A few notes from around the game:
- Much could change during the highly anticipated courting process, but George A. King III of the New York Post reports that the Yankees are seen throughout the industry as the favorites to land soon-to-be free agent Shohei Ohtani. The Yankees are in an enviable position when it comes to available pool space, though it’s clear money isn’t Ohtani’s primary concern. Whether Ohtani goes to the Yankees may affect left-hander CC Sabathia’s future with the club, King posits, as they’d have a quintet of capable starters on hand with the newcomer joining Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery. So, while Sabathia wants to re-sign with the Yankees, an answer on his future might not come until at least late December if he waits out the Ohtani derby.
- If the Mariners bring back free agent righty Hisashi Iwakuma, it’ll likely be on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, Greg Johns of MLB.com suggests. The 36-year-old Iwakuma revealed this week that he’s weighing an offer to re-sign with Seattle, which declined his $10MM club option in favor of a $1MM buyout at season’s end, and Johns expects him to accept it.
- Power is more prevalent than ever in baseball, but the ability to control the strike zone and make quality contract are less common, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet observes. While 117 players racked up 20 or more home runs last season, only 25 hit .300 or better, leading Nicholson-Smith to note that hitting ability may now be the toughest-to-find offensive skill. The piece, which is worth checking out in full, includes quotes from general managers David Forst (Athletics), A.J. Preller (Padres), Neal Huntington (Pirates), Mike Rizzo (Nationals) and Michael Girsch (Cardinals) about the current offensive landscape.
Has anyone from other countries ever done this? Is this guy or his agents full of themselves or is this the norm?
I think when you have all the teams courting you, the power is in your hands. Doesn’t seem like an unfair ask. Especially since he’s not going to make much money early on.
Can’t blame them for going about his posting this way. He’s a unique player that is leaving his home country to play for a fraction of the salary he was making in NPB. He wants to make sure he chooses the best possible fit.
Its a very reasonable request. There is no norm here in this situation and they even said not to include financial terms. What is wrong with asking how a foreign player that ever team covets would fit in
Happened with Matsusaka, Darvish and Tanaka. Probably happened with others, as well.
Ok. Thank you for the responses. I hope the Yankees finish this deal soon so we can get on with the signings.
The Yankees should still sign CC even before they know if they will get Ohtani. Having Severino, Gray, Tanaka and Montgomery isn’t nearly enough with all the injuries that occur from year to year. Someone needs to pick up innings, who will?
Domingo German, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield, Domingo Acevedo, Luis Cessa(if he’s still here).
Iwakuma can get a big leauge contract somehwere. So is probably goodbye Seattle
He can get one, the question is WILL he get one?
Coming off of surgery and having missed most of 2017? I doubt that. A minor league deal with incentives seems more likely.
“wants info on teams medical philosophies”… this rules out the orioles lol
Yanks should sign CC and Otani.
I’m with you 150%
That will set up a world series rotation
Kind of like encarnacion set up Cleveland’s World Series championship?
Nice
I didn’t know EE was a pitcher.
Lol….and his quick decline starts now!
Ohtani is different in that he is only getting 3 million and he is only 23.. If the Yanks sign him I can see a six man rotation with Severino, Gray, Tanaks, Ohtani, Montgomery, and CC.
No you’ll see CC not back or Montgomery function as bullpen long man or in AAA waiting for an injury
Maybe Chance Adams gets some innings this year or is he a Sept callup? If he is the only guy then the Yankees really have no depth to withstand any injuries. Better sign some starters
.300 seems unfair to base average off in today’s game. I fell something like .280 is the new .300
Thats true. Some guys who bat even below .280 are considered superstars
Batting averages have gone down 20 points since the banning of amphetamines
Because amphetamines were legal until recently?
To be fair, guys who hit under .280 are sometimes easily superstars. Average is a very misleading and overrated stat
That’s because BA is a poor measure of (batter) performance. Doubt any actual mlb team personnel would bother with it.
Yes, this is why Chris Carter is making the big bucks. Pfttt
Batting average doesn’t measure much, honestly. I doubt teams use any “traditional” statistics in their evaluation process, using proprietary stuff that incorporates batted ball data and such is more likely. We only have a fraction of the information teams have at their disposal.
A guy can have a horrible average, but still be a very useful player. A good example is Joey Gallo. Though he only batted 209, he still had an OBP of .333, and a slugging % of .537. He finished with ann 869 OPS.
