<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: Other teams in Japan considering kicking in $ for Rakuten to make up for diminished posting fee on Tanaka, to move toward agreement.</p>— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/statuses/411512529748512768">December 13, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Hmmm, silver lining lol?
Maybe it is the gentleman thing to do? I can't think of any other reason to agree to a deal with MLB, and then offer to make up for the difference when they could have just voted it down.
But his dominance also makes him a fan attraction, presumably increases attendance whenever he visits their teams, etc. I can't see a bunch of MLB teams offering to pay money to the Dodgers to bench Kershaw.
Also, maybe it sets a precedent that keeps it financially lucrative to allow players to go to MLB. I think these franchises end up making more off the posting fees than they do by simply having the player on their roster. Japan is pretty "team" oriented, and no individual player gets more of the limelight than the actual team (at least that's what Tom Seleck's "Mr. Baseball" taught me).
Agreed - but wouldn't it only make sense if MLB teams are the ones sending the money to Japan? If the Japanese teams are just passing money around to each other, that seems counterproductive. Then again, maybe if that's the only way to get the $20MM, it's worth it.
If all the teams pitch in now, maybe they continue to do so when another team has a player to be posted... and it continues to give each team an incentive to develop a MLB caliber player.
Yeah, but if the other teams pitch in, all they are doing is moving money in a circle around the league. The only real inflow they are getting is the $20MM from the US team that wins the posting regardless. If you and I both have a team and we both post a player, and you pay me $5MM on my player so I can get $25MM in my posting fee, and I do the same for you, we still only got $20MM a piece.
Right. Everything remains even. Japan apparently has no problem doing things like that for the betterment of all the teams.
I guess I'm just not understanding how this is for the betterment of all the teams. It seems to have no impact either way if money is just rotating in a circle. Nothing bad comes of doing this (unless the teams stop paying), but I just don't see any real benefit.
If all the teams are chipping in to help cover the posting fee, the franchise that is losing the player gets a certain figure... while all the other teams lose a little off the donation, but also have set a precedent that the teams will do the same for them if they ever lose a player. Money is rotating in a circle somewhat... but the team that is losing the player still ends up getting the largest amount... and it still provides an incentive for Japanese teams to cultivate/accumulate talent that may one day become an MLB player. Something also tells me that Japan (and the cities/teams these players came from) still continue to benefit from said player being in the "big leagues" beyond just the posting fee. Japan somehow ends up better off from having their players make it big in America, vs. simply staying big in Japan.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>MLB has agreed to terms with NPB on revised protocols for the posting system. Details: <a href="http://t.co/tqcDXlumXe">pic.twitter.com/tqcDXlumXe</a></p>— MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB_PR/statuses/412693054768697344">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>MLB announces new posting agreement with Nippon baseball, capping posting at $20 million, and Tanaka could become 1st $100 million pitcher</p>— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNightengale/statuses/412704123080151040">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Dylan Hernandez covers the Dodgers for the LA Times. Story in Japanese. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sanspo: Rakuten owner Hiroshi Mikitani will allow Masahiro Tanaka to come to the major leagues this winter <a href="http://t.co/9pvPZpJuE1">http://t.co/9pvPZpJuE1</a></p>— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) <a href="https://twitter.com/dylanohernandez/statuses/412695419349504000">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>It should be noted Mikitani wasn't quoted in the Sanspo story about Tanaka.</p>— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) <a href="https://twitter.com/dylanohernandez/statuses/412696826261684224">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Story basically says, "Reporting by Sankei Sports has made clear that ..." So take it for what it's worth. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Tanaka&src=hash">#Tanaka</a></p>— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) <a href="https://twitter.com/dylanohernandez/statuses/412697384951349248">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> But wait.... <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>With posting agreement now official, Rakuten Eagles management is expected to meet with Masahiro Tanaka soon. No final posting decision yet.</p>— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenBadler/statuses/412706693307305984">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So being bad doesn't help us at all. To get him to come here we would have to grossly overpay, and he's a bit of a wild card to begin with. No thanks, let somebody else take that risk. Rodon, Appel, Folty, Cosart, we've got quite a few arms loaded up, we can always go after a proven MLB FA later if we need one.
The Yankees haven't been the top bidder for any of the recent international FAs, that I recall. Last one I remember was Jose Contreas. If they've managed others since then, they've been on the small side. Basically, every team agrees that they will pay $20M, if they can get Tanaka signed. Then whoever signs Tanaka actually forks over $20M. The only thing that will change for MLB is that more money will be going to the player, rather than the posting team.
