2017 Our family is heartbroken in confirming that Roy passed away in a plane crash Tuesday afternoon. While many will remember him for his success as a major league pitcher, we remember him as an amazing father, loving husband and loyal friend. Roy had many accomplishments in his professional career, the memories of which we will cherish forever. He described each achievement as a team effort rather than an individual accomplishment, a true testament to his character and love for his teammates. Roy grew up with a passion for planes and always had the goal of becoming a pilot. Since retiring from baseball, he has been actively studying, accumulating the required flight hours and obtaining multiple pilot certifications and licenses. Just as he was known for his work ethic in baseball, he was also widely respected by those who knew him in the aviation community for his hard work, attention to detail and dedication to safety while flying. He treated his passion for aviation with the same joy and enthusiasm as he did his love for baseball. That passion was also expressed through his tireless dedication to helping his own children and so many others learn to love and respect the game of baseball. He was an amazing coach for many youth teams, always showing patience and encouragement while reminding each child that they all had a role to play, a way to contribute and add value to their team. His love for the game had no boundaries as we often saw him instructing and encouraging the players on opposing teams. Roy was selfless in every aspect of his life. While we mourn the loss of the core of our family, we choose to celebrate him and remember the man we knew privately on and off the field. We hope that he serves as an example of professionalism, integrity and hard work for all who knew him. For us, we will forever remember his unconditional love, humility and the sacrifices he made to provide for the family that meant the world to him. On behalf of our family we thank you for respecting our privacy during this time of overwhelming grief. We also ask that you respect the privacy of our extended family as well as the families and children who Roy has coached, taught or worked with. We are so fortunate and thankful for the outpouring of love and support we've received from across the world. A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. at Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida. The service will be open to the public. The Halladay Family

Sherman mouthed he tore his achillies and out for the season on the sideline, that's a huge loss for the Seahawks.

Why wouldn't we be in on him? Every team is going to make its pitch, it just comes down to whom he chooses, Shatkins are just being realistic when they said other teams are a better fit, and to temper expectations.

Yeah, that was pretty tough.

To say guys play for position, is a joke, and Boxy is right. But f*** him cause... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It should be Win %

lol

but the consolation teams, never set lineups, lol. Even benched players, so I followed. That my friend, is a flaw.

Seems fine to me, but the consolation teams, never set lineups, lol.

Good W Buds!

f***, Andersson needs to hold that s***. Also, where's the D, kill that mofo hacking away! Again guys skating away after hitting your goalie?

Go Buds Go... little zip so far, nice goal to boot. Edit: If that was Kadri's goal, could've been a high stick, oh well, they didn't challenge.

Holy s***... that's sad, RIP.

Not really, just wondering what Boras is asking for his AAV.