Adam Jones signs 2-year deal with Orix Buffaloes

[Spl51]

7 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

No

I think I read too many SoR comments.

[sportsfan8703]

Well Jones always was a West Coast guy.  

[Frobby]

Adam kind of mistimed his career. One of the very few players to outperform his first big contract yet not get paid for a second one.

He’s “only” made $98 mm in his career, while Jacoby Ellsbury has made $173 mm.    Not that I’m crying for Adam.     He’ll be able to feed his family.   

[BRobinsonfan]

8 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Looks like the Orix Buffaloes could pick up a lot of fans in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

I'm ready to order my hat.  

 

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Well Jones always was a West Coast guy.  

So what is he doing on the Far East Coast?

[sportsfan8703]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

So what is he doing on the Far East Coast?

He went too far west.  

[Can_of_corn]

I dug up my post from last year.

On 10/15/2018 at 8:07 PM, Can_of_corn said:

Pretty sure Rickey Henderson wasn't playing minor league ball at 46 because he needed the money.

Lew Ford probably isn't broke and he is playing minor league ball at 41.

Some guys like to play.

I can see Jones picking NPB over a gig in AAA.  I can certainly see him picking the NPB over retiring at such a young age.

[MurphDogg]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

I dug up my post from last year.

Don't hurt youself patting yourself on the back. 

That said, I agree that there is no way this is about money. Going to Japan would be a new adventure, and as long as the family is on board, I totally understand him doing it. I'm sure it will be more memorable than playing a year or two in the Pacific Coast League.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, MurphDogg said:

Don't hurt youself patting yourself on the back. 

That said, I agree that there is no way this is about money. Going to Japan would be a new adventure, and as long as the family is on board, I totally understand him doing it. I'm sure it will be more memorable than playing a year or two in the Pacific Coast League.

Oh come on, that was a heck of a prediction.  That one deserves some self congratulation.

[DrungoHazewood]

53 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Has anyone here ever been to a game in Japan? I would like to go but it is a hell of a long flight. Not sure I would be able to convince my wife, there are many places in Europe that she would much prefer visiting.

Yes.  In Fukuoka in 2005.  They played the Seibu Lions at the Yahoo! Dome.  It was a tremendous experience.  Bands.  Chanting, singing, kimono-clad people leading cheers.  Nearly a sellout for a Saturday afternoon game in July.  I saw Tony Batista.  Half the fans were wearing jerseys of Tsuyoshi Wada, Nobuhiko Matsunaka, others.  Impossible to tell details of what was going on most of the time, as the scoreboard was all in Japanese characters and I couldn't hear any PA system.  

It was wonderful.

[DrungoHazewood]

 

1 hour ago, interloper said:

MLB is seeing a fairly dramatic exodus of guys dumping the current broken system for better times in Japan and Korea. Honestly, if you're Jones, why WOULDN'T you just say "to hell with waiting until March to get a minor league offer". Go hit some dongs off some sub-par pitchers, play the hero for another couple years, eat some interesting food for your instagram, and witness fans in the stands who actually care and pay attention to the game and cheer. 

There's literally only one downside if you're Jones and that's moving your family. 

Maybe this isn't your intent, but I think you're kind of underselling Japanese pitchers.  There are certainly MLB quality pitchers in the NBP.  The average guy in Japan is probably more like a AAA pitcher, but there are 20, 30, 40 pitchers who could play in the majors right now. More than that if you set the bar at "could pitch for the Orioles or Tigers".

There are a long list of US players who've gone to Japan to hit some dongs off sub-par pitchers and came back three months later with their tails between their legs. Just the other day I look up Matt Stairs, who spent over 20 years in the majors.  In the middle of his career he spent 60 games in Japan OPSing .712.  

1 hour ago, atomic said:

MLB might need to raise the league minimum. With all the guys from our roster who have left for Japan in the last few years it could become a trend.

MLB minimum is about $560k this year.  The median salary in Japan is about $800k.

Baseball would be better off if there were leagues outside of MLB's influence that could afford to sign decent talent.  Competition can do wonders.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, DrungoHazewood said:

 

Maybe this isn't your intent, but I think you're kind of underselling Japanese pitchers.  There are certainly MLB quality pitchers in the NBP.  The average guy in Japan is probably more like a AAA pitcher, but there are 20, 30, 40 pitchers who could play in the majors right now. More than that if you set the bar at "could pitch for the Orioles or Tigers".

There are a long list of US players who've gone to Japan to hit some dong of sub-par pitchers and came back three months later with their tails between their legs. Just the other day I look up Matt Stairs, who spent over 20 years in the majors.  In the middle of his career he spent 60 games in Japan OPSing .712.  

MLB minimum is about $560k this year.  The median salary in Japan is about $800k.

Baseball would be better off if there were leagues outside of MLB's influence that could afford to sign decent talent.  Competition can do wonders.

Don't they still have limits on how many foreign players can be on each team?

[Aglets]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

Don't they still have limits on how many foreign players can be on each team?

According to baseball-ref each team is allowed up to 4.   But only 3 can be position players or pitchers.

[DrungoHazewood]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Don't they still have limits on how many foreign players can be on each team?

Not 100% sure, but probably.

[MurphDogg]

12 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Oh come on, that was a heck of a prediction.  That one deserves some self congratulation.