Nippon Ham Fighters - Shohei Ohtani to MLB

[lcbj68c]

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/253993996/japans-shohei-ohtani-reportedly-to-be-posted/?topicId=27118122

 

Not sure I fully expect the Brewers to be truly involved in Asian talent, but here's hoping. Guy can apparently pitch and pinch hit on his days off? Probably best suited for the AL and DH if somebody would even let him play both ways. Dodgers, Braves, Cubs, White Sox, Reds, Astros, Royals, Athletics, Cardinals, Padres, Giants and Nationals don't have enough money I guess to get him. So that leaves the Yankees, Mets, and Angels?

[ZBTMP]

At least the Brewers now have a full time Asian scout! Really its hard to see anything Milwaukee can offer that another market can’t. And there is plenty Milwaukee cannot offer (large Asian population base, maximum marketing and branding opportunities, etc.). I believe the bonuses paid out to Carlos Rodriguez and Larry Ernesto mean the Brewers aren’t even considering a serious run. But nothing should be off the table; including playing games in Japan, having large endorsement deals prepared with local companies, and even local government official involvement.

[JosephC]

Here is how I see it shaking out.

 

Otani signs with the Yankees for something like a 1 to 1.5 million dollar bonus.

 

As the result of a secret, under-the-table deal, Otani magically gets a 8 year, 256 million dollar extension after his first year of major league service.

 

MLB acknowledges that there is no real way they can enforce the spirit of international signing limits, and an international draft is instituted within the next 3 or 4 years.

 

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I also don't think there is any chance that Otani sees regular MLB at-bats if he proves to be a legitimate #1 or #2 starter. Risk getting hit in the hand by a pitch and sliding into bases? See Jimmy Nelson and Chase Anderson. A team can give him any line of crap in order to get him signed, but when he gets out to the mound if he's hitting 100+ MPH 40 times in one start (which he has apparently done in Japan) and is getting MLB hitters out, his days of getting semi-regular at-bats on non-pitching days will soon become a thing of the past. Now if the guy proves to be a #4/#5 type back-end starter, then I could see him getting regular at-bats/pinch-hitting opportunities provided the guy can legitimately hit (say an OPS of .750+).

[clancyphile]

At least the Brewers now have a full time Asian scout! Really its hard to see anything Milwaukee can offer that another market can’t. And there is plenty Milwaukee cannot offer (large Asian population base, maximum marketing and branding opportunities, etc.). I believe the bonuses paid out to Carlos Rodriguez and Larry Ernesto mean the Brewers aren’t even considering a serious run. But nothing should be off the table; including playing games in Japan, having large endorsement deals prepared with local companies, and even local government official involvement.

 

How about actually making a pitcher/hitter combo work?

 

Have we forgotten Brooks "Toolshed" Kieschnick already?

 

That is what Milwaukee can offer Ohtani. He can pitch, but also be a PH, DH, or part-time 1B/OF - and the Brewers, in the words of Tim Gunn, have proven they can "make it work."

[Fear The Chorizo]

If Ohtani truly wants to be a two-way player, and AL team with the DH probably makes the most sense...injuries are a concern, but think of how valuable he could be to an AL club by essentially taking care of two everyday roster spots - starting pitcher and DH.

 

On days he pitches, the team could use a more traditional DH to hit for whoever their weakest position player is if they'd prefer it.

 

In the NL, yes, he'd get pinch hit opportunities - but he'd struggle to get lots of consistent ABs. Ohtani will not start in MLB as a Kieschnick role - his upside both at the plate and hitting far exceeds what Brooks had during his time in the majors.

[chuckiehacks]

Ohtani signs with Braun's agent. Hmmm...

[brewcrewdue80]

Otani is allowed to sign with a team...Now he's gotta wait til July 2nd right? Why come out with this news already in our offseason?

 

How quick of an impact is he going to be to the team that wins his signing bonanza when He'd be signing July 2nd? One would have to assume he has to spend time in the minors to acclimate himself to US Baseball. So what's that? 4-8 starts assuming he does well? Pretty much an end of July to mid August at earliest?

 

Oh I found an article stating what teams had left. Pretty much 3 teams with 3mil+ in Rangers, Yankees, and Twins.

Milwaukee has 765k to offer. Seattle is the highest West Coast team that can offer 1.57mil. Or else he does the 300k and as I suggested would happen in short time, the extension sign not long after getting his 1st ML start.

[jerichoholicninja]

He doesn't have to wait util July 2. And I highly doubt he starts in the minors unless he gets hurt in spring training.

[brewcrewdue80]

This just shown in my feed. Twins get back 3mil to use by June 15th on signings.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/twins-void-3-million-contract-dominican-shortstop-jelfry-marte/?utm_content=buffer33f5f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#eSBVuYuJMizQewJL.97

 

"With Marte's contract voided, the Twins have an extra $3 million available in their bonus pool for the 2017-18 signing period, which ends on June 15, 2018. Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani is the biggest name on the verge of becoming eligible to sign, while Cuban center fielder Julio Pablo Martinez is also likely to be declared a free agent during the current signing period. It's also possible Marte could still sign with the Twins for a smaller bonus."

 

"Most of the high-profile 2017 prospects from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have already signed. Two exceptions are center fielder Raimfer Salinas (the No. 10 international prospect) and catcher Antonio Cabello (the No. 15 prospect), both of whom train with Francisco Ortiz in Venezuela, though several sources believe the Yankees are likely to sign them."

 

If Minnesota still had 3mil+ to sign International, they now have 6+mil. Or was the updates from Marte void leave them with a little over 3mil to sign Otani?

 

So the Yankees are tied to 2 players they in a top 30, so most likely to reach their 3mil+ left to sign international...So could Texas and the Yankees sorta come to an agreement on who wins the Otani signing, that they'd be left to sign Cabello/Salinas?

 

It is odd, with how Texas had abused the system before that they'd have so much left to use to sign away. Same with the Yankees. Makes ya go hmmmm.