Otani to be posted

[OH FOY]

Thinking same thing on Flores, he must have been pretty good. Bad Luck, and Sad, same time.

[Spudboy]

Did you feel the same about Darvish?

 

I am reticent about chasing most of these unproven international big ticket stars.

 

The only one I thought would really be good was Suzuki.

[moonslav59]

I am reticent about chasing most of these unproven international big ticket stars.

 

The only one I thought would really be good was Suzuki.

 

I liked Matsui and Abreu, too.

[Jack Flap]

I am reticent about chasing most of these unproven international big ticket stars.

 

The only one I thought would really be good was Suzuki.

 

I think this is fair...you'll certainly avoid some busts this way, but will also miss out on some fine players.

 

In Ohtani's case, it's just money (and not all that much of it in the big scheme of things, due to the changes in the system) and seems a worthwhile gamble to find out if he's really the elite talent many believe.

[OH FOY]

Matsui was a damn good ballplayer, underrated. Knees did him in.

[moonslav59]

Dice-K was 33-15 over his first two seasons (3.70 ERA) with a 5.5 WAR.

 

He had the 17th best ERA- at 81 for those two years.

 

He nibbled the corners too much and walked too many guys, but he was pretty good out of the gate.

 

Man, did he suck afterwards.

[moonslav59]

Matsui was a damn good ballplayer, underrated. Knees did him in.

 

Even with the bum knees, he still was over .788 in his first 8 seasons- leading the league in games played for his first 3 seasons.

 

He had an OPS over .855 for 5 out of 6 years.

 

He also had over 90 RBIs in 5 of his first 7 seasons with the only two falling short, being his injury years.

[Northern Star]

The third degree burns from Dice-K still haven't healed. No to Otani.

[notin]

Twins might be gunshy on Asian players after Park not panning out as hoped.

 

Every team that has ventured in to the Asian marketts has had their share of players who didn't pan out. Passin on Otani because Park, who came from a different country altogether, did not pan out would be like passing on Bryce Harper because Matt Bush didn't pan out...

[notin]

I am reticent about chasing most of these unproven international big ticket stars.

 

The only one I thought would really be good was Suzuki.

 

Plenty of them have been successful. The failure rate among Japanese players is probably about the same as the failure rate of any other country...

[notin]

The third degree burns from Dice-K still haven't healed. No to Otani.

 

Uehara and Okajima didn't heal them?

[moonslav59]

Uehara and Okajima didn't heal them?

 

Uehara was amazing with us. He should have cured any ails all by himself.

 

[Bellhorn04]

Dice-K was 33-15 over his first two seasons (3.70 ERA) with a 5.5 WAR.

 

He had the 17th best ERA- at 81 for those two years.

 

He nibbled the corners too much and walked too many guys, but he was pretty good out of the gate.

 

Man, did he suck afterwards.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence that Dice-K's downfall began in a WBC year. In 2009 Dice-K won his second WBC MVP award, and there were stories about the Japanese team taking great liberties with how hard they worked him. That year he only pitched 59.1 innings and that was basically it for him.

[Bellhorn04]

I think we all know Ohtani is going to sign with the MFY's.

[Bellhorn04]

It seems like the Yanks will be able to get this guy for little money and little risk if he decides to pick them, which he likely will.

 

Something about that doesn't seem right.

[Kimmi]

I agree on both counts Bell.

 

It's pretty much a given.

[jacksonianmarch]

We should be the prohibitive favorite. That being said, nobody knows what Otani is thinking, so we are all in the dark until the signing day comes

[Fan_since_Boggs]

I don't know. I like his profile as a pitcher, but we know so much can go wrong there. The fact that he wants to hit, and expects to be in the lineup, at the end of the day this guy might end up being a headache for the team that signs him.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't know. I like his profile as a pitcher, but we know so much can go wrong there. The fact that he wants to hit, and expects to be in the lineup, at the end of the day this guy might end up being a headache for the team that signs him.

 

If the talent is there any headaches can probably be resolved.

[moonslav59]

I still think left coast teams (combined) have at least an equal shot as the Yanks.

[Carpin]

I still think left coast teams (combined) have at least an equal shot as the Yanks.

 

Me too, I have the feeling he will end up in Seattle

[moonslav59]

Me too, I have the feeling he will end up in Seattle

 

San Fran might surprise.

[Spudboy]

I still think left coast teams (combined) have at least an equal shot as the Yanks.

 

Me too, I have the feeling he will end up in Seattle

 

I have that feeling too. Seattle would be the best fit for Japanese player to land in but it will come down to money in the end.

[moonslav59]

I have that feeling too. Seattle would be the best fit for Japanese player to land in but it will come down to money in the end.

 

I'm not so sure.

 

In the scope of how much he left on the table by coming out now, the difference between what the highest bidder can offer and the next few offers is minuscule.

[Northern Star]

It seems like the Yanks will be able to get this guy for little money and little risk if he decides to pick them, which he likely will.

 

Something about that doesn't seem right.

 

Somehow, I just don't care. I am skeptical of any talent coming over from Japan until proved they can play in this league.

[moonslav59]

Somehow, I just don't care. I am skeptical of any talent coming over from Japan until proved they can play in this league.

 

I'm not sure anyone's ever done a study on the subject, but my guess is Japanese players have close to the same success-fail rate as the norm.

 

It might be easier to evaluate their players vs high school, Cuban or small college players. Several have many years under their belt before coming here.

[Kimmi]

I find it interesting that Otani is asking interested teams to write a dissertation for him, which is to include things like how the team plans to use him, what the future of the team looks like, and what the team's training regimen is. He does not want it to include anything regarding his contract.

[moonslav59]

I find it interesting that Otani is asking interested teams to write a dissertation for him, which is to include things like how the team plans to use him, what the future of the team looks like, and what the team's training regimen is. He does not want it to include anything regarding his contract.

 

It could be that the team who ends up getting him ends up writing just what he wants to hear.

[a700hitter]

It could be that the team who ends up getting him ends up writing just what he wants to hear.

Do we have anyone who can write in Japanese?

[SCM33]

Just an honest question....

 

How many of these high profile, high posting fee japanese imports have we seen that were actually worth it?

 

-Dice-K was a clown for all the hype. Gyroball????? Give me a break

-Hideki Matsui had the hype of their version of Babe Ruth, but was nothing more than a .280 hitter with doubles power.

-Yu Darvish is hardly what was originally expected.

-Kaz Matsui was a shortstop that couldn't play shortstop

-Hideki Irabu was their version of Nolan Ryan. I don't need to comment further.

-Kei Igawa, nice sunglasses......awful

-Sang Lee (Redsox).....lol

-Robinson Checo (Redsox).....lol

 

The only players to have real success are Ichiro, Hideo Nomo, and in some respect....Chan Ho Park.

 

Koji, Saito and Hasegawa had some success, but it was short lived, and they were nothing more than relief pitchers/short term closers.

 

Why do we continue to hype the Japanese imports.......who are putting up big numbers....at a AA Pro baseball level?