Juan Soto no longer the top free agent? Enter Roki Sasaki! | Baseball Today

[@nicholaskatsikas4904]

90% chance Roki is a Dodger just makes the most sense in terms of team need and for him to develop as a pitcher.

[@kevinray9943]

The 6 man rotation the Dodgers are going with is gonna be a big factor.

[@ZevAidikoff]

Not to mention he walks in the room with yamamoto, shohei and a beautiful trophy sitting on the table.

[@Brahmabullz]

I'd say 90 is on the low end.

[@Zygwired]

I keep hearing this but I can’t think of any elite pitchers the dodgers have developed in the last 5 years, I mean obviously Kershaw urias and walker buehler. If it’s just about development you gotta go to the rays right?

[@Brahmabullz]

@@Zygwired Los Angeles is a HUMONGOUS Asian market. It's the best place for them to go.

[@horromantix]

I believe this is the second time I’ve heard Rose say Juan Marichal died. I think you are thinking of Orlando Cepeda

[@taydcan]

As a dodger fan I really respect Buster for stepping up and taking that job with SF, big risk but necessary with his knowledge. They will be a good team again making playoffs within 5 years im sure of it. Just gonna be as a Wild card team 😉

[@michaelbaucom4019]

Soto in SF: the Giants would still be a frustrating .500 team with him. Soto is who you sign if a team is the proverbial " one player away from World Series contention ". The Giants are at least three players away. Better to PLAY THE KIDS, and work on scouting/player development. Sadly, too many Giants fans think signing a free agent like Soto solves the team's problems

[@IPANoah]

Soto is someone you sign and build a team around.

[@skarbone1]

1000% wrong. Soto is 26 years old. Let me reiterate that. TWENTY SIX. 26 is when you HOPE your prospects will start to live up to their promise. That's when you hope they start to enter their prime. He's already on a HOF trajectory at 26. He is precisely the type of player you sign to a 10 year contract and build a team around. He is a foundational piece. This isn't some 32 year old first time free agent. This is a superstar at 26, whose eye at the plate rivals that of Barry Bonds. He's the ideal free agent to bring in to attract other free agents, and will still be there when your theoretical prospects are hitting their primes.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

@skarbone1 Soto doesn't help defense, starting pitching, nor get an everyday shortstop. Or, submit 3,127 reasons why. Why 3,127? Because 3,128 would be hyperbole to make a point. Perhaps you live in one of Obama's 57 states, the one called " De Nile "

[@IPANoah]

@@michaelbaucom4019 lol of course you bought Obama up in your hair brained paragraph.

[@ShortRoundActual]

Food for thought as commented by Rem O. on a Roki Sasaki, Athletic Article. 3 cities in the US have the vast majority of direct flights to and from Japan: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York 4 other cities have some direct flights: Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto NPB players in recent year, that have come over or were UFAs have gone to teams as followed: Boston: Masataka Yoshida and Naoyuki Uwasawa Chicago: Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga Los Angeles: Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto New York: Kodai Senga Toronto: Yusei Kikuchi Other cities that have gotten players are: Detroit: Kenta Maeda Oakland: Shintaro Fujinami San Diego: Yu Darvish and Yuki Matsui If you look back at where NPB players have traditionally signed, they tend to fall into those 7 cities outside of some outliers that went to Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Cleveland, etc. While it is the stereotype that NPB players tend to prefer being on the West Coast to be closer to Japan, this actual trend of where players have ultimately signed tends to lean heavily towards cities with direct flights. Now does this drastically change anything? No... players likely still do in fact prefer the West Coast, but it is an interesting fact that I've become fascinated by.

[@bobbyselden1369]

Yusei Kikuchi signed with seattle but was traded to Toronto. Though you're definitely on to something with the direct flights

[@ShortRoundActual]

@@bobbyselden1369 Yusei wasn't traded, he signed with the Blue Jays in 2022 for a $36M, 3 Years contract.

[@GymAndSun]

Was just at the Rams tailgate, it was rows and rows, the bigger parties charge $20 or so for open bar. Got so cross faded lol. A huge party, and that was on a Thursday against Minnesota.

