2023 MLB Season (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

The signing amount is more about the additional marketing revenue generated by Ohtani’s presence on the Dodgers than what he actually contributes on the field of play. Fans don’t give a crap about those revenues but ownership and MLB cares a lot about such revenue streams.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

^Have they said all that much about that (to justify such a huge jump from what was previously speculated)?

Also, how exactly will the defered $$$ be counted for luxury tax purposes, etc. I forget now, but I don't think the impact on that gets defered much, if at all, and this is so big on top of the Dodgers already being over... that this deal will costing even more than "merely" $700MM...

Also curious what the Jays were offering since they were speculated as the frontrunner (to my surprise) until this afternoon...

_Man_

 

[Jeffrey D]

It would have been better for the image of the league, if Shohei did go to a team, other than the 4 or 5 teams that everyone knows can just slide a blank check across the table to a player’s agent. As a casual fan, my take
is competitive balance is compromised, when just a handful of teams can get/retain the best players in the game. Having said this, an argument can be made that Shohei is getting market value- $40 million per for a hitter, and $30 million per for a stud pitcher is in line. The Dodgers should be concerned that injuries to his elbow cut short 2 seasons of pitching.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It would have been better for the image of the league, if Shohei did go to a team, other than the 4 or 5 teams that everyone knows can just slide a blank check across the table to a player’s agent. As a casual fan, my take
is competitive balance is compromised, when just a handful of teams can get/retain the best players in the game. Having said this, an argument can be made that Shohei is getting market value- $40 million per for a hitter, and $30 million per for a stud pitcher is in line. The Dodgers should be concerned that injuries to his elbow cut short 2 seasons of pitching.

I think that competitive balance argument is overstated because history has shown that buying the best players doesn't necessarily equate to playoff success. My own team the Yankees is a testament to that along with the Mets, Dodgers, Padres and Angels.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I think that competitive balance argument is overstated because history has shown that buying the best players doesn't necessarily equate to playoff success. My own team the Yankees is a testament to that along with the Mets, Dodgers, Padres and Angels.

Yes having no money concerns doesn’t guarantee winning, but having no money concerns does mean a pretty much guaranteed amount of wins, with no rebuilding pains. Your team is the poster board for this- more than 30 straight years of winning seasons.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes having no money concerns doesn’t guarantee winning, but having no money concerns does mean a pretty much guaranteed amount of wins, with no rebuilding pains. Your team is the poster board for this- more than 30 straight years of winning seasons.

Ask any Yankees fan and he would give up a number of those 30 years of winning seasons for one more WS championship over the last 14 seasons. Yankees fans in their arrogance are about WS titles not winning seasons. That 30 year streak means nothing to the fanbase.

Furthermore, I think most fans of other teams would give up winning seasons for a chance to celebrate a WS championship.

 

[MartinP.]

Well, your Dodgers got him for 700M/10 years. Good luck!

Ugh. Let the oxygen sucking commence. It's going to really blow to watch him get or stay hurt if he’s the best hitter, pitcher, and 35% of the payroll.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Article at foxbusiness.com that the Dodgers are deferring almost all of Shohei’s salary until after 2033. I’m surprised this was agreed to by Shohei and camp, and to me, this just smells wrong. This gets around luxury tax thresholds.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Article at foxbusiness.com that the Dodgers are deferring almost all of Shohei’s salary until after 2033. I’m surprised this was agreed to by Shohei and camp, and to me, this just smells wrong. This gets around luxury tax thresholds.

I disagree with you because there is a section of the CBA that clearly states Ohtani’s contract doesn’t circumvent the luxury tax rules.

This is a great article about Ohtani’s contract:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/why-shohei-ohtanis-contract-structure-is-not-a-luxury-tax-dodge.html

 

[Jeffrey D]

I disagree with you because there is a section of the CBA that clearly states Ohtani’s contract doesn’t circumvent the luxury tax rules.

