Comments on: MLB-bound Shohei Otani picked in first round of Japan’s draft

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:06:51 +0000

Js:
Fair question. Not sure who the (6) Slapdicks are that gave you the thumbs down. The way I understand it…the signing bonus would only have to be paid by a MLB club if he is already signed with a Japanese club.
The Japanese club drafted him and are going to try to change his mind about coming to the States.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:43:24 +0000

Do they have a lot of jewish players? Seems like a match made in heaven, no?

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:42:29 +0000

We know….but that isn’t nearly as fun or funny.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:42:16 +0000

Also, because of his age, Otani would be subject to the international FA spending limits outlined in the latest CBA. By the time he would be posted (usu 8 years), this would no longer be in effect, leading to a bigger payday

Except Japan’s restrictions on contracts are even worse than the new MLB CBA re: IFA spending. Here’s a comment by Jack Gallagher who’s the Executive Sports Editor of The Japan Times:

One problem going forward for NPB teams is that they are limited to offering a ¥100 million ($1.2 million) signing bonus and ¥50 million ($600,000) in incentives, along with a first-year salary of ¥15 million ($180,000) to domestic prospects. U.S. teams are free to exceed those figures.

Great article, should read all of it:

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/40040872/

By: jayquintana

jayquintana — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:15:08 +0000

Hopefully, the kid’s agents have brought him to America already. The more he stays in Japan, the more likely it is he won’t leave.

By: poprox13

poprox13 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:12:09 +0000

yes, it was a joke. sorry if that wasnt clear

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:03:43 +0000

With his frame and velocity, the Yu Darvish comparisons are frequent. The Fighters now have 5 months to sell an 18yo on this idea. Superstardom in his home country or the rough life of a minor league made rougher by not speaking the language. Also, because of his age, Otani would be subject to the international FA spending limits outlined in the latest CBA. By the time he would be posted (usu 8 years), this would no longer be in effect, leading to a bigger payday. Secondly, if he does skip the NPB, Otani would be hit by the penalty of the “Tazawa rule” – keeping him from playing for an NPB club for three years AFTER his return to his home country.

By: randygnyc

randygnyc — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:44:03 +0000

Why would they draft a player who declares his intention to come to America? Someone should lose their job. They’ve wasted the pick and missed on drafting the next best talent.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:35:41 +0000

Not sure if people are joking here, but I’ll put this out there for those unfamiliar with NPB. The company that owns the team is Nippon Ham. The team is called the Fighters. It is Company Mascot, not City Mascot.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:32:45 +0000

Fighters punted last year’s first round pick too. Drafted the top college arm despite his declaration that he would only play for the Giants. True to his word, he didn’t even open negotiations with the Fighters.

However, Shohei declared for the NPB draft. It was well within the Fighters rights to draft him and try to sign him. Regardless, if he does end up signing with an MLB team, this delay in negotiation should hardly delay his development. He is 18 and it is the offseason.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:28:46 +0000

Re: posting fees

If Shohei signs with the Fighters, they likely would not make him available for 5 years.

By: thereisaparty

thereisaparty — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:27:14 +0000

Shohei did indeed declare for the NPB draft. This is reason the Fighters gave in drafting him, stating that this move on his part demonstrated a desire to stay in Japan or at least an apprehension towards moving to the MLB.

By: jayquintana

jayquintana — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:14:24 +0000

They’re probably thinking they got five months to “guilt trip” the kid and his parents into staying in Japan. I wouldn’t be surprised if they succeed.

By: gammagammahey

gammagammahey — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:20:48 +0000

At least as far as MLB goes, you don’t have to declare for the draft. If you meet the eligibility requirements, any team can draft you. When you hear about players “declaring” for the draft, it’s usually in football or basketball where players enter the draft by leaving school early. And no, there won’t be a posting fee in this case.

By: maximusprime107

maximusprime107 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:53:19 +0000

Kind of lame of the team to draft him when he wants to play in the MLB and making it longer until he can sign with an MLB team

By: poprox13

poprox13 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:44:17 +0000

I think they would only have to pay the posting fee if he actually signs with the Ham Fighters. If he doesnt sign he can sign with and MLB team in March with no posting fee.

By: poprox13

poprox13 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:40:33 +0000

I think the Blue Jays should change their name to the Toronto Canadian Bacon Fighters.

By: js20011041

js20011041 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:22:00 +0000

I’m not familiar with the rules over there, but don’t you have to declare for a draft in order to be eligible? I mean, they can’t just start draft a player against his will and control their rights to play baseball, can they? I’m assuming that now a major league team is going to have to pay a posting fee in order to sign this kid. If that’s the case, this really sucks because that money is only going to come out of his signing bonus.

By: sophiethegreatdane

sophiethegreatdane — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:21:30 +0000

Really hamming it up there, aren’t ya? Listen, I’m all for a good food pun, but I’m not going to egg you on for the halibut. Stick a pork in me, I’m done.

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:18:09 +0000

I fought the foo…and the foo won. *sigh*

By: amaninwhite

amaninwhite — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:13:34 +0000

The only possible thing that could be cooler would be the opportunity to fight foo.

By: mattyflex

mattyflex — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:21:43 +0000

Remember when the Royals hired Trey Hillman to be their head coach after he took the Nippon Ham Fighters from worst to first in four years? And then David Glass wouldn’t spend money on players and blamed him for being a bad coach? Good times.

By: cur68

cur68 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:59:05 +0000

Kid shouldn’t pass up the chance to fight ham. That would be so cool on a CV: “In 2012, I was chosen 1st overall to fight ham for Nippon. So I went and I did my best. I fought ham”. Cool.

By: 13arod

13arod — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:56:24 +0000

he will be back in march