[@Youngstomata]

Woah tell that story again!

[@jessl1014]

I love hearing t plouffe say he'd like to be an elf

[@eitheroareitherroar7223]

Jomboy really needs to find a way to make that happen for him in some way. Warehouse Games LARP competition?

[@justkallmekai]

It cracks me up but I love how much Trev loves LotR 😂

[@GymAndSun]

“Free Agent” Shohei signed Roki at the WBC 2023. 🔥

[@TheGreyCrayon]

Sakaki is going to be a Dodger. He wants to play with Ohtani and Yamamoto.

[@eshep71]

To me, it's the only reason why he is fore-going all that money. Easily affordable for LA, unlike in a year with other teams driving the price towards 40.

[@Youngstomata]

@@eshep71why would you want to compete with other Japs on the same team? I think you’d want to separate yourself instead of jumping on the ohtani train

[@YK-he7jc]

Yes, it is true. As a matter of fact, he has already been talking with Yamamoto who is just like an elder brother and a mentor to him, also Shohei. Passan doesn’t know anything about him nor Japanese ball players.

[@aaronfregoso8845]

You don’t know that, have you talked to sasaki personally no you just follow what everyone thinks they know

[@Blaxk_tl]

22:18 Juan marichal still alive bro smh

[@vicisaiah8861]

Can you please do Baseball Today After Dark? It will be like baseball Nightcap

[@n_snafu]

Soto's contract will be like paying $18. for a Big Mac

[@danielc418]

Bro I quit McDonalds about a year ago and I’ve lost about 100 lbs, but when I was eating McDonalds I would def pay $18 for a Big Mac, they are delicious 😋LETS GO DODGERS 💙❗️

[@michaelkammeyer]

The more i hear trevor talk about how little managers do the less i understand what the point of the job is. He really makes it sound like a PR gig. Even as other coaches run practices and drills, does the manager not ultimately take responsibility for overseeing and guiding that process? It's bizzare to me.

[@benjammin4840]

7:30 Darvish to Texas Rangers was a surprise

[@paulcanfield7745]

MVP question: If Ohtani pitched this past year and had a high ERA, and overall bad year pitching, but still had the same offensive year at the plate, does he still win MVP over Lindor who was great offensively and defensively?

[@GymAndSun]

Nice pick, Curb Your Enthusiasm is so good.

[@jonathandavis221]

Love this show!

[@nunzi83]

I think Arenado would be a great fit for many teams. As a Mets Fan I rather him for the 3 years with his AAV being 20 million or less. Resigning Alonso and having Vientos and Alonso making up for the 1B and DH positions. Much rather that then signing Willy Adames for the reported 7 years at 20 or more million a year

[@dodgedforgottenn]

Great show, boys!

[@n1ghtt295]

15:04 I think Cards eat some money BUT mainly take a lower end prospect or two. Maybe an MLB r red ady guy too.

[@tarantinoish]

The Yankees fans that want Aaron Boone gone are the ones that want a Billy Martin type manager back. They think if Boone benched Judge, or moved him back in the order, or if maybe he screamed at Torres for lazy play and then put in a bench infielder at second, that the Yankees would’ve won more games in the Series. I don’t agree personally, but I’m a Yankees fan who likes Boone. He works well with the players, superstars like him, and he’s not afraid to get ejected.

[@cesarnunez6206]

Juan Marichal is alive 😂

[@eshep71]

Aren't Arenado's options all exercised? It means teams have nothing to offer (pick up options) Nolan for waiving the clause in their favor.. just opportunity

[@scottcampbell9515]

I think we need to get Plouffe and some others of the JBM crew to sit down and play Dungeons & Dragons.

[@noahcootz6735]

I would love to see the mariners pick roki up and trade one of our other arms for some bats. I dont think it will happen, but part of being a mariners fan is consuming harmful amounts of hopium every off season.

