Shohei Ohtani to LA Dodgers

[LuigiC173]

As maybe the only Dodgers fan who frequents this forum I know nobody cares but I had to express my enthusiasm somewhere. Although this deal comes with ALOT of risk, Betts is 31 and Freeman 34. They need to go all in every year while Freddie is still at the top of his game.

Do not be shocked if and when the Dodgers also land Yoshinobu Yamamoto as they are in dire need of starting pitching. It is basically forgotten that Friedman removed himself from the spending frenzy of free agency more or less over the past two years in order to stockpile $$$ for this day/time.

I expect he is far from finished making massive splashes and will load his team up big time after two successive extremely disappointing first round eliminations.

[Axeman33]

I won't lie, as a Jays fan, I'm glad they didn't pay this much for him.

Like many, I bought into the excitement, and was hopeful at ~$500M but $70M per season over 10yrs is just silly money. That's a lot of money that could fix a lot of problems for the Jays.

I'm not sad they didn't get him after seeing that contract. Yikes!

[GinFizz]

I won't lie, as a Jays fan, I'm glad they didn't pay this much for him.

Like many, I bought into the excitement, and was hopeful at ~$500M but $70M per season over 10yrs is just silly money. That's a lot of money that could fix a lot of problems for the Jays.

I'm not sad they didn't get him after seeing that contract. Yikes!

I never understood why baseball fans care what the contract is worth?

[Axeman33]

I never understood why baseball fans care what the contract is worth?

Because owners only like to part with so much money and if you're paying one player that much it's going to be harder for the owner to part with more money for more players.

[LuigiC173]

certainly wasn't expecting ten years and $700 million that's for sure. I am fully bought into the mindset of they MUST win now with Betts and Freeman getting older so if that's the price that's the price. He will end up deferring a lot so as to have a competitive team alas time will tell. Certainly a lot of risk here coming off a second Tommy John. I'd like a World Series title that the baseball viewing public doesn't put an asterisk next to haha.

[2014olympicgold]

The deffered dollars will be interesting. I wouldn't be surprised if it's like a 20yr $100m deffered. Something like that.

So it would be $600m/10yr while he plays to lower the cap hit.

[senryu]

Ohtani off another TJ surgery isn't going to be the pitcher he was. Most of this contract is going to be for him as a batter only. To the extent that it is him for a pitcher, it will be for a league average or below pitcher. Ohtani can't really change to be a reliever as that would screw up his batting usage. Good for Ohtani to secure the money. But if the Dodgers are thinking they're getting high end batting and pitching for the next 10 years, I would not agree.

[Belexus75]

i think 2-3 years they get their money's worth at best, then decline will happen...him declining 25 % or so is still great player but that is just way too much...as axe said, at some point that money runs out...still need to be smart with it..this is not smart signing.

[GinFizz]

i think 2-3 years they get their money's worth at best, then decline will happen...him declining 25 % or so is still great player but that is just way too much...as axe said, at some point that money runs out...still need to be smart with it..this is not smart signing.

Sorry I dont follow this line of thinking.. What, or better yet, who are you comparing him to say that they will get their monies worth at best? Mike Trout makes what 35 M a year? Hes not gonna double Trouts production. The ownership of the LA Dodgers is not gonna run out of money if they dont want it to. They will continue to spend this year.

[Belexus75]

Sorry I dont follow this line of thinking.. What, or better yet, who are you comparing him to say that they will get their monies worth at best? Mike Trout makes what 35 M a year? Hes not gonna double Trouts production. The ownership of the LA Dodgers is not gonna run out of money if they dont want it to. They will continue to spend this year.

as i said at best they get their money worth for 2-3 years ... then its going to be really bad after that. i agree with you that Trout will have more value based on production vs dollars...my point is that this is bad gamble

and i disagree on your last point...every well has a bottom somewhere...

[GinFizz]

You still didnt answer my question of which player are you comparing him to to say his contract will be worth it for the next few years (2-3).

Yes, every well has a bottom but you, nor I, have any clue on where that bottom is.

This contract is mostly a marketing move. There will be a ton of Ohtani jerseys sold here and in Japan (and its surroundings)

[tweetdrivr]

He’ll be making 80% of an entire NHL roster next year.

[Belexus75]

You still didnt answer my question of which player are you comparing him to to say his contract will be worth it for the next few years (2-3).

Yes, every well has a bottom but you, nor I, have any clue on where that bottom is.

This contract is mostly a marketing move. There will be a ton of Ohtani jerseys sold here and in Japan (and its surroundings)

and you not reading my answers...i said at best will be worth... Which basically is my way of saying its bad contract but you so hanged on the comparison that thats all you see....

you cant compare him..if he cant pitch and hit at level he did 2 years ago and last year until he got hurt, then he is probably worth double the money Trout is just because he does 2 jobs and they technically don't need to pay for one pitcher...but i do think this comes with risk and will back fire ..possibly right away , maybe in few years ...but i really don't think he will be able to do both jobs for anywhere close to the length of the contract...

[LuigiC173]

Dodgers are about as close to having unlimited money as possible. IMO and call me biased as a fan, they were not given enough credit for the season they put together despite an absolute dumpster fire of a starting rotation due to injuries.

With two straight disappointing first round exits, Friedman WILL be making more splashes. They still need arms with likes of May, Buehler, Gonsolin not close. I figure he will be all in on Yamamoto.

The contract is insanity but in the first month or two they will recollect conservatively a third of it in sponsorships, jerseys, etc. As I said in the start the main thing is going all in to WIN NOW. Freeman at 34 years old can drop off at any time and he is a very key cog in the wheel. Time will tell but I will certainly be excited to see Shohei rocking Dodger blue.

[stevegamer]

Dodgers are about as close to having unlimited money as possible. IMO and call me biased as a fan, they were not given enough credit for the season they put together despite an absolute dumpster fire of a starting rotation due to injuries.

With two straight disappointing first round exits, Friedman WILL be making more splashes. They still need arms with likes of May, Buehler, Gonsolin not close. I figure he will be all in on Yamamoto.

The contract is insanity but in the first month or two they will recollect conservatively a third of it in sponsorships, jerseys, etc. As I said in the start the main thing is going all in to WIN NOW. Freeman at 34 years old can drop off at any time and he is a very key cog in the wheel. Time will tell but I will certainly be excited to see Shohei rocking Dodger blue.

They are almost as close as the Yankees, who do have essentially unlimited money. They will make a LOT of money from the other revenue streams mentioned such as jerseys and possibly overseas broadcasts. I still expect Kershaw to sign back there, and I'm hoping they don't get Yammamoto.