Yusei Kikuchi signs with Mariners

[reillymcshane]

Japanese left hander Yusei Kikuchi has signed with the Seattle Mariners.

 

Details are still coming, but it appears to be three years with a player option. But the Mariners appears to be able to replace the player option with an additional four year guarantee, thus securing seven years of team control for Seattle.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/12/mariners-appear-nearing-deal-free-agent-yusei-kikuchi-rumors.html

[clancyphile]

Hate that the Crew missed out on him.

[rickh150]

Probably too risky anyways for a small market..... it's one thing to get a pitcher with a proven MLB track record. It's entirely another to throw big money for multiple years at a talent who hasn't showed he can cut it.

[jerichoholicninja]

Without the money known, tough to make any opinions of it. I guess Japanese players must really love Seattle as most of them seem to end up there at some point in their careers. I guess he's youngish but Seattle is clearly rebuilding and the move doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for them. Although they will probably trade him within 2 years.

[pacopete4]

Without the money known, tough to make any opinions of it. I guess Japanese players must really love Seattle as most of them seem to end up there at some point in their careers. I guess he's youngish but Seattle is clearly rebuilding and the move doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for them. Although they will probably trade him within 2 years.

 

Helps that like 15% of the population is Asian and it is one of the most diverse cities there is. Milwaukee is like 3% Asian and is the most segregated place in the US. Can’t be much of a selling point.

[TURBO]

I guess Japanese players must really love Seattle as most of them seem to end up there at some point in their careers.

 

..and never win squat!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Without the money known, tough to make any opinions of it. I guess Japanese players must really love Seattle as most of them seem to end up there at some point in their careers. I guess he's youngish but Seattle is clearly rebuilding and the move doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for them. Although they will probably trade him within 2 years.

 

Helps that like 15% of the population is Asian and it is one of the most diverse cities there is. Milwaukee is like 3% Asian and is the most segregated place in the US. Can’t be much of a selling point.

 

Yep. As soon as it was revealed that Kikuchi sought to sign with a West Coast team, that took the roughly 1% chance the team had of signing him down to 0%. The Brewers play in one of MLB's smallest and least racially diverse markets. It's always going to be tough for them to sign international free agents, let alone minorities. It is what it is.

[Mr Southpaw]

Without the money known, tough to make any opinions of it. I guess Japanese players must really love Seattle as most of them seem to end up there at some point in their careers. I guess he's youngish but Seattle is clearly rebuilding and the move doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for them. Although they will probably trade him within 2 years.

 

Helps that like 15% of the population is Asian and it is one of the most diverse cities there is. Milwaukee is like 3% Asian and is the most segregated place in the US. Can’t be much of a selling point.

 

Asian population I can see. Segregation not so much.

[KCBrewerfan34]

Really big AAV for Kikuchi. Seems completely outrageous. Kudos to Boras on this one. He got one over on DiPoto IMHO

[3and2Fastball]

DiPoto needed a signing like this, for the fan base & PR, considering the rebuild he is undertaking.

[xisxisxis]

The irony of this conversation is that Japan is the least racially diverse large developed country...

 

Are there any good sushi restaurants in Milwaukee? Most of Japan is cosmopolitan and Milwaukee is a huge small town so I can see two issues that are probably driving the decision more than the diversity of Milwaukee... Is there even a direct flight from MKE to Tokyo?

[homer]

It may simply be that the flights to Tokyo are much shorter from the west coast than from anywhere else in the US. Easier for his family to get to games and back home.

 

And I don't know what counts as "diverse" but Milwaukee is 36% white, 39% african american, 18% hispanic. Segregation is a different matter...for a different forum.

[TURBO]

Or, and I know this sounds crazy, the Mariners offered him the most money and best deal...

[Jaylyn]

Or, and I know this sounds crazy, the Mariners offered him the most money and best deal...

It's 2019 and you start the new year off with some conspiracy theory about money being the driving force behind this decision?

[pacopete4]

It’s not about this one player or any conspiracy theory. It’s just discussing why a player like him had really no interest in Milwaukee.

[Eye Black]

For those who missed it, here is the MLB Trade Rumors update on the financials...

 

Kikuchi will earn $43MM over the first three years of the contract, Heyman reports. At that point, the Mariners can then choose to extend Kikuchi for $66MM over the 2022-25 seasons, which would make the deal a seven-year, $109MM contract overall. If the M’s don’t exercise this four-year extension, Kikuchi then can opt to exercise a player option for 2022 that would pay him $13MM.

 

So the first three years are a $14.33 million AAV. Maybe not outrageous, but rich enough that it’s tough to blame the Brewers or other teams for not topping that offer.