[@louiscicale6800]

Boone was not and is not perfect but there is no world where you can say he lost us the world series. The main reason we did is because the best player in baseball that season was lifeless all postseason. I love him but if u as a yankee fan are not happy with how it ended, the captain is the guy you should be upset at first

[@LJReinke99]

So I'm from NZ and have been following baseball since 2020 so I don't understand contracts that well yet. My question is this so can a team offer Roki the international bonus money for year one then immediately extend him to a massive multi year big money deal for the years of Arb afterwards? Is that allowed?

[@kikexo]

i asked chatgpt and it told me this😭 yes, a team can offer roki (or any player) the international signing bonus for the first year and then immediately extend him to a larger, multi-year contract covering his arbitration years, as long as everything is done within the rules of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and league regulations. Here’s how it works: International Signing Bonus: If roki is an international prospect, the team can sign him to an initial contract, which may include an international bonus (depending on the specifics of the player's signing bonus and the CBA rules related to international players). The international bonus is usually a one-time payment when the player is first signed. Extension to Multi-Year Deal: After the signing, the team can extend him to a multi-year contract. This is not uncommon, as teams often look to secure control over young players for multiple years beyond their initial contract or their pre-arbitration years. These contracts can cover his arbitration years (which are typically 3 years), plus any years after that (through free agency years, if applicable). However, there are a couple of important caveats: The timing of the extension matters. The extension must not violate any rules on front-loading or back-loading contracts to circumvent salary restrictions, and the player must agree to it. The structure of the deal must comply with the CBA’s rules on contract limits and salary manipulation. This means the team cannot artificially structure the contract to circumvent salary caps, luxury taxes, or other financial regulations. As long as the deal is structured in good faith and within the guidelines of the CBA, it’s legal for the team to offer the signing bonus and then extend the player to a larger, long-term deal. This kind of strategy is sometimes used to lock up promising young talent for more control over their prime years, especially with the increasing cost of arbitration-eligible players.

[@LJReinke99]

@kikexo wow ok 😅 so if I'm reading this right teams will also be negotiating with Roki for an immediate contract extension upon signing his international posting deal. Got it . Thanks kike

[@tylerthomas9947]

If Nado is surrounded by success he will thrive off it.

[@devonbrooks246]

True. Cards losing him is a shame. Can’t come soon enough for Mo to leave.

[@grovercorp834]

Pair up him and hoskins in Milwaukee....you got yourself a stew...

[@grovercorp834]

Arenado that is

[@magicoA]

I think their World Series play was bad,but when in the world would you ever fire a skipper that was just in the WS?!? I think the only way that makes sense if Boone went on the diamond and kneecapped a player himself.

[@DoGuov]

I mean Juan Soto saw how the Yankees coaching staff has operated and how Aaron Boone has been doing his job. And the Yankees got knocked out of winning the World Series in a horrible fashion. I would think that would leave a terrible taste in your mouth when you're about to become a free agent. And you're going to be playing for your next team for a very long time along with all that money. And Aaron Boone for sure won't be around for the duration of Juan Soto's contract.

[@WilliamSt.Clair1399]

26:50 so silly… yeah let’s compare a team whose average ticket price is 30 to a team who charges 66… if the Yankees want to lower that ticket price and make it more accessible to average fans I’m all for lowering expectations. You think any owners doing that?

[@devonbrooks246]

Cards fan, I love Arenado and it’s sad that he might be on the leave but this team is a mess. This is not Arenado’s fault. FO screwed thing up so much. This team needs younger, cheaper players and time to recoup.

[@nunzi83]

Arenado will have more teams interested in him over Bregman or any other 3b option. He’s a perfect fit for any team that has promising infield prospects that are 2 years away. Arenado can hold down the position for 2 years and help mentor the young guys. Cardinals have been a mess the past 2 years. He will perform much much better leaving. Off topic but I feel there manager is a huge problem over there

[@devonbrooks246]

As a Cards fan I agree. The FO wasted so much opportunity and time with him and Goldschmidt. Fans want a total rebuild or a front office rebuild.

