Ynoa heading to Japan

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

These guys going overseas to play are making a lot of money. They’d have to settle for milb deals over here. 

I always liked Ynoa too, and he was always young enough that you could hope that he’d put it all together. He just couldn’t get consistent results. 

They're making good money, but even the stars in Japan only make about what a middling free agent does in the States.  I'm not sure anyone has ever made $10M in a season in Japan, and the average salary is probably less than $1M.

Okay, so I can't post this without looking stuff up... It looks like the median salary in the NPB is about $800k.  Compared to a 2020 MLB minimum of $563k and an average over $4M.  My boys in Fukuoka (I saw a game there in 2005) are out-spending even the Yomiuri Giants with the top average of $1.7M, which works out to a total payroll of $40-50M depending on roster size and players on IL, etc.  So the top team in Japan pays about what the lowest team in MLB does.

[Frobby]

17 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

They're making good money, but even the stars in Japan only make about what a middling free agent does in the States.  I'm not sure anyone has ever made $10M in a season in Japan, and the average salary is probably less than $1M.

Okay, so I can't post this without looking stuff up... It looks like the median salary in the NPB is about $800k.  Compared to a 2020 MLB minimum of $563k and an average over $4M.  My boys in Fukuoka (I saw a game there in 2005) are out-spending even the Yomiuri Giants with the top average of $1.7M, which works out to a total payroll of $40-50M depending on roster size and players on IL, etc.  So the top team in Japan pays about what the lowest team in MLB does.

If you are a AAAA guy like Ynoa, you’re probably making $300-400 k if you manage to spend half a season in the majors, slightly under $600 k if you manage to stick all year.    If you don’t have any realistic hope of reaching arbitration eligibility and having a team hang on to you, the economics of Japan look pretty darned good.     Of course, you have to be willing to live in a place where you don’t know the language and the culture is very different, and be thousands of miles from home.    But if you’re the kind of person who sees that as an adventure rather than an inconvenience, it’s a great option.   

[DrungoHazewood]

Former Orioles from a quick scan of the 2019 NPB:

Zealous Wheeler, Rakuten Golden Eagles.  .243/.320/.418 in 117 games.

Tsuyoshi Wada, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, 4-4, 3.90 in 57.2 innings.

Rick Van den Hurk, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, 2-0, 3.12, 17.1 innings.

Ariel Miranda, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, 0-2, 2.52, 25 innings.

Chris Marrero (briefly played for Norfolk and Bowie in '14), Orix Buffaloes, .211/.256/.317 in 43 games

Plus I believe that Dennis Sarfate spent the whole year on Fukuoka's injured list after being unbelievable from 2011-17.  ERAs in the 1.00s six different years with 35+ saves five different times in 140-something game schedules.

In Korea there's a couple more:

Hyun Soo Kim, LG Twins, .304/.370, 437 in 140 games.

Tyler Wilson, LG Twins, 14-7, 2.92 in 185 innings.

Felix Pie was there in '14, but has been playing in Mexico and and the Dominican since.  He OPS'd 1.131 for Leon this past season.

Speaking of Mexico... Henry Urrutia hit .370/.427/.674 for two teams in Mexico in 110 games.  Chris Roberson (Norfolk, '08) had a .916 OPS for Monterrey at the age of 39.  Niuman Romero (Norfolk, Bowie '13-14) had an .833 for Union Laguna.  

If you gathered up everyone who even briefly played in the O's system who is now in a foreign league you could probably piece together a decent AA team.

[DrungoHazewood]

24 minutes ago, Frobby said:

If you are a AAAA guy like Ynoa, you’re probably making $300-400 k if you manage to spend half a season in the majors, slightly under $600 k if you manage to stick all year.    If you don’t have any realistic hope of reaching arbitration eligibility and having a team hang on to you, the economics of Japan look pretty darned good.     Of course, you have to be willing to live in a place where you don’t know the language and the culture is very different, and be thousands of miles from home.    But if you’re the kind of person who sees that as an adventure rather than an inconvenience, it’s a great option.   

Absolutely.  Even if they just guarantee you a one-year deal at $1M you might as well take it.  You just have to be willing to adapt to the Japanese culture, baseball and otherwise.  Not everyone does. Matt Stairs was in professional baseball for 20+ years, his time in Japan was 60 games of a .712 OPS when he was 27.  

[esmd]

20 hours ago, scOtt said:

"Just A Guy"?

Yup

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Absolutely.  Even if they just guarantee you a one-year deal at $1M you might as well take it.  You just have to be willing to adapt to the Japanese culture, baseball and otherwise.  Not everyone does. Matt Stairs was in professional baseball for 20+ years, his time in Japan was 60 games of a .712 OPS when he was 27.  

Dennis Sarfate pitched for 8 years over there and racked up 234 saves and a 1.57 ERA.   He set their single season saves record (54) and is 4th on the all time list.   I don’t know if he figured out his control/command problems over there, or whether the strike zone is just a lot more pitcher-friendly.   He went from 6.1 BB/9 here to 2.6 in the NPB.

[NCRaven]

It's also an opportunity to re-establish yourself in hopes of a return to the US Major Leagues.  Sort of like signing a one-year deal with the Orioles except we play a lower level of ball.  

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, NCRaven said:

It's also an opportunity to re-establish yourself in hopes of a return to the US Major Leagues.  Sort of like signing a one-year deal with the Orioles except we play a lower level of ball.  

It's funny, but it's probably true.