Shohei Otani sweepstakes (NYY out, looks like West Coast)
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robert terwilliger
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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders moving forward after knee surgery
Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman suffers torn left ACL, out for season | Toronto Star
i remember reading that they weren't pleased with dunedin's facilities.
If Otani will be playing some outfield on his non-pitching days I could definitely see the Jays being out as a contender for his services. Beside being in Canada, which apparently some players are not crazy about, there is also the issue of the artificial turf overlaying a concrete surface on the stadium. Not the best thing for ones knees and joints. Jays and the Rays are the only ones with an artificial surface at this point.
I remember when Beeston promised the Jays would have an all grass field a few years ago lol. Once rumours surfaced regarding the costs involved with the removal of all the concrete and installation of proper drainage and the potential trouble with maintaining grass in Rogers Centre it wasn't long after that the Jays decided to cheap out and merely remove concrete from 5% of the field - basically where the base paths are and that was the end of that. Rumours of free agent players not wanting to play in Toronto due to the artificial turf mysteriously disappeared. It sure doesn't mean that won't be an issue going forward if they want to sign a A+ player in the outfield though. As it is, they will have to settle for the B and C players like Pearce and Morales to man those positions.
I remember when Beeston promised the Jays would have an all grass field a few years ago lol. Once rumours surfaced regarding the costs involved with the removal of all the concrete and installation of proper drainage and the potential trouble with maintaining grass in Rogers Centre it wasn't long after that the Jays decided to cheap out and merely remove concrete from 5% of the field - basically where the base paths are and that was the end of that. Rumours of free agent players not wanting to play in Toronto due to the artificial turf mysteriously disappeared. It sure doesn't mean that won't be an issue going forward if they want to sign a A+ player in the outfield though. As it is, they will have to settle for the B and C players like Pearce and Morales to man those positions.
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Ok, yeah, I thought that's what you might be getting at. Not that i expect the Jays to get him but I don't think the turf thing overall will be that big of deal. I mean aren't there tons of dimes with turf in Japan so he'd likely already be fairly used to that? But I guess who knows? Seems like he's got some particular wants/needs and nobody really knows what they are other than he wants to pitch and also bat/field.
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Yeah yeah. I know all that stuff. I think it's still silly that they can't/won't cover the dome to grass but I think at this point it's not nearly as much of an injury concern. Plus, as mentioned, Japanese players I think would be used to turf since it seems common over there.
Also, I don't think the whole Canada thing is necessarily a deterrent for Asian athletes. Obviously West coast teams seem to have an advantage when it comes to signing them due to proximity and the Yankees and red sox have also landed big name free agents... but they are the Yankees and red sox. I think it will just ultimately come down to fit and who can offer the most of what otani is looking for. Doesn't seem like he has a preference at this point but really knows.
Lets go Yankees! Second most money to spend on him(barely and certainly no reason to choose Texas), Tanaka already on the staff, short porch for his lefty at bats, more opportunities for endorsements, nicest uniform in sports, best franchise in sports, come on!
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It’s mostly American players that don’t want to (and in hockey everyone who doesn’t want intense media exposure). International players usually don’t mind.
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"things like letting him have two fruit cups with his lunch in spring training. of course, this will mean taking another player's fruit cup but that's not important right now. we can also offer him up to a 20% discount on unsold jung ho kang merchandise!"
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Texas does have no income tax (big reason why Choo chose them over NYY a few years back) and has Darvish as a prime example of how Japanese players like it there.
Its really between them two and the Dodgers IMO.
good one, Neil.
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The Saunders one was an obvious issue, he stepped on a sprinkler head that either shouldn't have been there or they were on a field they really shouldn't have been on. The Stroman one I don't believe was related to a bad field or anything, more of a fluke injury it seemed to be.
For some reason I recall that the Jays were in the middle of renovating their spring training facilities, so in that sense I'd imagine it has/will improve than it has been in the past but I have no idea if that's true or how far along they are in that process.
I don't necessarily thing the Jays are in the group of frontrunners for Ohtani, but I think we'll be far enough up the list that we have a realistic shot, because nobody really knows what Ohtani's main motivations are and what would be an absolute deal breaker. But we have enough pluses in our favour that it wouldn't be completely ridiculous if it happened.
Anyway he's been posted, I'm very curious to where he goes and how it plays out. Of course I want him in Toronto but I really hope he doesn't go to the Yankees. I want to cheer for the guy and not sure I could as a Yankee., plus the obvious they're in the same division and we play them 19 times implications.
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