The New York Yankees and all of Major League Baseball are
simply salivating impatiently at the possibility of adding Shohei Otani to
their rosters this offseason but at what cost? Don’t get me wrong I am driving
the Otani fan club tour bus and I want the Yankees to do almost anything they
have to in order to sign the 23-year old “Babe Ruth of Japan” but I would be
lying if I said the thought of Otani potentially being a two-player player in
the states didn’t scare the absolute crap out of me.
The Nippon Ham Fighters have agreed to post Otani this
winter and the right-hander has selected Nez Balelo of CAA Sports to represent
him so what am I so worried about? It certainly isn’t the potential $20 million
posting fee nor is it the roughly $3.25 - $3.5 million in salary for six
seasons of control of Otani but it is the fact that any team that signs him
will potentially have to offer him the ability to not only pitch, but to hit as
well in MLB. Now unless an American League team takes a huge risk and does
that, the Yankees included, Otani is all but going to a National League team
you would think. Now don’t get me wrong I would let him personally, and I think
the Yankees will ultimately let him DH a few games a week when he isn’t
pitching, but thoughts of Chein-Ming Wang rounding the bases in Interleague
play and essentially destroying his heel and his career in the process are
flowing fluidly through my head when I think about the possibility.
Otani has already hinted at wanting to hit at the Major
League level including a quote this week from the USA Today where Otani said “there
are still so many things I’m lacking, and I want to put myself in an
environment where I can improve. Hopefully I can go to a club that suits my way
of thinking.” Translation, I want to hit and pitch and if that’s not okay with
you then let me know and I will go elsewhere. At least 15 teams will allow him
to hit in some capacity with pitchers hitting for themselves in the National
League so the Yankees will have to do something to set themselves apart. With
international spending restrictions and such the way they are now the team
cannot simply blow everyone and anyone out of the water, the team has to make
promises they may not be entirely comfortable with including the possibility of
having a two-way player.
Now let’s look at things and let’s look at the worst
possible scenario, Otani gets hurt. The Yankees, again, would have six years of
team control so losing Otani for a season would hurt, but it would not be the
end of the world for either party. If Otani were hurt more seriously then the
Yankees would merely be out a $20 million posting fee, which is a wash
regardless, and less than $4 million in salary. The Yankees have wasted more on
less. I’m not saying don’t sign Otani and promise him the world, do it 10 times
out of 10, but I can’t say it doesn’t worry me just a tad.
Totally get what you're saying and agree for the most part. The only difference I can see is that Wang was a pitcher being forced to run the bases, and Otani is a position player accustomed to running the bases.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just running the bases though. How will swinging the bat and throwing the ball from presumably the outfield and all that affect his pitching?
DeleteThey pitch once a week in Japan but every five days here. They use a different size ball here, the competition is better here.They play more games here. He himself says he is an unfinished product and I think he would be better off choosing one field of expertise and not two.
All valid points, and I agree, it's very risky. I'm not going to lie though, I'm kinda curious to see if it can be done. Maybe this is the time to see if a 6 man rotation works.
DeletePlaying the outfield and pitching is a NO, NO. Pitching and hitting for himself would not be a bad thing.
DeleteI know one guy that played 2nd base and was the closer also. He was a good closer, second basemen and could hit very well. but he only had to get three guys out with his left hand at that.
So I would NOT let him play the outfield at all. As his hitting goes, let him hit when he is pitching...IF he still wants too after Cashman explains the facts of life to him.
Pitch only!