[Jaylyn]

It’s not about this one player or any conspiracy theory. It’s just discussing why a player like him had really no interest in Milwaukee.

I was funning with turbo, but I have to wonder are people in KC, St. Louis, Cincinnati or Denver asking the same question? That players will not sign with teams based on population demographics? While I'm sure it's a consideration, it's a bottom of the list one. Money and Ichiro is why Kikushi is a Mariner today. For all the years I've been on this forum, I have noticed that many here have quite a negative view of Milwaukee and it appears that when something like this situation occurs it just reinforces the thought that there must have been something outside of baseball that was the reason they had no interest in signing with the team. If they have no interest playing here, why would you want them? Milwaukee is a fine city and just like every other city in the world it has its good points and bad points. If DS would have matched the Seattle offer, he would have been interested then. Moving on.

 

Edit: Glad Stearns didn't match that offer! WOW!

[JosephC]

As best as I can figure it, add another 8.15 million onto this for the cost of the posting fee. That would take the 3 year payout to 51.15 million, an average yearly value of 17.05 million. If the Mariners pick up that four year option, it's likely that they pay 15% of that value as a supplement to the posting fee. That makes those four years a 66 million salary + 9.9 million posting fee = 75.9 million dollar payout. Total cost of 7 years would be 109 million in salary plus 18.05 million in a posting fee for a total of 127.05 million. 127.05/7 = 18.15 million average for the seven seasons.

 

IMO, that would be crazy money for a small market team like Milwaukee.

 

If anyone finds information that proves my numbers incorrect, please post that information so we all can get a better idea on how the payouts for the posting system work. I am not pretending to be very knowledgeable in this area.

[NievesNoNO]

For those who missed it, here is the MLB Trade Rumors update on the financials...

 

Kikuchi will earn $43MM over the first three years of the contract, Heyman reports. At that point, the Mariners can then choose to extend Kikuchi for $66MM over the 2022-25 seasons, which would make the deal a seven-year, $109MM contract overall. If the M’s don’t exercise this four-year extension, Kikuchi then can opt to exercise a player option for 2022 that would pay him $13MM.

 

So the first three years are a $14.33 million AAV. Maybe not outrageous, but rich enough that it’s tough to blame the Brewers or other teams for not topping that offer.

 

Pretty much matches my thoughts on this. Considering the Brewer's current payroll, the investimet was probably a bit higher than they'd like for what amount to be a bit of a wildcard. He certainly sounds like he's prepared for the transition and his numbers over seas look like they should translate reasonably well but you never really know.

 

He may have prefered the west coast but I feel pretty confident in saying if the Brewers or anyone else had offered say, 17 million a year , that's where he'd be going.

[jerichoholicninja]

It may simply be that the flights to Tokyo are much shorter from the west coast than from anywhere else in the US. Easier for his family to get to games and back home.

 

It's a 10 hour flight from Tokyo to Seattle, 14 hours to NYC and Houston, 13 hours to Chicago, and 12 hours to LA. Does a few hours really make any difference when you're talking flights that long?

[homer]

It may simply be that the flights to Tokyo are much shorter from the west coast than from anywhere else in the US. Easier for his family to get to games and back home.

 

It's a 10 hour flight from Tokyo to Seattle, 14 hours to NYC and Houston, 13 hours to Chicago, and 12 hours to LA. Does a few hours really make any difference when you're talking flights that long?

 

10 hours to LA.

 

Yes, that makes a difference if you have to do it 8, 9 times a year.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Let's keep the "racist" tags out of these threads. Thanks.

[FVBrewerFan]

I get it, but then again I don't. Why would he have to live in Milwaukee? How many current Brewers live in Milwaukee? Having a condo to crash during homestands doesn't count.

 

That's the part I never understand whenever this comes up, whether it be international players or FAs here that prefer a certain area. What does it matter? 5 months out of the year live wherever you want. One month you're in AZ or FL, the other 6 months is really just one long road trip regardless of where you "live."

[sveumrules]

Because it's better to be comfortable for twelve months of the year than six?

[jerichoholicninja]

I get it, but then again I don't. Why would he have to live in Milwaukee? How many current Brewers live in Milwaukee? Having a condo to crash during homestands doesn't count.

 

That's the part I never understand whenever this comes up, whether it be international players or FAs here that prefer a certain area. What does it matter? 5 months out of the year live wherever you want. One month you're in AZ or FL, the other 6 months is really just one long road trip regardless of where you "live."

 

Ya, I never get that reason either. Especially for baseball players. How much "free time" do they even have during a home stand? A couple hours in the morning? Also when someone choses a team because their Spring Training complex in near where they live. I guess the extra 6 weeks at home is nice but you're still spending 6 months somewhere else.