Shohei Ohtani Signs with the Angels

[Cubswin11]

Plus, we can offer to let him PH and play in the OF occasionally if he really wants to try doing both (pitching and hitting). Hopefully, he decides to wait one more year!

He's pretty much a non-prospect as a hitter. If we get him he's 100% a pitcher

[Regular Show]

Plus, we can offer to let him PH and play in the OF occasionally if he really wants to try doing both (pitching and hitting). Hopefully, he decides to wait one more year!

He's pretty much a non-prospect as a hitter. If we get him he's 100% a pitcher

 

Come on bro, I wouldn't call him a "non-prospect" as a hitter. There are plenty of scouts and executives that think he could be decent in terms of hitting at the MLB level. They just all agree he's a better pitching prospect, and that focusing on hitting (and playing in the field) might detract from his ability to dominate as a pitcher.

 

Same argument people made with H. Greene and B. McKay during and after the 17' MLB draft. I believe S. Otani is legit as a prospect in both areas (hitting and pitching). He's just a MUCH better pitching prospect.

[Cubswin11]

Plus, we can offer to let him PH and play in the OF occasionally if he really wants to try doing both (pitching and hitting). Hopefully, he decides to wait one more year!

He's pretty much a non-prospect as a hitter. If we get him he's 100% a pitcher

 

Come on bro, I wouldn't call him a "non-prospect" as a hitter. There are plenty of scouts and executives that think he could be decent in terms of hitting at the MLB level. They just all agree he's a better pitching prospect, and that focusing on hitting (and playing in the field) might detract from his ability to dominate as a pitcher.

 

Same argument people made with H. Greene and B. McKay during and after the 17' MLB draft. I believe S. Otani is legit as a prospect in both areas (hitting and pitching). He's just a MUCH better pitching prospect.

Most guys I've read think very little of him as a hitter, it's mostly a media narrative. He's 100% a pitcher, it would be ridiculous to try and have him do both transitioning to MLB and taking away abs from real major league hitters on a team trying to win. Sure I'd like the Marlins or some horsefeathers team wants to try it out to market it and sell tickets, fine but a team trying to win would be dumb to do it.

[UMFan83]

Sweet Otani and Harper in one offseason will be the biggest FA haul ever. The only question is how Theo will convince Heyward to opt out.

[Regular Show]

Sweet Otani and Harper in one offseason will be the biggest FA haul ever. The only question is how Theo will convince Heyward to opt out.

 

Well, Otani won't cost that much relatively speaking -- our amount to spend on Int. FAs + $20 mil posting fee. B. Harper will cost a lot, but he might be willing to take a slight discount to come here and play for J. Maddon. I don't know what that amount will be, or even what teams will be pursuing him. I hope we're one of the teams that makes a serious effort to sign him.

 

Lastly, man ... thinking about Heyward and his contract is just depressing as hell. I doubt he opts out unless he feels really bad about underperforming his contract. I said he still looks messed up at the plate after Game 1, and that his early season performance (when he was hitting) wouldn't last -- I don't think I was wrong. I guess we could try dumping him on some team by offering to eat a large portion of his contract after next season when we can trade him.

 

Hopefully, the Cubs can accomplish all these things with increasing revenue streams + broadcasting rights/new deal. I think we have a good shot at S. Otani if he decides to come next offseason and not this offseason.

[davell]

Couple of things.....Obviously unsure if its true, but its been mentioned we were on Darvish' NT list, because he didn't want to play in the cold.

 

As for Otani.....If he DOES hold off and doesn't come this year, he'd be much better off just waiting an extra year on top of it. Because he'd go from making 10 mill total to 200 mill, by doing it.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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The Dodgers recently sent a whole bunch of folks to see him including Friedman. They're limited to $300k, just like the Cubs.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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Otani is coming over this offseason.

[davell]

Hopefully 300,000 and a promise of 150+ mill a month later gets him done.

[Cubswin11]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

[CyHawk_Cub]

There need to be all sorts of dirty stuff done to get this guy on in Cubs pinstripes. Every dirty trick must be used.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

 

Yeah. Pay the man under the table. Whatever he wants.

[CyHawk_Cub]

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[CaliforniaRaisin]

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[LeonDurham]

 

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Actually happens all the time. In basketball. Just send the luv a bulls to the airport and get this done.

 

In seriousness, I will believe my team gets a FA like this when I see it. Sorry. I don't see it happening.

[cubsclapp]

 

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Actually happens all the time. In basketball. Just send the luv a bulls to the airport and get this done.

 

In seriousness, I will believe my team gets a FA like this when I see it. Sorry. I don't see it happening.

