"Otani-Yamamoto is hidden in the shade... It's better to go to SD." Why did the U.S. media view the possibility of going to the Sasaki Dodgers as low as '165km daily monster'?
"Otani-Yamamoto is hidden in the shade... It's better to go to SD." Why did the U.S. media view the possibility of going to the Sasaki Dodgers as low as '165km daily monster'?
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The U.S. is paying keen attention to Sasaki (23), a "165km/h" monster pitcher of Japan who announced his entry into the Major League Baseball (MLB). With the Los Angeles Dodgers, which have Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the most likely destinations, suggesting that Sasaki may choose a rival team over the Dodgers.
The Major League's official website, MLB.com , cited Jim Bowden, a former general manager of The Athletic, on the 15th (Korea time) and predicted that Sasaki would be unlikely to go to the Dodgers.
"According to sources, it is unlikely that Sasaki will sign with the Dodgers. The biggest reason has to do with money. Sasaki is still under the age of 25 and has not completed six years of experience in overseas professional leagues, so he is subject to the rules of the International Amateur Contract Bonus Pool," Bowden said. "He cannot sign a contract worth 325 million dollars (about 456.9 billion won) that Yamamoto received last offseason. Sasaki's down payment is limited to the amount in the team's bonus pool." He added, "If Sasaki waits until after Jan. 15, when each team's bonus pool is filled again in 2025, the maximum amount (he can receive) could be around 7 million dollars (about 9.8 billion won)."
As Sasaki decided to advance to MLB early, it was already expected that the amount of money he could receive was limited compared to expectations. If so, Sasaki may cover the shortfall with income outside the game, not down payment and salary. Bowden expected that if Sasaki went to the Dodgers, there would be problems in this area as well.
"In LA, Sasaki will be overshadowed by Ohtani and Yamamoto. This will also reduce the upper limit of advertising revenue," Bowden said. "On the contrary, if Sasaki signs with the San Diego Padres, he will not only be able to share a clubhouse with his idol, Yu Darvish, but also potentially increase his popularity in Japan, making him a rival to Ohtani and Yamamoto of the 먹튀검증 Dodgers," he said.
Bowden also said, "With the Japanese media covering the Dodgers every day (because of Otani and Yamamoto), such a level of interest is not a good situation for young pitchers," adding, "The Dodgers' environment could be a burden to young Sasaki." "It is famous that the way the Dodgers foster young pitchers is very good. However, the San Diego Padres, the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Mets, and the Atlanta Braves also have strong pitching training programs, which can offset LA's advantages," he said.
Ohtani has already established himself as a world-class baseball star in addition to the Dodgers. Yamamoto also conquered the Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB) and entered the Dodgers with the largest reservation ever made by a pitcher in MLB history. If Sasaki joins the Dodgers, where two top Japanese stars are playing together, it will be relatively difficult to draw attention, and he could also suffer losses in popularity and non-game profits.
Japanese pitchers Darvish and Yuki Matsui are also playing in San Diego, a rival team in the West Division of the National League (NL), but they are relatively less popular than the Otani-Yamamoto combination. Bowden believes that it may be better for Sasaki to play with Darvish, the "mental landlord" who also plays a veteran role in the team, and form a rivalry with the Dodgers.
Meanwhile, Bowden said, "From what I've heard, I think San Diego, Tampa Bay, Mets, and Atlanta are all more likely to sign with Sasaki than the Dodgers," adding, "Many other teams will be included in the candidate (to sign with Sasaki)," adding that Sasaki is already a target for many MLB clubs.