"Why do you go to LAD when you're hiding in Otani's shadow?", SD-ATL-TB-Mets far more likely...an American columnist
Nov 15, 2024
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Columnist Jim Borden, a former general manager of The Athletic, said on the 15th (Korea time) that Sasaki would not prefer the Dodgers in an article titled `Why it is difficult to see Rocky, a top prospect with ace quality, as suitable for the Dodgers.'
Borden, who said he had heard from Major League sources, said 'First of all, Sasaki will not sign before January 16 next year. Since the new international contract period begins that day, each club's bonus pool will be reset, and Sasaki's Cyning Bonus will be much larger than now. The maximum is around $7 million. However, the difference between the teams in this part will not be significant.
Each year, the contract period for the International Amateur FA is from January 15 to December 15 local time. Since the international contract period in 2024 is about a month away, most of the bonuses have been exhausted, and the remaining Dodgers have only $2.5 million. However, if the contract is signed after January 15 next year, when the international contract period begins in 2025, the total bonus for each club will be reset from up to $7 million or more.
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Boden said 'Money other than a contract with the club can be made from advertising. However, there is a problem with the combination of Sasaki and the Dodgers in this part. 'If Sasaki joins the Dodgers, he will be hidden in the shadow of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Sasaki's advertising value will inevitably decline.
Since the Dodgers are Ohtani's team and Yamamoto's team, the existence of two superstars who have already been recognized for their top skills and signed contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars will inevitably reduce Sasaki's position in the advertising industry.
Boden then added 'On the other hand, if Sasaki signs with the Padres, he will not only live with his idol, Yu Darvish, in the clubhouse, but will also be able to maximize his value in ads that will expose him to Japan. Moreover, he said he could position himself as a rival, not as a teammate of Ohtani and Yamamoto.
In addition, many Japanese media cover Dodgers games every day, and such high media attention may not be optimal for a young pitcher growing upHe added that the Dodgers have a good opinion of fostering young pitchers, but the Padres, Rays, and Braves also have strong pitching training programs, so it is difficult to say that it is an advantage that only the Dodgers have.
Boden concluded 'From what I've heard, the Padres, Rays, Mets and Braves are much more likely to sign Sasaki than the Dodgers. Of course, other clubs will participate in the competition.
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The same media reporter Jeff Bankruptcy also said, `I don't think it's a fact that Sasaki is going to the Dodgers. He expressed his opinion that the high level of international interest enjoyed by Ohtani and Yamamoto is an element that can push Sasaki away.
What is Sasaki's choice. For now, it seems unlikely that Sasaki's destination will be decided within this year.
jhno@sportschosun.com
