Shohei signs $700M contract with Dodgers

[Gregg]

In California. After taxes he will take home 5 bucks.

[thenorthremembers]

10 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

I am glad the New York Yankees didn’t touch that contract. If Shohei Ohtani is that great and worth it. How come he couldn’t lead the Los Angeles Angels anywhere? Way to much money invested in one player for too long in length 10 years. Also if anyone wonders if the Buffalo Bisons ownership made the right decision for Buffalo baseball? I say yes no way could Buffalo MLB team could afford to pay that kind of money to star players. MLB is becoming like NBA with Super Teams and then the rest of the league. That’s not good for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Guardians fan bases they have next to zero chance of winning which is really sad in my opinion. Go Bisons! Go Yankees! Let’s Go Buffalo 

Winning multiple championships not just one for the Los Angeles Dodgers fans. For the Dodgers owners raising the value of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in my opinion. Go Bisons! Go Yankees! Let’s Go Buffalo 

The Yankees didnt touch the contract because they have no place to put the guy, he is a DH when he doesnt pitch.  The Yankees already have a DH who they overpay. 

[4merper4mer]

Not sure if anyone on this thread has seen this but Ohtani’s contract is almost ALL deferred.  $2M a year for its 10 year duration and $68M for the following 10 years.

[BADOLBILZ]

On 12/11/2023 at 9:20 AM, thenorthremembers said:

The Yankees didnt touch the contract because they have no place to put the guy, he is a DH when he doesnt pitch.  The Yankees already have a DH who they overpay. 

 

 

I think it was moreso  that he wasn't interested in playing on the biggest, most pressure packed stage.   The $100M they still owe Stanton wasn't going to stop them with all of the money they stood to make if they signed him.

 

In LA he gets a big market and a winning franchise with a bunch of stars in place to support him........but more importantly not anywhere near the scrutiny of playing in a big east coast market like New York, Boston or Philadelphia.   The worst game of his entire career was his first outing in Yankee stadium:  2/3 IP, 2 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K.   He figuratively shat himself under that pressure(even though the crowd was practically there recruiting him LOL).   He's never played in any big games in the USA so the question is whether he's going to produce in big situations. 

[US Egg]

On 12/10/2023 at 1:53 AM, jayg said:

As long as it's not Admiral Yamamoto.

All hands on deck !!! The Admiral is sailing to L.A.

 

Well, at least Shohei will have someone to talk to.

[UConn James]

Jesus. And now Los Dodgers also sign Yamamoto to a huge contract — 12 years at $325M.

 

Baseball really needs a salary cap. Or at least a salary ceiling that a team can’t spend over. The ‘luxury tax’ system does nothing but allow the few big markets to buy all of the talent &/or championships.
 

There is absolutely no parity. None. ONE guy on the Dodgers is making more in one year of his contract than 10 teams spend on their entire roster. The players union loves it I'm sure but it’s absolutely TERRIBLE for the game.

[BADOLBILZ]

10 minutes ago, UConn James said:

Jesus. And now Los Dodgers also sign Yamamoto to a huge contract — 12 years at $325M.

 

Baseball really needs a salary cap. Or at least a salary ceiling that a team can’t spend over. The ‘luxury tax’ system does nothing but allow the few big markets to buy all of the talent &/or championships.
 

There is absolutely no parity. None. ONE guy on the Dodgers is making more in one year of his contract than 10 teams spend on their entire roster. The players union loves it I'm sure but it’s absolutely TERRIBLE for the game.

 

 

No parity?

 

There hasn't been a repeat WS champion since the luxury tax was instituted. 

 

Baseball is basically back in the collusion era of the 1980's.    Tax the rich for spending.......and they spend less.   That's a universal law.

 

2 free agents sign and someone brings up parity.........meanwhile about 800 others are looking for work and most will get paid a fraction of what you'd expect.   This is the kind of free agency Charlie Finley wanted and Marvin Miller was trying to prevent.

 

Yeah the big market teams are still going to usually win a lot of regular games most years and bad small market teams like the Pirates will stay bad...........but the current system still makes stories like the ingenious Tampa Bay Rays and the usually incompetently run Baltimore Orioles(current) a real possibility.    

 

Well run teams of all market sizes can be very good and the playoff system is such that upsets are always possible.

 

 

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

No parity?

 

There hasn't been a repeat WS champion since the luxury tax was instituted. 

 

Baseball is basically back in the collusion era of the 1980's.    Tax the rich for spending.......and they spend less.   That's a universal law.

 

2 free agents sign and someone brings up parity.........meanwhile about 800 others are looking for work and most will get paid a fraction of what you'd expect.   This is the kind of free agency Charlie Finley wanted and Marvin Miller was trying to prevent.

 

Yeah the big market teams are still going to usually win a lot of regular games most years and bad small market teams like the Pirates will stay bad...........but the current system still makes stories like the ingenious Tampa Bay Rays and the usually incompetently run Baltimore Orioles(current) a real possibility.    

 

Well run teams of all market sizes can be very good and the playoff system is such that upsets are always possible.

 

 

 

Tampa Bay is a team that comes to mind. They don't have a big payroll, but they draft and develop their players very well which allows them to be competitive.

[BADOLBILZ]

21 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Tampa Bay is a team that comes to mind. They don't have a big payroll, but they draft and develop their players very well which allows them to be competitive.

 

 

Yeah there is no arguing that not having a salary cap keeps good big market teams competitive every year..........that's real.   But the only real current threat to changing the current course that's producing new champs year after year is Steve Cohen.    And Cohen seems to be trying to build more gradually/responsibly himself.  

 

Guys like Friedman with LA and Hal Steinbrenner are in it to make money first and foremost.    The Dodgers have essentially added at most $31M in real payroll expense to their roster next year with Shohei and Yamamoto.   It's not crazy money by any means.   The Yanks will pay that to Soto and that cost them players to acquire.  

 

The Yanks will pivot and spend money elsewhere but it won't largely change the balance of the league and the de facto salary cap called the luxury tax will continue to give Hal the excuse to keep his payroll in the 25%-35% of revenue range.........as opposed to NFL teams who pay out over 50%........and as opposed to pre-tax era when George Steinbrenner at times had as much as 80% of revenue tied up in player salaries.

 

The luxury tax isn't exactly a salary cap but because greed naturally expands and rich endeavor to avoid taxes......it serves the same purpose. 

Edited December 22, 2023 by BADOLBILZ