Poll: Who signs Shohei Ohtani?

[Second Base]

Now that his suitors have been narrowed down, who do you think lands him?

My guess is San Francisco.

[Tank]

Mariners

sure hope I'm completely wrong about which AL team he signs with.

 

Edited December 4, 2017 by Tank

[Ohtaniland]

If the baseball Gods are watching...we need this guy.

Put a halo on him please.

[m0nkey]

Dogs

[KDWells]

I just don’t see him signing with an NL team. Maybe he’s less committed to hitting than I’m anticipating but going to the NL means giving up on playing both ways long term I imagine.

[Stradling]

I went with the Angels, there is just something about Eppler that makes me believe that he will be the X factor and he will be able to communicate best what needs to be communicated in order for Ohtani to feel safe signing with us.  I obviously could be wrong, but its a hunch.  

[Sully151]

I think its between the Angels and the Mariners. I chose the Angels because its not a big market, but is sort of big market adjacent, Trout, and the fact he can be a pretty big fish if he chooses to be.

The only thing the Mariners have is the Ichiro factor. He may want to play for the team Ichiro played for and there was a an established fan base.

[Docwaukee]

weird that all of a sudden we go out and grab some international money.  Agree on the Eppler comment.  I think he gives us the inside track.  

It's hard to handicap that list though.  

Padres - west coast.  really good farm.  At least 3 years from winning.  He'd be a big fish in a small pond. NL limits DH at bats.  Probably get some time in the OF.  Low expectations and he probably gets as many at bats as he can handle even if he struggles. 

Angels - Mike Trout, solid team.  Would be a huge asset to win now.  Great defense around him.  Big market support with a small market feel.  Low pressure fan base.  Number of at bats questionable.  Nice place to pitch.  Not a great place to hit for a lefty.  Need more parts to win but doable

Rangers - Not sold on their ability to win.  Farm is solid but not near what it was.  Best players are aging.  Good park to hit.  Horrible to pitch.  Darvish comps left and right.  It's Texas.  

Mariners - Ichiro was here on every bathroom stall.  Iwakuma still there.  Probably the most familiar of spots for players from Japan.  Also not convinced of their ability to win.  Trader Jerry has already started decimating their farm.  Most are probably unaware of this.  

San Fran - I see a huge spiral coming.  I hope he has advisers to point out where this team will be in two (or less) years.  

Cubs - obvious outlier by location but a great place to play ball.  NL and lost of young OFers hurts his chances fro at bats.  

Dogs - big market team.  He'd be in the spotlight which I am not sure he'd love.  Again, NL limits his at bats.  Probably not a lot of patience for poor performance but a very good young team with a really good farm and the financial resources to do just about anything.  

Honestly think the Mariners and Angels end up the coin flip.  I have a good feeling about this one.  

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Honestly think the Mariners and Angels end up the coin flip.  I have a good feeling about this one.  

I hope the Angels meet with Ohtani after Jerry and the Mariners have "brought out their big guns" so that Billy opens his presentation with "You know pretty much everything that guy just told you was bullshit right?"    I think Jerry's gift of gab plays well in this, and I hope our boy Opie Taylor's more sincere approach resonates with Ohtani and his camp.

[Rico]

If not us, I'm thinking Mariners.  Location obviously matters to him.  We're the two west coast teams that can let him DH.  

[Inside Pitch]

 

[tdawg87]

"I'll be in my dojo"

-Ohtani 

[bloodbrother]

Another added bonus for the Angels is they can pimp how the rockpile helps pitchers. Did wonders for Weaver!

[DMVol]

So you aren't including the Yanks in the poll?  I picked the M's but I think the Yanks are probably in the top two with the M's....

[jordan]

3 minutes ago, DMVol said:

So you aren't including the Yanks in the poll?  I picked the M's but I think the Yanks are probably in the top two with the M's....

Perhaps you went to bed early, but all east coast teams are out of contention for Ohtani. All the teams listed here are what’s left. 

[nate]

8 hours ago, Stradling said:

I went with the Angels, there is just something about Eppler that makes me believe that he will be the X factor and he will be able to communicate best what needs to be communicated in order for Ohtani to feel safe signing with us.  I obviously could be wrong, but its a hunch.  

I wish I could see the world with your homer glasses.  I think Eppler has done a fine job but nothing about him makes me think he is that much more convincing than any other GM.

I voted Mariners but if Dipoto bumbles it then I think the Giants.

[Chuck]

If we lose out I just hope he doesn't go to the Rangers, Mariners or Dodgers.

[nando714]

I voted for Mariners 

[Chuck]

Giants meet with him today.

[Stradling]

18 minutes ago, nate said:

I wish I could see the world with your homer glasses.  I think Eppler has done a fine job but nothing about him makes me think he is that much more convincing than any other GM.

I voted Mariners but if Dipoto bumbles it then I think the Giants.

I would say it comes down to the Angels and Mariners.  There’s way too many rumors about what he wants and doesn’t want.  I don’t believe the rumor that he doesn’t want to play where another great Japanese players has played.  If I believed that it would eliminate Seattle.  I do believe he wants to pitch and hit, so the best bet for him is an American League team, since he hasn’t played the field much over the past several years, he’s strictly been a pitcher and DH.  That may not eliminate the Giants but I don’t think it elevates them over the Angels either.  

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, jordan111280 said:

Perhaps you went to bed early, but all east coast teams are out of contention for Ohtani. All the teams listed here are what’s left. 

Those of us who live on the east coast generally go to bed earlier than you west coasters.......Hadn't read any updates...

[jordan]

1 minute ago, DMVol said:

Those of us who live on the east coast generally go to bed earlier than you west coasters.......Hadn't read any updates...

No problem!  I'm actually moving to Tennessee (Knoxville) next year.  So I'll be in the same boat. 

[bloodbrother]

12 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Giants meet with him today.

Hope Mariners meet him prior to the Angels too. In fact, hope the Angels are one of the last to meet him.

[KevinStockerIsGod]

I'm glad to see we have made it to the "Finals" list, and am encouraged about our chances.  Clearly, Ohtani isn't just thinking about taking the most money available, though the Rangers are still in play.  I really think it's a bit overblown that Seattle is the defacto favorite.  It was comical seeing a lot of national writers jumping off the Ohtani to Yankees bandwagon and right to the Mariners last night, without even knowing what teams he plans to meet with and really what his intentions are.

Considering that he eliminated a majority of the field, and we decided to make a play for additional international money with the intent of using to bring in Ohtani just last week, I feel somewhat comfortable that we are getting major consideration.  I believe the Padres are a major darkhorse in this conversation.  I don't even know who is the favorite, I think every team left has a realistic shot, one way or the other.  That being said, I love for the Angels to make a huge splash here, with minimal financial implication. 

[totdprods]

I have a good feeling about this too. I actually think Eppler's Yankee roots are going to work for us here. That org knows how to woo FAs (obviously their history is a big part of it) and chances are Eppler has been familiar with Ohtani for a long time.