Shohei Ohtani Signs with the Angels

[davell]

None of this makes me confident in our chances. The Yankees were always going to be a favorite for him. This just makes it even a bit more in their favor.

[davell]

https://twitter.com/sung_minkim/status/928873859255738370

 

Here he comes....

[David]

I’m pretty sure I will be devastated if the Cubs do not land him. He is a part of The Plan!

 

are you delusional or what

[UMFan83]

What would the Cubs have to do to be in the best position to sign him? Right now they have to be behind teams like the Dodgers and Yankees who both play in larger markets with significantly higher Japanese populations. The Yankees can offer millions more than the Cubs, both have competitive teams both now and into the foreseeable future, both have deep pockets, both have Japanese players already on their team.

 

The Cubs can offer many of those things but not all of them. Would signing Darvish make the difference? Other than that it would take a hell of a Theo recruiting job.

 

I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just hoping someone can sell me on feeling ok about the Cubs chances.

[David]

What would the Cubs have to do to be in the best position to sign him? Right now they have to be behind teams like the Dodgers and Yankees who both play in larger markets with significantly higher Japanese populations. The Yankees can offer millions more than the Cubs, both have competitive teams both now and into the foreseeable future, both have deep pockets, both have Japanese players already on their team.

 

The Cubs can offer many of those things but not all of them. Would signing Darvish make the difference? Other than that it would take a hell of a Theo recruiting job.

 

I'm not trying to be negative, I'm just hoping someone can sell me on feeling ok about the Cubs chances.

 

pray that he somehow has a secret affinity for chicago or the cubs

 

or do some shady stuff which i'm totally on board with and i don't think is beneath our FO.

[David]

I’m pretty sure I will be devastated if the Cubs do not land him. He is a part of The Plan!

 

are you delusional or what

 

No? Are we really conceding this guy because the team can’t offer him a whopping $3.5 million or whatever? Sorry - a couple million bucks and not enough Japanese people in the area or something?

 

we're not conceding anything. we have nothing to do with the cubs' chances to sign him. you might, however, want to make your expectations a little more realistic if you're going to be devastated if the cubs don't land him, because they're damn near certainly not going to.

[Sammy Sofa]

When they lose out.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The path to Otani preferring the Cubs is centered around him wanting to compete for championships and be part of a core with similarly aged players, while also being 'the guy' in terms of the rotation. The direction we've seen from him so far at least makes you think that's a decent part of his motivation(sacrificing millions to get over a year earlier), so that's good.

 

The biggest problem is that the Yankees(despite me personally thinking they'll have a 2016 Astros regression next year) can say very similar things, give him a bit more money up front, offer him a rotation mate from Japan, and offer him more time as a hitter via the DH. He'd need to be turned off by New York the place/media, want to go lone wolf as the only Japanese SP, etc.

[biittner77]

I’m pretty sure I will be devastated if the Cubs do not land him. He is a part of The Plan!

 

are you delusional or what

 

No? Are we really conceding this guy because the team can’t offer him a whopping $3.5 million or whatever? Sorry - a couple million bucks and not enough Japanese people in the area or something?

 

The money being the same where ever he goes makes LA being more attractive for non baseball reasons a legit concern. It's a much shorter flight home from the West Coast. How important that winds up being is impossible to say. Maybe he winds up in Seattle and it doesn't matter because Seattle hardly even exists in the Cubs universe.

[ConstableRabbit]

We can just spend $50m on private jet flights and bribes to Japanese citizens to move here.

[UMFan83]

I’m a complete non-believer with this angle that Japanese teammates or population sizes will be a factor. He just left Japan for pennies because he thinks the world of himself and no matter where he goes there will be plenty of Japanese people following close behind.

 

I also believe that Chicago and the Cubs are kind of new territory for Japanese stars and this will have more appeal than less. While the Yankees and Dodgers are firmly established in Japan and have fielded superstars like Nomo and Matsui among others, he would the first in Chicago, the third of the three major American entertainment capitals.

 

A distant 3rd though as much as I like to be a Chicago homer. It's not even close to LA and NY in terms of visibility globally so I really don't see the appeal of being "Chicago's Japanese star" being that much more than other slightly smaller metros.

