Ohtani to Dodgers for an ungodly amount of money

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, Bertz said:

So my read on the situation from various reports flying is basically that Shohei's just finished making the rounds to all of the suitors and hearing their pitch.  This weekend teams will come to LA, make their bids/closing arguments, and then it should be done?  So we're looking at Sunday or Monday probably?

Sounds like that's the case. Seems like there's some truth to him not wanting the media circus at the winter meetings. So teams meet with him in LA on Saturday, Ohtani can make his choice at home on Sunday or Monday and then he can continue to stay away from the WM madness. 

Hopefully while he's making his choice he can call a few great moving companies to help him box things up to find a cool place in Chicago...

Edited December 1, 2023 by 1908_Cubs

[Bertz]

Also with the benefit of hindsight its pretty clear that whole kerfuffle with the Mets radio announcer the day after Thanksgiving is that Shohei was at Citi Field that day and that guy got told to STFU after his initial tweet.

[ToolDRT]

Does Ohtani live in LA in the offseason? 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Bertz said:

Also with the benefit of hindsight its pretty clear that whole kerfuffle with the Mets radio announcer the day after Thanksgiving is that Shohei was at Citi Field that day and that guy got told to STFU after his initial tweet.

Yeah, there seems to be a very good amount of control teams have here. Why I remain pretty optimistic on the Cubs shots. The less we hear connecting them, the more they're remaining involved. 

[David]

1 minute ago, ToolDRT said:

Does Ohtani live in LA in the offseason? 

If I had to guess, he probably does this year.  At least until this is settled.

[ToolDRT]

1 minute ago, David said:

If I had to guess, he probably does this year.  At least until this is settled.

Interesting. I was curious because I know with Suzuki the weather was of importance to him. That’s one thing that’s a bit tough for us, April in Chicago is more winter than spring lately. 

[LBiittner]

1 hour ago, ToolDRT said:

I want this. I want this bad. And frankly it’s starting to drive me crazy. This is just such a weird offseason where after the top free agents there’s such a drop off that I don’t know how you put together a notably better team without signing a Ohtani/Yamamoto or trading for a Soto. 
 

The idea of settling for Matt Chapman sickens me. I loved Belli this year, but I have some concerns with him on a mega deal. It’s just…Ohtani would be a coup. 

I'm so frustrated chicago generally finishes in the runner-up pool. 

I too was very skeptical about cubs chances. But now, I'm obsessed checking constantly hoping to finally hear we won a prized free agent.

[ToolDRT]

13 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

I'm so frustrated chicago generally finishes in the runner-up pool. 

I too was very skeptical about cubs chances. But now, I'm obsessed checking constantly hoping to finally hear we won a prized free agent.

Yeah, I can’t stop refreshing here and twitter. I was trying to nap and nope! 

[ILMindState]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I don’t think I would say I was mad at the Cubs if they didn’t get him. I would be very disappointed in them for not selling the team, the city, the ballpark, and the fans better to him so that he would pick Chicago. Where if he went to LA I would just assume it was always an uphill battle because that is where he wanted to go all along. 

I mean, they can't put a gun to his head and make him pick Chicago. I suppose they could....but yeah, ultimately it's his choice for his own reasons.  Maybe he wants to be the face of Canadian baseball.  Maybe he just loves SoCal.  The Cubs may not have control over what he really wants.

Edited December 1, 2023 by ILMindState

[Jason Ross]

Yeah, when it comes down to it, sometimes you can do the best sales pitch on the planet, but it's just not what someone wants to hear. It sounds like the Cubs are really, honestly, and earnestly in this. You don't make the final-4 over teams like the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, and Red Sox if you're not in it to legitimately win it. It means you're clearly offering the right amount of money to get a seat at that table, and the right amount of everything else. 

I won't blame anyone if the Cubs lose out now. If they were playing poverty franchise, if they couldn't even get a seat at the table, if they tried one of the "we know you want a 12 year deal, but what about a 5 year deal with opt outs!" type thing...I think legitimately questioning them would be fair. But I think they've at least earned the benefit of the doubt this time on their effort.

None of this is to say I'll be happy if they lose and are a bridesmaid, that they can pack in the rest of the offseason and say "well we tried" only that I'd understand that at least this time they did their best.

[Tryptamine]

28 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Yeah, when it comes down to it, sometimes you can do the best sales pitch on the planet, but it's just not what someone wants to hear. It sounds like the Cubs are really, honestly, and earnestly in this. You don't make the final-4 over teams like the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, and Red Sox if you're not in it to legitimately win it. It means you're clearly offering the right amount of money to get a seat at that table, and the right amount of everything else. 

I won't blame anyone if the Cubs lose out now. If they were playing poverty franchise, if they couldn't even get a seat at the table, if they tried one of the "we know you want a 12 year deal, but what about a 5 year deal with opt outs!" type thing...I think legitimately questioning them would be fair. But I think they've at least earned the benefit of the doubt this time on their effort.

None of this is to say I'll be happy if they lose and are a bridesmaid, that they can pack in the rest of the offseason and say "well we tried" only that I'd understand that at least this time they did their best.

