What will become of our friend Ippei?

[UndertheHalo]

I have spent a lot of time fretting about this.  I am not sure.  What do we think Ippei will do!?

[HanfordGuy]

Can he play SS???

[floplag]

Hes included as the PTBNL

[Blarg]

This is kind of dumb. His employment by the Angels is for a singular task so if Ohtani leaves through free agency his services won't be required. Future employment will depend on Ohtani requesting his services even if Ohtani signs an extension. 

[UndertheHalo]

2 minutes ago, Blarg said:

This is kind of dumb. His employment by the Angels is for a singular task so if Ohtani leaves through free agency his services won't be required. Future employment will depend on Ohtani requesting his services even if Ohtani signs an extension. 

Oh

[AngelsLakersFan]

14 minutes ago, Blarg said:

This is kind of dumb. His employment by the Angels is for a singular task so if Ohtani leaves through free agency his services won't be required. Future employment will depend on Ohtani requesting his services even if Ohtani signs an extension. 

Are you saying Arte will lay off Ippei like he did the scouts?!

[UndertheHalo]

1 minute ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Are you saying Arte will lay off Ippei like he did the scouts?!

It’s a worst case scenario and I think it’s going to happen.  

[Blarg]

Not a layoff, Ippie is an unrestricted free agent but without any draft compensation.

[HanfordGuy]

Little known fact: Ippei’s middle name is Kaiyay. Ippei Kaiyay Mizuhara.

[Blarg]

2 minutes ago, HanfordGuy said:

Little known fact: Ippei’s middle name is Kaiyay. Ippei Kaiyay Mizuhara.

[Angels 1961]

how much does Ippei make?

[UndertheHalo]

3 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

how much does Ippei make?

I checked on this.  He is making $18.24 an hour.  Also.  He gets free access to the clubhouse PS5. 

Edited February 14, 2023 by UndertheHalo

[Taylor]

I think Fletcher or Sam Blum or someone said Ippei is here on a work visa, and Ohtani's potential new team would need to agree to pay to extend his visa. 

Knowing Arte, he'd probably cut Ippei loose just to make him go back to Japan.

[HanfordGuy]

21 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Knowing Arte, he'd probably cut Ippei loose just to make him go back to Japan.

[UndertheHalo]

1 hour ago, Taylor said:

I think Fletcher or Sam Blum or someone said Ippei is here on a work visa, and Ohtani's potential new team would need to agree to pay to extend his visa. 

Knowing Arte, he'd probably cut Ippei loose just to make him go back to Japan.

Back to the land of nippon eh

[BTH]

Sorry, but that’s a really dumb question.

Why would Ippei stay with the Angels if Ohtani leaves?

Arte’s really gonna pay a Japanese translator when he has no Japanese player who needs a translator? Come on.

[Revad]

3 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Sorry, but that’s a really dumb question.

Why would Ippei stay with the Angels if Ohtani leaves?

Arte’s really gonna pay a Japanese translator when he has no Japanese player who needs a translator? Come on.

He might do it out of loyalty to a valued employee who contributed to financial success over several years.

[Taylor]

6 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Sorry, but that’s a really dumb question.

Why would Ippei stay with the Angels if Ohtani leaves?

Arte’s really gonna pay a Japanese translator when he has no Japanese player who needs a translator? Come on.

The Ippei disrespect is very sad.

[Jay]

4 hours ago, HanfordGuy said:

Can he play SS???

Can he cut sushi?

[BTH]

5 minutes ago, Revad said:

He might do it out of loyalty to a valued employee who contributed to financial success over several years.

When does Arte Moreno ever do something out of loyalty?

3 minutes ago, Taylor said:

The Ippei disrespect is very sad.

No disrespect to Ippei at all. I’m sure he’s a package deal with Shohei. I thought they live together, so I’m sure he’d go be Ohtani’s interpreter on a different team if Ohtani left.

[Jay]

1 minute ago, Trendon said:

No disrespect to Ippei at all. I’m sure he’s a package deal with Shohei. I thought they live together, so I’m sure he’d go be Ohtani’s interpreter on a different team if Ohtani left.

Ohtani will be making enough money to put Ippei on his personal payroll, maybe as a valet.

[Duren, Duren]

How much English does Ohtani understand and speak? He's been in the majors half a dozen years, but even before that he knew he probably would be playing there. So English was on the horizon. And he returns to Japan after the season, so doesn't have continuity for learning and practicing English in day to day life. 

Not that it matters in terms of his production. But will he need a translator his whole career?  Japanese/English are very different conceptually and in use. 

Being bilingual would increase his image and marketability. Especially if he goes to a high profile team. 

Personally I enjoy his somewhat cryptic individuality. And if he wants to just focus on his game without distractions then there is no reason to change the status quo with Ippi. 

 

[AngelsLakersFan]

4 hours ago, Taylor said:

I think Fletcher or Sam Blum or someone said Ippei is here on a work visa, and Ohtani's potential new team would need to agree to pay to extend his visa. 

Knowing Arte, he'd probably cut Ippei loose just to make him go back to Japan.

I thought Ippei was an American from like, Diamond Bar…

[Taylor]

18 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

I thought Ippei was an American from like, Diamond Bar…

That's probably what Arte says he thinks too.

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, Duren, Duren said:

How much English does Ohtani understand and speak? He's been in the majors half a dozen years, but even before that he knew he probably would be playing there. So English was on the horizon. And he returns to Japan after the season, so doesn't have continuity for learning and practicing English in day to day life. 

Not that it matters in terms of his production. But will he need a translator his whole career?  Japanese/English are very different conceptually and in use. 

Being bilingual would increase his image and marketability. Especially if he goes to a high profile team. 

Personally I enjoy his somewhat cryptic individuality. And if he wants to just focus on his game without distractions then there is no reason to change the status quo with Ippi. 

 

I remember a while back one of his teammates said Ohtani actually does speak English. That leads me to believe he's at a conversational level, but for interviews he doesn't feel 100% comfortable and prefers a higher degree of precision that would take considerably more time to get to.