MLB 2024 Thread

[irul&ublo]

God is good!

Now bring on Yamamoto!

Some P-38s flamed him in 43

[Thaleia]

Do we have a wellness check on the Jays contingent?

Not great, thanks.

lol

[Woodsy]

The Fresh Prince will be studying Japanese for the rest of the off-season.

[Supermoon]

Still a chance I guess: “Deal is not yet official. Dodgers have yet to even acknowledge it. Possible reason within this story from
@ByMcCullough
: “Dodgers officials declined comment when asked if Ohtani had taken a physical, the final step before a deal can become official.”

[alias_rice]

Still a chance I guess: “Deal is not yet official. Dodgers have yet to even acknowledge it. Possible reason within this story from
@ByMcCullough
: “Dodgers officials declined comment when asked if Ohtani had taken a physical, the final step before a deal can become official.”

Meh, not worried about it. We already know his elbow is fucked. The Dodgers 40 man is now at 42, so they’ll probably try to make a quick trade so they don’t have to release anyone.

Good time for a nightcap.

[irul&ublo]

God is good!

Now bring on Yamamoto!

Some P-38s flamed him in 43

[GiBo]

Fuck Ohtani and fuck the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This just ensures they'll keep winning the division every year and then fizzle out in the playoffs.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[alias_rice]

Fuck Ohtani and fuck the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This just ensures they'll keep winning the division every year and then fizzle out in the playoffs.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Hahahahahahaha.

You should relax and just enjoy what you’re watching. If Shohei reaches his full potential, he’s not just an inner circle guy, but he’s the guy. He’s got the chance to be better than them all. Mays, Mantle, Ruth, Jackie, Bonds, Aaron, Williams may all end up looking up to him. What a privilege that we all get to watch it.

[BmillsSkier]

This is probably the only thing that would make me willingly watch a Dodgers game outside of playing my team. Shohei is must see TV.

[Supermoon]

Meh, not worried about it. We already know his elbow is fucked. The Dodgers 40 man is now at 42, so they’ll probably try to make a quick trade so they don’t have to release anyone.

Dodgers/Yankees trade just sent two roster spots to NY for a prospect. Good call.

[GiBo]

Hahahahahahaha.

You should relax and just enjoy what you’re watching. If Shohei reaches his full potential, he’s not just an inner circle guy, but he’s the guy. He’s got the chance to be better than them all. Mays, Mantle, Ruth, Jackie, Bonds, Aaron, Williams may all end up looking up to him. What a privilege that we all get to watch it.

That's what I love about Dodger fans- it's all sunshine, beach balls a 7th inning strolls to the parking lot. You'll never understand the fan hate being beamed into your soul from the enormous hate laser that is the Giant's fan base. We hate everything LA, but we especially hate The Los Angeles Dodgers. I wish nothing but bad for Ohtani. And it's nothing personal. It's simply that he's a Dodger. The only enjoyment I'll get from watching him is he failures.

[alias_rice]

That's what I love about Dodger fans- it's all sunshine, beach balls a 7th inning strolls to the parking lot. You'll never understand the fan hate being beamed into your soul from the enormous hate laser that is the Giant's fan base. We hate everything LA, but we especially hate The Los Angeles Dodgers. I wish nothing but bad for Ohtani. And it's nothing personal. It's simply that he's a Dodger. The only enjoyment I'll get from watching him is he failures.

If you’re full of hate now, wait until you read the details of his contract. The guy is only going to get paid $2 million a year for the next 10 years, and everything else is deferred. What a move! Friedman is the best and I can’t wait for the Yamamoto announcement.

From The Athletic

“Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal includes a series of unprecedented deferrals, a person briefed on the terms told The Athletic on Monday.

In an effort to enable the Dodgers to continue spending around stars Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, Ohtani agreed to defer all but $2 million of his annual salary — $68 million of his $70 million per year — until after the completion of the contract. The deferred money is to be paid out without interest from 2034 to 2043.

The previously unreported deferrals were said to be suggested by Ohtani himself as the negotiations vaulted the figure towards $700 million, the person briefed on the terms told The Athletic. The deal is expected to soon be finalized.

The unusual structure is intended to provide the Dodgers additional cash flow and payroll flexibility. In the meantime, Ohtani continues to bring in big dollars elsewhere from endorsements and off-the-field ventures. Ohtani is believed to make $50 million per year annually away from the diamond, the person briefed on the terms told The Athletic.

The deferrals also give Dodgers extra freedom navigating the competitive balance tax, or luxury tax as it’s called. For CBT purposes, the expected average annual value on the contract is said to be closer to $46 million per year, the person briefed on the terms said. The Dodgers remain in the mix at the top of the market, particularly for pitching, with free-agent Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow among their targets.

Ohtani’s contract went well past the $426.5 million his former Angels teammate, Mike Trout, received in the previous record deal. Ohtani’s agent at Creative Artists Agency, Nez Balelo, hinted at the deferral arrangement when Ohtani’s decision to join the Dodgers was announced.

“He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success,” Balelo said in a statement at the time.”

[ex-powderbroker]

that’s wild if true. i heard about the deferments and was expecting something around 25/yr with the rest deferred. if accurate the dodgers are the biggest losers in baseball if they can’t build a championship team around him.

the yanks are signing Yamasoto though.

[alias_rice]

that’s wild if true. i heard about the deferments and was expecting something around 25/yr with the rest deferred. if accurate the dodgers are the biggest losers in baseball if they can’t build a championship team around him.

the yanks are signing Yamasoto though.

I agree, but It’s a risk I’m glad they took. No reason not to go all in for the next 5 years. They have 3 sure fire hall of famers in their prime, plus Kershaw hopefully coming back for his swan song sometime this summer. They obviously are going to go hard at Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Cease. If they get 2, they need 3 titles at least.