So useful they traded Yu Darvish
Bench mark counting stats like a .300 bat avg should never be seen as “unfair” or too high a standard. It may not be the best stat to use to evaluate a players ability but it is still a powerful skill to possess especially if coupled with power and the ability to draw a walk.
A .300/.380/.30 hr guy is imo more valuable than a .260/.390/40 hrs guy.
A 3 hit tool guy (ability to hit for avg, draw a walk and hit for power) is better than a guy who will either walk, hit a HR or draw a walk.
I disagree. I’d much rather have the guy who gets on base more and has more power
How is getting on base 38% of the time ever better than getting on base 39% of the time? Because he got more “hits” than the other guy? Guy two was on base more often, and getting on base more often is the goal of the game. Plus in your example guy 2 also hit 10 more HR, which could count for 10 more runs(or more). I just wonder why you would want player one?
The Yankees are gonna send a video explanation that just has says “c’mon bro we’re the Yankees.” And the backdrop will be George Steinbrenner hitting a home run with money falling out of the sky.
With Tanaka and Matsuis faces in the corner
lmao someone please make this
Batting averages have gone down 20 points since the banning of amphetamines
More likely since the use of the shift has become so prominent in today’s game.. Mark Teixeira is a good example of this.. An avg that stayed around .300 until 2010 when they started shifting him heavily and a .250 (if he was lucky) avg after..
While that might be a small part of it, I think the real cause of batting average’s decline is the acceptance of analytics league-wide. The guys that go up there and slap ground balls everywhere to try to beat out singles aren’t actually particularly good offensive players unless they have elite bat control. Teams have gotten more efficient about weeding that type of player out of the game in favor of power and walks, which might be less aesthetically pleasing (it is for me), but is more conducive to winning games
Yes, I think teams prefer to use players who actually help them win games too. Batting average is a fairly useless tool to measure a player’s value. Unless you’re Tony Gwynn or something, and even Gwynn didn’t have much value late in his career, after he slowed down and was hitting into a ton of double plays, even with the 330 batting averages.
I’ve read how the Yankees are the favorites because they have a huge sum of money. Except we know that how much money a team can offer probably isn’t that important.
The Yankees are the favorites because they have a history with Japanese players. Except there’s no indication that Ohtani cares about that.
The Yankees are the favorites because they could win it all in 2018. Except Ohtani indicated he’d like to help a team win, not jump on a winning bandwagon.
The Yankees are the favorites because he can maximize his endorsements in New York. Except we don’t know if this is a goal and being a Yankee won’t increase his endorsements in Japan. He’ll get those no matter what. And really being a Yankee hasn’t done much for the players who are there.
Ohtani said he wants to go somewhere that’ll help him be the best player he can be. This questionnaire seems to be asking each team how they’re going to do just that. I feel like Ohtani’s going to choose a team that answers this questionnaire by pointing out the flaws in his game, how to fix them, and why this team is best suited to do so.
Maybe we’re talking the Pirates where Ray Searage works magic with pitchers. Of maybe the Phillies where Gabe Kapler will tell him how the proper diet will help his fastball. I think it’ll be a team that doesn’t usually get Japanese players and people will be surprised.
So you agree with the New York media that the Yankees have the clear advantage in factors that won’t make a difference?
Yes, but I’d change your sentence to the Yankees have the clear advantage in factors that may not matter. While the information we hear says they won’t, most of that is rumors or trying to read between the lines of quotes that were translated from Japanese.
What seems to be apparent is that Ohtani isn’t using the traditional criteria or, at the very least, other factors are important. This questionnaire is atypical. We don’t know what answers Ohtani is looking for but they clearly aren’t who can offer the most money. They ask that financial terms of a potential contract not be included. I’ve never heard of that before. My guess is that he feels he’ll read the answers and know which team he wants to be on. I see no reason to believe that the Yankees will give the best answers since I don’t know what those are. And neither do they.
Well that’s a distinction without a difference. Everything about this player is atypical. I’m just having a good chuckle at the New York fans and media who are,so sure it’s all done but the pen on the paper when in reality nobody really knows what this kid really wants yet.
I hope you are right about all of that. Given Ohtani’s age, maybe he looks at the best farm system in baseball. Coop has a good reputation with pitchers and White Sox have a hitters park. The Sox have about a 2% chance of landing Ohtani (maybe less) and if so, he could be another HUGE addition to a very strong young nucleus for this team.
