Shohei Otani

[mdbdotcom]

58 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm not at all certain he wants to play in the field.

I think he goes to an AL team where he can DH.

And since the Rangers, Yankees and Twins are the three teams that can offer him more than $3mm, that's a pretty good bet.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

And since the Rangers, Yankees and Twins are the three teams that can offer him more than $3mm, that's a pretty good bet.

If money were a factor he'd stay in Japan.

[Can_of_corn]

11 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

His top 3 choices.

1. Yankees

2. Yankees

3. Yankees

I don't know, I think it is more like:

1. Yankees
2. Yankees
3. A team on the west coast

[El Gordo]

3 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't know, I think it is more like:

1. Yankees
2. Yankees
3. A team on the west coast

LAD make a lotta sense.

[Tryptamine]

People are really going to be disappointed by his hitting, he's a complete non prospect as a hitter. How this Babe Ruth stuff got started I don't know, but a guy who strikes outs 25-30% of the time in the  Nippon League is going  to strike out 35-40% of the time in MLB. Unless you're blessed with 80 grade power like Joey Gallo, that isn't going to work.

[Luke-OH]

Any and every team should be pulling out the stops to try and sign him, period. He’ll be a windfall for whatever team gets him.

[OriolesMagic83]

On 11/11/2017 at 12:21 PM, El Gordo said:

Looks like the Yankees have been stock piling their money.

The O's traded them some of that money for a non-prospect.  Some organizations have a plan and some organizations vacillate between percolating and panicking. 

[24fps]

Even though it's only November 12, I predict this thread does not, repeat NOT, reach Mark Teixiera levels of lunacy.

 

[Luke-OH]

On 11/11/2017 at 10:39 PM, Tryptamine said:

People are really going to be disappointed by his hitting, he's a complete non prospect as a hitter. How this Babe Ruth stuff got started I don't know, but a guy who strikes outs 25-30% of the time in the  Nippon League is going  to strike out 35-40% of the time in MLB. Unless you're blessed with 80 grade power like Joey Gallo, that isn't going to work.

I'm going to have to flat out disagree with you here.  The Babe Ruth thing is obviously hyperbole, but to say he is a non-prospect as a hitter is crazy.

So let's do a player comparison...

Jake Bauers - 21 years old - 1B

Hit 20% better than league average in AAA.  #64 ranked prospect in Baseball America's mid-season top 100

Shonei Otani - 21 years old (2016, he battled injuries in 2017 so I'm using 2016) - P/DH

Hit 42% better than league average in Japan Pacific League, a league that by most assessments is AAA level or better.

He's a much better pitcher than hitter, but he would still be a top 100 prospect as a hitter.

His swing is messy and has holes in it and would struggle against MLB breaking balls right now, but he has a decent batting eye, the bat speed is plus at least, and the raw power is plus at least. He's shown some ability to manipulate his swing, and he's very athletic.  He's young and the swing is fixable, and even without a fix, he's going to crush a lot of mistakes.

[twinedenter]

On 10/12/2012 at 12:03 AM, Crazysilver03 said:

He says he still loves Baltimore. He is grateful for the opportunity they gave him.

I would have traded Britton this off-season and brought Koji back.

[pastorfan]

On 11/11/2017 at 7:14 PM, Can_of_corn said:

I don't know, I think it is more like:

1. Yankees
2. Yankees
3. A team on the west coast

Yanks or Dodgers almost certainly. But don't worry, even if the Yanks get him we might get both Vargas and Cashner. Between our starters, our rangy defense, and our contact hitters we should be the favorites headed into spring training. 

[Il BuonO]

41 minutes ago, pastorfan said:

Yanks or Dodgers almost certainly. But don't worry, even if the Yanks get him we might get both Vargas and Cashner. Between our starters, our rangy defense, and our contact hitters we should be the favorites headed into spring training. 

I’m sensing some sarcasm.

[Il BuonO]

wildcard      

Posted November 11

“I think Otani biggest criteria may be which team will give him a contract clause that allow him to go free agent in two years.

From what i understand  MLB is limiting him to signing a minor league contract without any commitment passed the first  year.  No long term contracts are being allowed.   And he is also limited to 3 or 6m in his first contract.  Some team has to pay the 20m posting fee to his former team and then pay him say 4m.  That is a 24m commitment for the team.   I don't think Otani will want to wait 6 years to become a free agent when he can get the big bucks and the long term contract.    

So to me the #1 criteria for Otani is the ability to become  a free agent in two years.  That may beat out other things like being with a winning team, the amount of money he is paid for the first two years, etc.

Of course we have heard that he wants to both pitch and be an everyday hitter.   But I think that is easier to find then the two year out.”

So, are the Orioles definitely out for possibly $12mil per year? That’s less than they paid annually for Jimenez. How much do they have left in pool money? Have they traded it all away?

[SteveA]

27 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

wildcard      

Posted November 11

“I think Otani biggest criteria may be which team will give him a contract clause that allow him to go free agent in two years.

From what i understand  MLB is limiting him to signing a minor league contract without any commitment passed the first  year.  No long term contracts are being allowed.   And he is also limited to 3 or 6m in his first contract.  Some team has to pay the 20m posting fee to his former team and then pay him say 4m.  That is a 24m commitment for the team.   I don't think Otani will want to wait 6 years to become a free agent when he can get the big bucks and the long term contract.    

So to me the #1 criteria for Otani is the ability to become  a free agent in two years.  That may beat out other things like being with a winning team, the amount of money he is paid for the first two years, etc.

Of course we have heard that he wants to both pitch and be an everyday hitter.   But I think that is easier to find then the two year out.”

So, are the Orioles definitely out for possibly $12mil per year? That’s less than they paid annually for Jimenez. How much do they have left in pool money? Have they traded it all away?

Is it legal to give a player an out clause like that?   If he is essentially being treated as an international signing on par with a 16 year old Dominican, how can he circumvent the standard rules about having to play so many years before arbitration and so many more before free agency?

[Il BuonO]

Just now, SteveA said:

Is it legal to give a player an out clause like that?   If he is essentially being treated as an international signing on par with a 16 year old Dominican, how can he circumvent the standard rules about having to play so many years before arbitration and so many more before free agency?

Don’t know. Most of my post is my cumbersome attempt at quoting Wildcard from another thread. Has the new agreement with NPB been finalized?