Otani would be a major coup. 20 y/o. 99mph heater. Bidding war for sure with him.
pinstripealley.com
Yup. Very good hitter.Otani, IIRC, is a really good hitter as well. I think I remember that he DHs when he isn't pitching? I'd have to think an up and coming NL team would appeal to him.
Otani's first season in Japan was modest. He played 54 games in the outfield and and in 13 on the mound, making 11 starts. He hit a quiet .238/.284/.376 with 15 doubles and three homers in 204 plate appearances, and he pitched to a 4.23 ERA with a 4.8 BB/9, though he did reach the league average of 6.7 K/9 as a mere 18-year old. Now a sophomore in 2014, Otani has gotten off to a superb start. He's a much improved hitter at the plate, batting .283/.343/.457 with 11 extra-base hits in 102 plate appearances (compared to the league average of .256/.323/.379), and he's been even better on the mound.
Otani, IIRC, is a really good hitter as well. I think I remember that he DHs when he isn't pitching? I'd have to think an up and coming NL team would appeal to him.
Yup. Very good hitter.
Otani's first season in Japan was modest. He played 54 games in the outfield and and in 13 on the mound, making 11 starts. He hit a quiet .238/.284/.376 with 15 doubles and three homers in 204 plate appearances, and he pitched to a 4.23 ERA with a 4.8 BB/9, though he did reach the league average of 6.7 K/9 as a mere 18-year old. Now a sophomore in 2014, Otani has gotten off to a superb start. He's a much improved hitter at the plate, batting .283/.343/.457 with 11 extra-base hits in 102 plate appearances (compared to the league average of .256/.323/.379), and he's been even better on the mound.
3 year ban but if he comes over, hes going to get a long contract anyways which would make that rule moot. Probably the main issue would be if the MLB accepted poaching with a contract in Japan already in effect.Pretty sure you can't come over from Japan until you've been there a while, like 7 years or something.
Due to a recent NPB rule that was enacted when Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa bolted from his Japanese high school to Boston on a three-year contract without playing any NPB ball, Otani would thus be banned from playing in the NPB for three years if he went stateside. He could have gone anyway, but he ultimately was convinced by Nippon Ham to sign with them instead for the equivalent of a $1.2 million bonus and the maximum rookie salary of $150,000.
Lol. That was actually the first image that came to my mind when I read up on this kid. Maybe a righthand version of Steve Carlton (for us old folks who've actually seen Carlton).The second coming of the Babe.
Why on earth did no one think to mention Japanese Babe Ruth mixed with Nolan Ryan while we are searching for young projectable arms?!**
Lol.I swear every week there's some new Japanese or Cuban player... They come out of nowhere in my mind.
Why on earth did no one think to mention Japanese Babe Ruth mixed with Nolan Ryan while we are searching for young projectable arms?!
I swear every week there's some new Japanese or Cuban player... They come out of nowhere in my mind.
First it was Tanaka, then Maeda and now this guy.
I don't like the way the Sox are handling Rodon at all. He's not a fast track player anymore with how he was handled at NC State.
I disagree
Not unreasonable to think he can make quick transition to MLB and start out in pen until ready to transition to starting role
Love to the Cavs for Wigging, Bennett, and a pick. Another super star moves and Paxson sits on his hands.
Regarding Hamels:
There is probably no chance that they get him, but these are the types of moves that get me excited about the future. It signals to me that the front office is indeed taking 2015 seriously and we should finally start to see a competitive squad moving forward.
I wouldn't spend bullets to bring in a pitcher making big money before seeing what's available this winter.