Just imagine….Sign Lorenzo Cain this year, Ohtani picks the White Sox, then sign Machado next offseason. Competing for titles with a young core and still have a quality farm system with Robert, Cease, Rutherford, Burger, Dunning, ’18 1st rd pick….
C’mon JR make it happen……..aaaaahhhhhhh pipe dreams
C Collins
1B Abreu
2B Moncada
3B Machado
SS Anderson
LF Garcia
CF Cain
RF Jimenez
DH Ohtani
Rodon, Giolito, Kopech, Ohtani, Lopez/Hansen
Jones, Burdi, Fulmer, Infante, Putnam, Bummer…..FAs?
1. CF Cain (R)
2. 2B Moncada (S)
3. 1B Abreu (R)
4. 3B Machado (R)
5. DH Ohtani (L)
6. RF Jimenez (R)
7. LF Garcia (R)
8. C Collins (L)
9. SS Anderson (R)
@dazedatnoon
You lost me when you added the White Sox signing Machado. That is not going to happen
As a Yankee fan who generally agrees with your basic premise but disagrees with the specifics, let me respond to each of your points.
-“The Yankees are the favorites because they have a history with Japanese players.”
First, it’s important to remember that nobody is saying the Yanks are a favorite because of one specific criteria, but because of all of them combined. So while we may not know if he cares about history with Japanese players, it’s not an unreasonable assumption given what it means: that the team and organization have experience dealing with issues that a Japanese player might face when coming to MLB and living and playing in New York. Having a staff with an experienced MLB translator who’s worked hundreds of games, and a staff that maybe has already learned some basic Japanese. Surely an older and more experienced star like Tanaka already being on the team will be an enormous asset both personally (giving him a friend who speaks his language and is from his very different culture) but a friend who can help him adjust, who has done this before. It also tells him that Japanese players seemed to like what they have to offer.
“…because they have a huge sum of money.”
While obviously money is not his sole driving motivation, and clearly not the most important thing, a willingness to spend could very well be a factor here. Ohtani is not coming to MLB to play on a mediocre team, he (presumably) will want to win, so the Yankees financial might may not affect Otani directly in terms of his first contract, but will mean a lot when he looks at teams who are dedicated to fielding the best assemblage of talent. In short: he probably won’t want to join a cheapskate team unwilling to do what it takes to win.
“The Yankees are the favorites because they could win it all in 2018. Except Ohtani indicated he’d like to help a team win, not jump on a winning bandwagon.”
I’ve never heard him say that. I never heard him say specifically “I want to join a winning team that needs me to win, I don’t want to join a team that can win without me.” And even if he did, the Yankees are on the cusp of a WS run, not in the middle of one. Ohtani could be, to your point, that “last piece” they need. I’d say of all the teams in the hunt for him (which is a lot), the Yanks are probably the most like the team you say he wants to join.
“The Yankees are the favorites because he can maximize his endorsements in New York. Except we don’t know if this is a goal and being a Yankee won’t increase his endorsements in Japan.”
This is tough to debate, but neither you nor I know the affect of this one, so it’s almost pointless. But to play devil’s advocate, I’d say that playing in a big market (LA, New York, Chicago) probably does help to raise his profile in the US to get him more endorsements both stateside and internationally. But who knows– there’s not enough solid info on this to say if it’s an important factor or to dismiss it either.
As a Yankee fan, I want him to sign with my favorite team. But I also agree with you broadly that the Yankees probably aren’t the odds on favorite everyone seems to think, if only because we don’t know for certain what he’s looking for.
That said, he’s surely coming to MLB to play against the best, to join a team where he fits in well, and a team poised to win, which gives the Yankees as good a chance as anyone.
Dodgers seem to be the best destination.
No DH, so that will hurt the Dodgers and every NL team. Ohtani hasn’t played the field in a few years.
Name the player the Yankees haven’t signed after making them their primary target, and giving the full court press? Number 16 is retired in honor of Whitey Ford, but I’m sure Ben Heller will give up 61 if Ohtani asks.
Cano?
Yankees drew a line in the sand, and did not go all out to bring him back, or else he would still be playing 2B for the Yanks.
Cliff Lee after the 2010 season
Of course you could say with most any team. A team is only going to go all out with a full court press if they have a good shot at signing a player. If they do get the guy it’s because they gave the extra effort and the story of how they did that is one that the team and the player want to tell. When a team doesn’t land a guy the story is they didn’t really want him that much.
Yanks did not go all out for Lee, because they knew his Wife hated NY after the fans threw a beer at her or spit on her or something. Any overture the team made was merely fan service. Lee was never going to the Yanks.