[@pinverarity]

I wonder what Sasaki’s making with Chiba Lotte right now and what he’d be making over the next few years. IOW, we know he’s leaving potentially tens of millions of MLB money on the table by jumping ahead, but how would the bonus + pre-arb/etc. money compare to where he’d be if he stayed put? I also wonder about the Japanese endorsement market. For example, would he stand to make more in endorsements just by proximity with Shohei & Yoshinobu, raising his profile enough that it would make up some of the $$ hit?

[@Feanor026]

I live in Japan for 12 years, here they LOVE baseball and love to promote players in MLB. Ichiro Suzuki is still in a lot of commercials on the TV everyday, and we talked about Sasaki for years. So yes he should be fine, even tho' I'm mad at this system as a Giants fan, since that helps Shohei to not be paid by the Dodgers which allow them to buy anyone else more and bring easily Japanese players...

[@pinverarity]

@ Thanks for the info direct from the source! Does Sasaki have endorsement deals already? What I mean is, do you see him in Japan other than in game broadcasts?

[@GoSnakes2001]

Arenado was a 30/100 guy in 21 and 22. It just isnt working in STL. Someone gonna pay most of that contract to take a gamble on him.

[@chrisweidner4768]

I hope they “pay most of that contract.”

[@danielc2545]

Dan O'Rourke

[@joshuameyer1382]

Arenado is not a clubhouse leader. He is not willing to mentor young guys and he's openly complained about young guys being in the clubhouse. I think that eliminates up and coming teams. He's gotta find his way to a veteran heavy team.

[@StrawHatShaco]

I honestly think the Cubs are ahead of Seattle and the New York teams for Roki. Cubs have built up a real good reputation with Japanese players. As a Sox fan would be nice to be able to see him pitch often in the city

[@Youngstomata]

As a cubs fan I don’t think they should pursue more starting pitching. Their SP is as good if not better than either WS contenders this year. They need 2 big bats and will get some high ceiling, low floor dudes like they always do

[@Aaron-rv8qj]

@@Youngstomata They definitely can pursue more pitching, but it isn't their 1A priority. It seemed to me that in the few games I've watched last year, they always seem to be struggling to score. Pitching can't be losing 2-0 type games.

[@skarbone1]

Sasaki isn't going anywhere but LA. I say this as a bonafide LA hater. It's truly not even worth discussing. You know it. I know it. Jim down the street who watches 12 baseball games a year knows it.

[@chrisweidner4768]

Hopefully he gets traded. There is a reason Goldenado were let go by their clubs and it wasn’t just financial. Cards could far better use the money owed Mr. Drama. Sure he’s a first ballot HOFer. However, those days are looong gone.

[@davidlevison9334]

They were both let go because of rebuilds it had nothing to do with them

[@chrisweidner4768]

@@davidlevison9334 Look at their post season performances with the Cardinals.

[@davidlevison9334]

@@chrisweidner4768 Goldschmidt had a .850 ops in three out of the four playoff runs and arenado has three career playoff games with the cardinals.

[@marcman1999]

The Yankees roster is just overrated it’s not a coaching problem

[@bassface513]

Roki said he wanted to come to a mid market team. My reds could throw him 7 million.

[@ayydubs987]

where did he say that?

[@bassface513]

@ayydubs987 pretty sure I heard it on Fridays ep of talking baseball.

[@Floww23]

Dominicans and Puerto Ricans got the Dodgers that championship not Ohtani he barely performed, you need them on the team so I would say Soto is still the best FA

[@Muoyrico9]

Dont forget Canadian.

[@shinra05]

Soto defence will only get worse over time, paying 600million for a DH would be dumb from the dodgers as they have shohei for a decade.

[@pinverarity]

@@shinra05Exactly! He’s the exact opposite of what they go for in that regard: versatility. Only Freddie & Teoscar from this year’s squad were basically cemented in place.

[@ayydubs987]

so ohtani’s > 1.300 OPS in the NLCS and clutch hits in the NLDS did what? /not/ help them get to the WS?

[@stormchaserjoe2842]

how can that even be a heading soto not the best free agent, embarrasing to soto

[@SpecsJigglypuff]

Juan Soto is more valuable still

[@TheGreyCrayon]

Not for how much money he's asking for.