As for Yamamoto, I say it’s 50/50 at this point. But it’s definitely Dodgers or Yanks.

And just for fun, take a look at these missiles.

https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1734294570018455835?s=46

[ex-powderbroker]

Lee to the Giants. I thought his bat would play well on the Yanks and preferred him to Soto if that meant they could spend more on Yamamoto+.

Anyway, don't let the home run roll fool you, he has some power but i'm expecting more ground balls and stuff in the gap than 10 home runs... but maybe the power will come?

[Woodsy]

That's what I love about Dodger fans- it's all sunshine, beach balls a 7th inning strolls to the parking lot. You'll never understand the fan hate being beamed into your soul from the enormous hate laser that is the Giant's fan base. We hate everything LA, but we especially hate The Los Angeles Dodgers. I wish nothing but bad for Ohtani. And it's nothing personal. It's simply that he's a Dodger. The only enjoyment I'll get from watching him is he failures.

I feel it and fuck you and your rose colored memories of Candlestick.

[GiBo]

I feel it and fuck you and your rose colored memories of Candlestick.

Now that's what I'm talking about, Woodsy!

Just for you, I'll share (or probably re-share) my favorite Candlestick memory: We're in the old metal centerfield bleachers for a Friday night Giants/Dodges game. Probably '94 or '95. Giants sucked then. They had put in a metal detector to enter the bleachers because it was getting crazy out there. We always sat in the back row because there was a chain link fence behind us and we had a back rest. We see a guy below in about the 3rd row in a full Dodger's uni. My buddy says, "No way he's making it past the 3rd". Sure enough, the Dodgers rally early and this guys is turning around egging on the crowd. He's getting pummeled with peanuts and whatnot. Eventually, someone confronts him and fists fly. Security comes down and points and Dodger fan to come over. As he's walking the guy out the guy's complaining that the other guy started it and why is he only getting kicked out. The security guard says, "No, buddy. You started it. You can't come in here wearing that shit!"

[powpig]

That's what I love about Dodger fans- it's all sunshine, beach balls a 7th inning strolls to the parking lot. You'll never understand the fan hate being beamed into your soul from the enormous hate laser that is the Giant's fan base. We hate everything LA, but we especially hate The Los Angeles Dodgers. I wish nothing but bad for Ohtani. And it's nothing personal. It's simply that he's a Dodger. The only enjoyment I'll get from watching him is he failures.

Preach Brotha!
The 2nd half of this contract is gonna look godawful!
$700 million for a DH who doesn't even play in the field?
With his injury history on the wrong side of 30 coming off a 2nd TJ?
Ohtani will at best be a back of the rotation, limited innings SP who'll show flashes of his former greatness followed by barrages of gopherballs and stints on the DL.
That's a ton of money to spend on a top flight closer, which is probably his best upside after it becomes evident he just can't shoulder (I really mean elbow) the load as a SP.

[alias_rice]

Preach Brotha!
The 2nd half of this contract is gonna look godawful!
$700 million for a DH who doesn't even play in the field?
With his injury history on the wrong side of 30 coming off a 2nd TJ?
Ohtani will at best be a back of the rotation, limited innings SP who'll show flashes of his former greatness followed by barrages of gopherballs and stints on the DL.
That's a ton of money to spend on a top flight closer, which is probably his best upside after it becomes evident he just can't shoulder (I really mean elbow) the load as a SP.

The dude had a 1.066 ops and a 184 ops+ last year. He’s a top 5 hitter in the game and will be for the next 6 or 7 years. And that was done while focusing on pitching and hitting. I’m interested to see what he does only focusing on hitting in 2024, while being protected in the lineup by Freeman. The injury risk for his pitching is definitely there, but when he’s right he’s also a top 5 pitcher. Even if he only pitches for three or four years, what would be to stop him from moving to left field? He couldn’t be any worse of a fielder than Juan Soto. He is definitely getting paid a shit load, but it is not my money and the way he deferred it makes it so the Dodgers can go out and get a couple of other stars. He’s a true team first guy and pretty much universally beloved. When Yamamoto met with the Dodgers yesterday, how do you think it looked to have team Japan captain Shohei Ohtani there to greet him alongside Mookie and Freddie?

As for the back end of the contract, the Dodgers will have made so much money off of him over the next decade that they will have paid it off five times. He just broke Messi’s record for selling the most jerseys in 48 hours. The Dodgers are going to be in the playoff hunt every single year, and are going to absolutely corner the Asian market. They will probably make more money in Asia than the majority of teams make in their home territories. it’ll probably turn out as one of the most team friendly contracts of all time.

[ex-powderbroker]

yeah he doesn’t have to pitch to make it make sense. “sucks he isn’t on my team” thinks 29 fanbases.

too bad mlb is going to have to reevaluate the deferral and ring up LA for 70M in luxury tax before the season starts.

[Danno]

Holy crap

Shohei Ohtani's historic deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers allows him to opt out if owner Mark Walter or president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is no longer involved with the team

[Brock Landers]

Is he deferring the money to when hedoesn’t have to live in/ pay state taxes in/ California either?

[powpig]

The dude had a 1.066 ops and a 184 ops+ last year. He’s a top 5 hitter in the game and will be for the next 6 or 7 years......
.....it’ll probably turn out as one of the most team friendly contracts of all time.

Similar offensive numbers at about half the price makes Aaron Judge's contract seem like a bargain.

[Brock Landers]

I mean Judge isn’t also legit top of the rotation pitcher.

[Danno]

Is he deferring the money to when hedoesn’t have to live in/ pay state taxes in/ California either?

Yes