 

Did you miss them signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Did you miss them signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward?

he was probably talking about good players

[LeonDurham]

Did you miss them signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward?

he was probably talking about good players

 

 

I'm just saying. Chicago is a great city. Great sports town. Grew up there. But I've lived on both the East and West coast since there.

 

Chicago is just not necessarily a city where people all over the world want to go to live.

 

If I'm a betting man, I'd bet Dodgers or Yankees.

[UMFan83]

Just trying to think of what the Cubs would use as selling points for Otani to pick them over teams like the Yankees and Dodgers.

 

Yankees can push their storied history of championships, NYC's international status, their ability to give him $2 billion dollars in his next contract (not to mention more money in this first contract)

 

Dodgers can push the number of Japanese people in LA market, history of Japanese stars on Dodgers, multiple Japanese players in the rotation already (and would probably have a leg up in resigning Yu if it came down to it as a selling point), also endless amounts of money, and then the glitz and glamour of LA/SoCal

 

Cubs can push recent championship, young awesome core, great pitching coach in Bosio, top of the line organization from front office down to player development, historic ballpark, large media market, and while not quite as deep pocketed as the Yankees or Dodgers (I think?) they could make it clear they will pay him whatever the yankees or dodgers would.

[David]

Did you miss them signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward?

he was probably talking about good players

 

 

I'm just saying. Chicago is a great city. Great sports town. Grew up there. But I've lived on both the East and West coast since there.

 

Chicago is just not necessarily a city where people all over the world want to go to live.

 

If I'm a betting man, I'd bet Dodgers or Yankees.

 

This is just a really strange take when it comes to the Cubs. The Cubs have signed plenty of highly coveted free agents over the years and (this is admittedly probably less true with an international player) players always talk about how they either want to play there, or it was their favorite place to play, etc.

 

They're only "living" there for the spring/summer/fall so the whole horrific winter thing isn't even the issue it might be with NBA or NFL players.

[David]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

 

i've read a couple of posts on this page now alluding to something like this...is there some report i missed where this is being talked about under the table even though it's against the rules or whatever?

[Bull]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

 

i've read a couple of posts on this page now alluding to something like this...is there some report i missed where this is being talked about under the table even though it's against the rules or whatever?

 

No, just the general understanding that that is the only way the Cubs could compete financially with the restrictions in place. And if it was being reported, it wouldn't be very well hidden under the table, would it? If Theo does it, we'll never know. But it doesn't seem very practical to me.

 

What if the under the table deal is in place and he tears his UCL in the first season. Won't it look a little suspicious giving a $150 million contract to a guy on a TJS operating table?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

 

i've read a couple of posts on this page now alluding to something like this...is there some report i missed where this is being talked about under the table even though it's against the rules or whatever?

 

Not only is it against the rules, MLB has been proactive in letting teams know what the potential punishments would be:

 

Baseball America[/url]"]So, let's say Shohei Otani were to become available to MLB teams after this season. Since he would be subject to the international bonus pools, a team by rule can only offer him a minor league contract with a signing bonus, and it would be against league rules to have a handshake deal to deliver him a major league contract after he signs.

 

The punishments for bonus pool circumvention, according to the CBA, include:

 

• A ban on international signings of up to one year

• Or a team having its bonus pool decreased by up to 50 percent for up to five years.

[David]

I have no doubt the FO is figuring out every angle to get this done. But get it horsefeathering done Theo, whether it's a promise to rip up his measly contract within a year and give him a $100-200 million new contract, access to a secret TD Ameritrade account set up by Ricketts with millions in it for his disposal, or whatever. Just get it horsefeathering done.

 

i've read a couple of posts on this page now alluding to something like this...is there some report i missed where this is being talked about under the table even though it's against the rules or whatever?

 

No, just the general understanding that that is the only way the Cubs could compete financially with the restrictions in place. And if it was being reported, it wouldn't be very well hidden under the table, would it? If Theo does it, we'll never know. But it doesn't seem very practical to me.

 

What if the under the table deal is in place and he tears his UCL in the first season. Won't it look a little suspicious giving a $150 million contract to a guy on a TJS operating table?

 

within the rules, there's really almost no financial competition in place, if coming this offseason is any indication of how little of a priority money is to otani.

 

my question is where is the notion of "ripping up" his contract that has been mentioned a couple times coming from?

 

also rumors about under the table stuff happen all the time (including with theo a time or two)

[UMFan83]

Did you miss them signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward?

he was probably talking about good players

 

 

I'm just saying. Chicago is a great city. Great sports town. Grew up there. But I've lived on both the East and West coast since there.

 

Chicago is just not necessarily a city where people all over the world want to go to live.

 

If I'm a betting man, I'd bet Dodgers or Yankees.

 

Wait are you this dude?