[Sammy Sofa]

I’m a complete non-believer with this angle that Japanese teammates or population sizes will be a factor. He just left Japan for pennies because he thinks the world of himself and no matter where he goes there will be plenty of Japanese people following close behind.

 

I also believe that Chicago and the Cubs are kind of new territory for Japanese stars and this will have more appeal than less. While the Yankees and Dodgers are firmly established in Japan and have fielded superstars like Nomo and Matsui among others, he would the first in Chicago, the third of the three major American entertainment capitals.

 

A distant 3rd though as much as I like to be a Chicago homer. It's not even close to LA and NY in terms of visibility globally so I really don't see the appeal of being "Chicago's Japanese star" being that much more than other slightly smaller metros.

 

Plus the "new territory for Japanese stars" thing is complete BS since Fukudome probably told everyone about what a nightmare it was.

[imb]

There is 0 chance he picks the cubs. Come on.

[David]

The path to Otani preferring the Cubs is centered around him wanting to compete for championships and be part of a core with similarly aged players, while also being 'the guy' in terms of the rotation. The direction we've seen from him so far at least makes you think that's a decent part of his motivation(sacrificing millions to get over a year earlier), so that's good.

 

The biggest problem is that the Yankees(despite me personally thinking they'll have a 2016 Astros regression next year) can say very similar things, give him a bit more money up front, offer him a rotation mate from Japan, and offer him more time as a hitter via the DH. He'd need to be turned off by New York the place/media, want to go lone wolf as the only Japanese SP, etc.

 

As an aside - completely agreed. I’m all about Aaron Judge being more Jeremy Lin than say...Kris Bryant’s equal or lol superior. I love Severino and Sanchez short and long term but do not believe they stack with the Cubs’ best.

 

jesus christ aaron judge isn't jeremy lin. that's a terrible analogy.

[David]

There is 0 chance he picks the cubs. Come on.

his posts look like some crazy delusional stockholm syndrome stuff

[Sammy Sofa]

I’m a complete non-believer with this angle that Japanese teammates or population sizes will be a factor. He just left Japan for pennies because he thinks the world of himself and no matter where he goes there will be plenty of Japanese people following close behind.

 

I also believe that Chicago and the Cubs are kind of new territory for Japanese stars and this will have more appeal than less. While the Yankees and Dodgers are firmly established in Japan and have fielded superstars like Nomo and Matsui among others, he would the first in Chicago, the third of the three major American entertainment capitals.

 

A distant 3rd though as much as I like to be a Chicago homer. It's not even close to LA and NY in terms of visibility globally so I really don't see the appeal of being "Chicago's Japanese star" being that much more than other slightly smaller metros.

 

Eh they have/had the advantage of riding the coasts but traditionally those three are the big three in American entertainment. Chicago may have hit a lull post-Jordan but that only plays into the narrative that this is a franchise and city moving up and fast.

 

CHICAGO: A CITY ON THE GRRRRRRRRR-OOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW, AIMIRITE??!?

 

Dude, get a grip.

[davell]

I'd have thought our chances are better, if 2016 hadn't happened. But, it did. Eternally thankful too, that it did and if it costs us our best shot at Ohtani, so be it.

 

That said, I'm actually of the mindset that we've got a relatively decent shot, the more I think about it.

 

We've got Theo, which helps. If theres any way to exploit his contract, we'll definitely be on top of it. We've got Joe. His lineup craziness is a huge plus for us, unless we hear Ohtani doesn't care about hitting. And we've got some of the nicest, most talented players in baseball, that can help make a great impression on him.

 

Don't know whether it'd get him or not, but I'm sure the vast majority of teams out there, would trade their perceived chance of getting him, with ours.

[David]

I'd have thought our chances are better, if 2016 hadn't happened. But, it did. Eternally thankful too, that it did and if it costs us our best shot at Ohtani, so be it.

 

That said, I'm actually of the mindset that we've got a relatively decent shot, the more I think about it.

 

We've got Theo, which helps. If theres any way to exploit his contract, we'll definitely be on top of it. We've got Joe. His lineup craziness is a huge plus for us, unless we hear Ohtani doesn't care about hitting. And we've got some of the nicest, most talented players in baseball, that can help make a great impression on him.