Good point that there couldn’t be any CBA agreement shenanigans in working the contract this way, but to me it still smells wrong- I just don’t like the whole economic imbalances of the game.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Good point that there couldn’t be any CBA agreement shenanigans in working the contract this way, but to me it still smells wrong- I just don’t like the whole economic imbalances of the game.

Perhaps those smaller revenue teams should be spending the money they get from revenue sharing on their team instead of pocketing those monies into their pockets.

I think if we open the books for all to see, we’ll be surprised by how much money those smaller revenue teams are making in profits.

 

[Malcolm R]

Seems like other teams have done this. I've heard of a couple other players who haven't been active for years that are still collecting big paychecks from teams.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Good point that there couldn’t be any CBA agreement shenanigans in working the contract this way, but to me it still smells wrong- I just don’t like the whole economic imbalances of the game.

Perhaps those smaller revenue teams should be spending the money they get from revenue sharing on their team instead of pocketing those monies into their pockets.

I think if we open the books for all to see, we’ll be surprised by how much money those smaller revenue teams are making in profits.

In a sense, MLB is just smelly all-around... at least when it comes to their finances anyway, LOL.

Hard to know exactly who's "taking" who, etc anymore. Presumably, all the owners and owner groups (should) have very substantial, equal voting power and (plenty of lawyers, smart enough front office people, et al advising them -- if any of them don't, that's probably on them me thinks... as they are all big boys and/or corporations afterall...

Presumably, any other team coulda gotten a similar deal done w/ Ohtani if they're willing to spend the ~$460M in present value (that MLB and probably player's union seem to be valuing it... at least for CBT purpose I'm reading)... well, and of course, if they can appeal to Ohtani enough of course, which is probably the bigger issue (at least for those teams who feel they could afford that price tag for a 2-way superstar)...

That present value makes Ohtani seem almost like a huge bargain... that is, assuming he manages to return to be an ace-level pitcher for most of those years, LOL.

Seems like other teams have done this. I've heard of a couple other players who haven't been active for years that are still collecting big paychecks from teams.

Yep, others have.... but just not nearly to this level though. Ohtani's only gonna be paid $2M/year(!) for 10 years, LOL, leaving the other ~97% deferred by 10 years when he might well be retiring -- he'd almost certainly be retired for the last few of those deferred payment years unless he does the unthinkable and remain a productive player into his late-40's, LOL...

Truth is he also gets so much in endorsements (and they may actually escalate going forward) that he's probably still getting paid these next 10 years as much as most other superstars while that ~97% is deferred, LOL.

_Man_

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yamamoto signs with Dodgers for 12/325M.

 

[TonyD]

Baseball is a mess.

Who didnt see that coming.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Baseball is a mess.

Who didnt see that coming.

Why is baseball a mess? In the last ten years only the Astros won the WS twice with one of those wins tainted for most MLB fans. High payrolls is not a guarantee for WS success.

 

[TonyD]

Oh I know that. The Phillies have shown that the best teams can be beaten in the playoffs and usually are.

I just don’t like one or two teams signing the highest paid players.

Rosenthall wrote that it’s good for baseball to have one or two marquee teams like this.
I think that’s bull and a team that signs these big pay players become a marquee team.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Well, it's not like there's no real risks at all w/ that huge Yamamoto signing for someone who hasn't ever pitched over here yet though.

And it was clearly Ohtani's unprecedented signing that enabled this... while the Angels had all their chances w/ him on top of Trout before and did absolutely nothing meaningful and so lost him to FA and the Dodgers.

_Man_

 

[MartinP.]

I guess they'll be offering sushi again at Dodger stadium. We'll have Sushi Sundays along with Taco Tuesdays.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Kinda insane that the Yamamoto deal (as big $$$ as it is) actually apparently still comes w/ 2 opt-outs (presumably for the player), LOL. Maybe the Dodgers even hope he uses them (sometime after midpoint in his 30's perhaps)... unless he turns out to be the next coming of Cy Young perhaps, haha...

And don't forget there's a $50M posting fee that the Dodgers are actually paying on top of the actual deal Yamamoto's getting... although that fee presumably won't count toward CBT...

_Man_