I wont get angry, but I'll expect them to have a very strong plan B to make up for it. If they come limping to the gate with a bunch of third tier FA, then I'll be mad. 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Tryptamine said:

I wont get angry, but I'll expect them to have a very strong plan B to make up for it. If they come limping to the gate with a bunch of third tier FA, then I'll be mad. 

Oh, entirely. Missing on Ohtani with an earnest full court effort is an acceptable loss, but not an excuse to pack in the offseason, either. I'm fine at this stage if they just aren't the right fit in Ohtani's mind. What I am not fine with is throwing their hands up and saying "well that was  the only plan we had, guess we'll just continue to be mediocre!"

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, ILMindState said:

I mean, they can't put a gun to his head and make him pick Chicago. I suppose they could....but yeah, ultimately it's his choice for his own reasons.  Maybe he wants to be the face of Canadian baseball.  Maybe he just loves SoCal.  The Cubs may not have control over what he really wants.

I commented already on accepting LA and not being disappointed with the Cubs effort. I also said I wouldn’t be mad at the FO if they didn’t get him.
However, if he does want to be the face of Canadian baseball, I have to think someone in Toronto pitched that to him. Someone in Toronto explained how great it would be to play in Toronto. I highly doubt that was a childhood dream of his. So, since they pitched that to him if he choses them that would mean their FO did a better sales job than the Cubs FO. That would mean he came in with an open mind towards any team that offered him a contract and the Blue Jays outsold the Cubs, for whatever reason. He was there for the taking and the Cubs FO didn’t do a good enough job of selling all that comes with being a Cub. I feel it is perfectly acceptable being disappointed in the FO for not making it happen.

[s2obed]

Jay on Soto now? Might be good news on the Ohtani front if that’s true. 

[KCCub]

4 minutes ago, s2obed said:

Jay on Soto now? Might be good news on the Ohtani front if that’s true. 

Probably driving up the price for the Yankees -

https://x.com/martinonyc/status/1730718807314833620?s=20
 

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, s2obed said:

Jay on Soto now? Might be good news on the Ohtani front if that’s true. 

I still think if the Cubs don’t sign him it is because the Dodgers did. They might just be too hard to overtake and convince him to leave LA. 

[Dfan25]

5 minutes ago, KCCub said:

Probably driving up the price for the Yankees -

https://x.com/martinonyc/status/1730718807314833620?s=20
 

Maybe but it’s very possible the Jays aren’t feeling great about Ohtani . Ohtani seems to be entering the final stage of his FA and teams have started to pursue other options now . 
 

I still think we could hear a decision tonight or tomorrow .

Edited December 1, 2023 by Dfan25

[Jason Ross]

2 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Maybe but it’s very possible the Jays aren’t feeling great about Ohtani . Ohtani seems to be entering the final stage of his FA and teams have started to pursue other options now . 
 

I still think we could hear a decision tonight or tomorrow .

Recent reports are that teams are meeting with Shohei tomorrow in LA for final stuff. So doubt tonight. *Maybe* tomorrow night. I feel Sunday but before GM meetings.

[KCCub]

5 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Maybe but it’s very possible the Jays aren’t feeling great about Ohtani . Ohtani seems to be entering the final stage of his FA and teams have started to pursue other options now . 
 

I still think we could hear a decision tonight or tomorrow .

There’s just a lot of “noise” out there. It goes from Bichette/Vladdy being possibly moved to them now looking to trade for Soto. I’m not really buying it, especially since the Yankees have been hot and heavy after Soto. Honestly, if your team isn’t named the Dodgers, you probably shouldn’t feel great for Ohtani. 

[CubinNY]

I read an article in The Athletic about Ohtani’s agent. That is one weird dude. As is Ohtani. 

[ToolDRT]

10 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

I read an article in The Athletic about Ohtani’s agent. That is one weird dude. As is Ohtani. 

Tell us more 

[ILMindState]

1 hour ago, 1908_Cubs said:

Recent reports are that teams are meeting with Shohei tomorrow in LA for final stuff. So doubt tonight. *Maybe* tomorrow night. I feel Sunday but before GM meetings.

I’m going to the Winter Wonderland event at Wrigley on Sunday. It’s destiny that he announces he’s signing with the Cubs while I’m there. 

[Stratos]

Is it possible he gets a 600m contract?

50m AAV x 12 years = 600m

Edited December 2, 2023 by Stratos

[Stratos]

8 hours ago, CubinNY said:

Why aren't they meeting in Nashville? This is all carzy.

I would think for the teams involved that the negotiations are more important than the GM meetings.  I wonder if no deal is reached if they all break for the meetings, then come back to finish the negotiations.  But they need to get this stuff done for these teams to move on with their offseasons so maybe not.

IMO we can look to which teams have signed other significant signings so far, especially SP, to see who is definitely out of the Ohtani sweepstakes.  Cardinals obviously haha.

[Layoutman]

Is this legit? 

Ohtani Free Agency Update: Mets, Rangers, Dodgers Exit $600M Race for Two-Way Star (msn.com)

Dodgers really out after 600 million?