 

Don't know whether it'd get him or not, but I'm sure the vast majority of teams out there, would trade their perceived chance of getting him, with ours.

 

 

the one and only hope is theo magic...and i mean some under the table tampering horsefeathers like he did with maddon and soler.

[Sammy Sofa]

If the Cubs miraculously signed Otani and then Drinky Joe kept trying to find ways to get him to the plate as much as possible...

 

I'd slash the tires to his dumb RV every damn day.

[davell]

If the Cubs miraculously signed Otani and then Drinky Joe kept trying to find ways to get him to the plate as much as possible...

 

I'd slash the tires to his dumb RV every damn day.

 

That's something that you may have to let play out. Personally, I don't think he's a major league hitter, based on scouts takes. But, if he wants to do it and you have to promise him he'll get to.....You sell up your Drinky Joe stuff to the hilt, let him get some AB's in Spring Training and be done with it, once he realizes he's not a hitter.

[UMFan83]

 

A distant 3rd though as much as I like to be a Chicago homer. It's not even close to LA and NY in terms of visibility globally so I really don't see the appeal of being "Chicago's Japanese star" being that much more than other slightly smaller metros.

 

Eh they have/had the advantage of riding the coasts but traditionally those three are the big three in American entertainment. Chicago may have hit a lull post-Jordan but that only plays into the narrative that this is a franchise and city moving up and fast.

 

CHICAGO: A CITY ON THE GRRRRRRRRR-OOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW, AIMIRITE??!?

 

Dude, get a grip.

 

Otani is a huge improv comedy fan, we've got this in the bag.

[davell]

I'd have thought our chances are better, if 2016 hadn't happened. But, it did. Eternally thankful too, that it did and if it costs us our best shot at Ohtani, so be it.

 

That said, I'm actually of the mindset that we've got a relatively decent shot, the more I think about it.

 

We've got Theo, which helps. If theres any way to exploit his contract, we'll definitely be on top of it. We've got Joe. His lineup craziness is a huge plus for us, unless we hear Ohtani doesn't care about hitting. And we've got some of the nicest, most talented players in baseball, that can help make a great impression on him.

 

Don't know whether it'd get him or not, but I'm sure the vast majority of teams out there, would trade their perceived chance of getting him, with ours.

 

 

the one and only hope is theo magic...and i mean some under the table tampering horsefeathers like he did with maddon and soler.

 

Well yeah, Theo is cutthroat. They'll have third, fourth, fifth parties, speaking to him, paying him in bitcoins, whatever it horsefeathering takes, to get his extension happening immediately.

[UMFan83]

I'd have thought our chances are better, if 2016 hadn't happened. But, it did. Eternally thankful too, that it did and if it costs us our best shot at Ohtani, so be it.

 

That said, I'm actually of the mindset that we've got a relatively decent shot, the more I think about it.

 

We've got Theo, which helps. If theres any way to exploit his contract, we'll definitely be on top of it. We've got Joe. His lineup craziness is a huge plus for us, unless we hear Ohtani doesn't care about hitting. And we've got some of the nicest, most talented players in baseball, that can help make a great impression on him.

 

Don't know whether it'd get him or not, but I'm sure the vast majority of teams out there, would trade their perceived chance of getting him, with ours.

 

 

the one and only hope is theo magic...and i mean some under the table tampering horsefeathers like he did with maddon and soler.

 

Well yeah, Theo is cutthroat. They'll have third, fourth, fifth parties, speaking to him, paying him in bitcoins, whatever it horsefeathering takes, to get his extension happening immediately.

 

We're all going to feel awful when we find out Theo has been using Lurie Children's Hospital via Rizzo as a front for smuggling money to Otani.

[ConstableRabbit]

Woah if true.

 

 

http://www.prankmenot.com/images/10-11-2017/dD7lxH.png

 

[imb]

 

 

the one and only hope is theo magic...and i mean some under the table tampering horsefeathers like he did with maddon and soler.

 

Well yeah, Theo is cutthroat. They'll have third, fourth, fifth parties, speaking to him, paying him in bitcoins, whatever it horsefeathering takes, to get his extension happening immediately.

 

We're all going to feel awful when we find out Theo has been using Lurie Children's Hospital via Rizzo as a front for smuggling money to Otani.

 

I️ will not feel awful