The next big thing from Japan is reportedly going to be coming across to MLB this offseason.
Hello, friends.
This early November weekend has not crept by without some big-time MLB free agent news, with the Japanese team of pitcher Roki Sasaki announcing that it would allow the young star to be posted to MLB over the course of this offseason. The move was not a given, because the financial incentives for both Chiba Lotte and Sasaki aligned to wait longer to post him, but in the end it seems that Sasaki’s wish to get across to MLB sooner has won out.
What’s interesting about Sasaki’s arrival this offseason is that he is young enough that his free agency will fall under the same signing bonus pool as international amateurs do. So, if he’s posted before the end of the 2024 signing period, then he’ll be limited to what teams can offer him based on what’s already been spent this year. Or, if they post him after the 2025 period begins, he could potentially get a larger bonus if a team is willing to break its informal commitments to Latin American teenagers in that signing class.
If this happens for the 2025 period, Sasaki could potentially get a bonus in the $10-12 million range. That would assume a team chose to spend not only its entire allotment on him but also acquired pool space from other teams, allowed up to 75% of its own allocated amount. That’s a far cry from the amount the Dodgers paid Yoshinobu Yamamoto when he came over from Japan last year. Yamamoto, who was older than 25, could sign as a regular free agent with no hard limits on his contract, and he received $325 million.
The last time this happened with a big-time Japanese player coming over to MLB was Shohei Ohtani, who arrived prior to the 2018 season. It was never too likely that Ohtani would consider the Orioles at that time, and the Dan Duquette regime had reportedly never even made any attempt to get in on that chase.
Will Mike Elias’s people try a little harder to entice Sasaki to come to an East Coast team that’s never had a marquee Japanese player (sorry, Koji Uehara) in its history? Let’s hope that they do, although I have no expectations of anything coming of it. Roki would be a pretty good Baltimore accent player name.
Around the blogO’sphere
Breaking down the Orioles free agent wish list (Orioles.com)
Beat writer Jake Rill sums up recent Mike Elias comments with: Get an ace, add right-handed hitters to the outfield mix, add to the catching depth, and possibly improve the bullpen. Sounds about right.
25 free agents who make the most sense for the Orioles (The Baltimore Sun)
I am not so sure that there are 25 free agents who make sense for the Orioles, but I respect the imperatives that lead to a list with five times five names on it.
Potential Orioles free agent target: Lefty pitcher Max Fried (Steve Melewski)
MASN’s Steve Melewski tackles a weekend rumor that suggested the Orioles are interested in free agent pitcher Max Fried. I’ll believe the Orioles sign a pitcher to a 5+ year contract when I see it happen and not a minute before.
What the first week of the Orioles offseason might tell us about the rest of it (The Baltimore Banner)
Jon Meoli’s early reading of the tea leaves has him coming away with high expectations for what the Orioles do over the course of this hot stove season. That’s the path to disappointment. I know because I’ve been there.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Of all the players to ever play for the Orioles, not a single one has had a November 10 birthday. There is one current 40-man player who was born on this day. Happy 26th to catcher Blake Hunt, who was acquired from the Mariners when the Orioles traded Mike Baumann to Seattle. Hunt had a .497 OPS in 42 games with Norfolk after the trade.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Reformation theologian Martin Luther (1483), flush toilet inventor George Jennings (1810), aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev (1888), lyricist Tim Rice (1944), actress Ellen Pompeo (1969), rapper Warren G and rapper U-God (1970).
On this day in history…
In 1202, soldiers who were on the way to the Fourth Crusade – whose explicit aim was action in Egypt – stopped off for a siege of modern-day Zadar, Croatia, a Catholic city whose capture was desired by Venice, which would not transport the crusaders to their actual destination unless they first captured Zara. The siege and eventual capture occurred despite the pope explicitly threatening excommunication over the matter.
In 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded at a tavern in Philadelphia. The Corps still celebrates this as its birthday today, though it has not existed continuously, with an early interruption from 1783 to 1798.
In 1942, Nazi Germany launched an invasion of Vichy France after an armistice was signed with the Allies over fighting in North Africa.
In 1983, the first version of Windows was unveiled by Bill Gates. Microsoft is on Windows 11 today.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 10. Have a safe Sunday.