@hitman23
You crack me up. Thats is B. S. Sorry to inform you but your Yankees went all out, full court oress style on Lee, and did not get him. Oh but they knew ONE fan through a beer on his wife so they “did not go all out?”
So they only half tried? Sorry pal Yankees lost out.
Sabathia was known not to want to be in NY at one time as well. So I guess the got him to change his mind but I guess they did not “go all out” to do so huh?
The offer the Phillies made was actually worth more annually than what the Yankees offered, so No they did not go all out, and drew a line with Money. The Yanks going all out is offering the player so much more to play in NY than any other team can sniff at. How the hell do you think Ellsbury got that ludicrous contract.
Ohtani will sign with Boston. A good young team w players his age , a solid new Manager , and the fact that Boston has had success w Japanese born players.
None of those are reasons why he would sign with the Red Sox. So many teams can say the exact same thing
You mean the team that cheats and breaks the international signing rules , no thanks.
A solid new manager? I’m sure he’ll do well, but as a selling point for Ohtani, a winning veteran like Maddon, Scoscia, or Baker make be a better pitch than a former bench coach and first time manager.
Wow Boston has “players his age?” No one else does. Only Boston has players who are 23. What about the Cubs? Yankees? Houston? White Sox? Braves? Phillies? I can go on genius
Oh Boston has a “solid new manager” you say genius? His has never managed a game in his life! But he is “solid” huh? I guess guys like Bochy Francona Hinch Maddon Roberts etc do not qualify?
Boston is a racist town. Not alot of Japanese either. Sorry to inform you Boston is certainly NOT where he is going.
But good news if he winds up in NY with the Yankees who have a REAL shot here you get to face Ohtani 18 times per year! With him in pinstripes
Slider – check out the top ten averages during the sixties. Beanie time! That outta cross your tops. Roll of whites.
Not mariners fan but that makes the most sense for this kid
NY Post is full of crap saying Yanks are the favorites. They were owned by the Astros and don’t have the close connections that other teams (Rangers) with Ohtani.
Losing 4-3 is getting owned? Lol. ok…
Congrats to the Astros on their first WS, though. Great young team.
New York media reports Yankees are favorites for everything whether it’s true or not. Shocker
For what it’s worth (which probably isn’t much) the reports have been saying that scouts and the ever-nebulous “industry insiders” are also calling the Yankees the favorites here. I’m still skeptical though.
Hey Guys, New to the forum yet followed it for years. Just a question and I’m gonna show my lack of knowledge here. Is Ohtani really worth it? Hey I get it…. the kid can hit, he can pitch, he’s got a lot of tools. transition is my worry though. If you look at other Japanese stars this is not so clear of an issue. Ichiro is amazing, but dedicated to a team that never really went anywhere. Matsui had a great career with the Yankees, but I can’t say he was historically the best outfielder I have ever seen. Tanaka is good, but transitioning over to American ball has been hard for him. First it was the rest days in between. MLB hitters were locking on to his secondary and tertiary pitches and hitting him hard. I mean he has been a number 2 at best so far not really a true Ace yet. He has potential but damn it’s gonna take some time. Now you have Ohtani on the table that will have to deal with not just a culture change, but trying to master both hitting AND pitching in the powerhouse of the AL east, deal with the NY media, language barrier, etc etc. I mean I almost think it would be better to start the kid in Triple A and let him get used to it down there first. Yeah millions of $ on a AAA player not the best idea but for the player to transition it might be better. Kuroda developed in a west coast NL ball. Traditionally the hitters have been worse over there mostly due to pitchers having to hit. He’s a great pitcher in the later years of his career but struggled to get started a bit right? I dunno. Ohtani is hardly a sure thing going to NYY, but is he worth the hype? Probably a better bet than bringing CC back due to his youth and contract control, but I don’t see an ace here I see a gamble.
So you don’t want to spend $23 million because the other Japanese players on the Yanks were not HOFers? I think you are just setting yourself up for rejection by the pretty girl before it happens. Or maybe you hit the nail on the head. He won’t sign with the yanks because all their Japanese players have sucked and he does not want to be part of the sucking tradition.
Its not just the YAnks though. Daisuke Matsuzaka and his gyro ball for exams le. I think this is more a Japanese league vs MLB. I think transitioning between them is much harder then the GMs are banking on here and maybe we should consider it closer to what we do the Latin leagues. Treat them as minor leagues to the MLB and make player expectations and salaries to match.