The Sasaki Chase Nearing An End

BaseballJones

slappy happy
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
27,697
I think we have heard this but I want to make sure.... the Sox have zero chance at this guy, right?
 

simplicio

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2012
10,082
Dunno why Netflix spent the last year hanging around the loser Red Sox when they could have been making Sasaki into a bachelor spinoff.
 

EvilEmpire

paying for his sins
Moderator
SoSH Member
Apr 9, 2007
18,232
Washington
These announcements don’t make much sense to me. It’s not like there are negotiations on compensation, right? Sasaki just needs to pick one team offering the same as everyone else. Dragging it out this way is weird since the offer/counter-offer thing isn’t happening.
 

Yaz4Ever

MemBer
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 10, 2004
11,520
MA-CA-RI-AZ-NC
The worst version of musical chairs ever. We haven’t been eliminated yet, but we already know we’re not getting the final chair.
 

snowmanny

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2005
16,994
It’s interesting that most of us knew it was going to come down to Dodgers and Padres weeks before he did.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
75,053
These announcements don’t make much sense to me. It’s not like there are negotiations on compensation, right? Sasaki just needs to pick one team offering the same as everyone else. Dragging it out this way is weird since the offer/counter-offer thing isn’t happening.
It makes sense because letting teams know they are out now allows them to go ahead with their Jan 15th international kid commitments. He has to decide by the 23rd, so if it really comes down to SD and LA, those should be the only two teams affected between the 15th and when he decides.
 

Van Everyman

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2009
29,393
Newton
So is the entire Japanese national team other than Masa going to the Dodgers? I know the Padres are supposedly still in it but if so, this is getting kind of weird.
 

amfox1

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Aug 6, 2003
7,003
The back of your computer
Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
2m

The finalists for Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN. Sasaki will decide on his team by the closing of his posting window Jan. 23.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
SoSH Member
Dec 4, 2009
48,553
Quick someone see if there is a plane heading to TOR that does not have Robert Herjavec on board
 

BaseballJones

slappy happy
SoSH Member
Oct 1, 2015
27,697
Of course it's going to be the Dodgers. I'll be stunned (and happy) if it's San Diego. Obviously it won't be Toronto.
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2006
9,439
Duval
At what point does LA have too much pitching? I know we say there’s no such thing, but at some point, don’t some of these guys just end up rotting either in the BP or AAA?
 

LogansDad

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
33,213
Alamogordo
At what point does LA have too much pitching? I know we say there’s no such thing, but at some point, don’t some of these guys just end up rotting either in the BP or AAA?
They have a lot of "starting pitchers", but right now I don't think they have too many, nor would they after Sasaki signs. They will have a 6 man rotation, regardless, due to Ohtani, but right now it's Ohtani, Glasnow, Yamamoto, Snell and some combination of Gonsolin, May, Knack and Sheehan, each of whom have recent injury/inconsistency issues.

I'm sure there's a point that is too much, but I don't think theycare there, or even close to it, yet.
 

Wingack

secret Sox fan
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
36,352
In The Quivering Forest
They have a lot of "starting pitchers", but right now I don't think they have too many, nor would they after Sasaki signs. They will have a 6 man rotation, regardless, due to Ohtani, but right now it's Ohtani, Glasnow, Yamamoto, Snell and some combination of Gonsolin, May, Knack and Sheehan, each of whom have recent injury/inconsistency issues.

I'm sure there's a point that is too much, but I don't think theycare there, or even close to it, yet.
And only one of two of those eight pitchers were healthy enough to pitch in the World Series last year.

You never have enough pitching.
 

YTF

Member
SoSH Member
And only one of two of those eight pitchers were healthy enough to pitch in the World Series last year.

You never have enough pitching.
For sure, but depending on who has options and what the bullpen construction shapes up to be there could be a roster crunch. Great problem to have, the worst thing that happens is the addition of Sasaki bumps all of the 5th starter contenders down a notch and one of them has to be moved.
 

santadevil

wears depends
Silver Supporter
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
6,773
Saskatchestan
In January, anyway. Half of Canada was on fire in summer 2023...

I do wonder about the wisdom of having a free agent visit Toronto (or any other city that has a significant winter) in January.
Is there a better time for him to visit in his posting period?
Because the timing of that window is small, and Sasaki isn't a free agent per se
 

GruberTaggedHim

New Member
Oct 5, 2021
125
Is there a better time for him to visit in his posting period?thinking and typing out loud
Because the timing of that window is small, and Sasaki isn't a free agent per se
I dunno. I'd be tempted (whether Toronto, Boston, Detroit, Minnesota, etc) to meet him in Arizona or Rio or somewhere and give him a 3D presentation of what the city looks like in the summer, with patios and actual sunshine and greenery, instead of dragging him into a northern city at 10F and snow and slush everywhere and no real chance (except virtual) of showing off what it is during the summer. Maybe less of an issue for a Japanese pitcher, Japan gets winter, more for a Cuban player? I was really just thinking and typing out loud. I do know the Jays toured him around the dome facilities. I presume every team does the same.
 

Max Power

thai good. you like shirt?
SoSH Member
Jul 20, 2005
9,039
Boston, MA
I feel like there was even less mystery about Sasaki's landing spot then there is about this guy's order when he walks into a McDonald's.

94860
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
SoSH Member
Jul 2, 2006
12,380
Multivac
Seems like they are running this in rounds and telling eliminated teams they are out as soon as he rejects them, so they can spend their international signing budgets elsewhere. Courteous way to treat the teams, rather than holding them all in limbo while he whittles it down to his final stop, but it does come off reality TV-esque.
 

Van Everyman

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2009
29,393
Newton
Seems like they are running this in rounds and telling eliminated teams they are out as soon as he rejects them, so they can spend their international signing budgets elsewhere. Courteous way to treat the teams, rather than holding them all in limbo while he whittles it down to his final stop, but it does come off reality TV-esque.
Sasaki taking his talents to Venice Beach?
 

Hendu for Kutch

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 7, 2006
6,978
Nashua, NH
Not surprising, but sucks all the same. They already have huge financial advantages over everyone AND they use their resources well. Now they're just getting a free ace dropped in their lap.
 

EddieYost

is not associated in any way with GHoff
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
11,696
NH
How can I sign with the Dodgers while annoying the most non-Dodger fans possible?
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
SoSH Member
Dec 8, 2006
9,439
Duval
We are quickly approaching the time when movie makers create a baseball movie and they need a big market villain, they’ll have the heroes playing against the Dodgers instead of the MFY.