Roki Sasaki Free Agency - White Sox have a presentation

[Chisoxfn]

47 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

The timing of this signing is probably all the proof anyone needs that the Sox are OUT.

This is a great thing - was hoping Sox would at least get someone out of this. Just confirming - this was someone in this upcoming year's class (not the previous year). So he was previously committed to the Dodgers '25 pool and now backing out.  

[WhiteSox2023]

5 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

This is a great thing - was hoping Sox would at least get someone out of this. Just confirming - this was someone in this upcoming year's class (not the previous year). So he was previously committed to the Dodgers '25 pool and now backing out.  

 

[southsider2k5]

6 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

 

And hopefully they put themselves into the middle of this by offering cap space for players too.

[Chisoxfn]

Pirates also got Morel who was one of the Dodgers bigger targets (bigger than the guy the Sox got).  

[caulfield12]

Sunday, Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital reported that Dominican baseball trainers met to propose that MLB remove professionals like Sasaki from the budget for international amateur players so that their hiring does not affect the signing of prospects from the Dominican Republic and other Latin countries.

As the trainers note, the Latin American amateur players have been banking (perhaps literally) on signing a life-changing contract on Jan. 15, 2025 for years. If de-committing is the only way to go to keep the promise of that paycheck in place, they will — even if it leaves the two finalists that don't sign Sasaki in the lurch.

It's a classic case of two seemingly contradictory truths being applicable in the same instance. It's unlikely a player like Sasaki will ever arrive on the scene again. (Recall, however, that the same was said seven years ago about Ohtani.) It's also true that MLB and the MLB Players Association has a chance to close the loophole by amending the CBA's definition of an "international amateur." The trick there involves threading a careful needle.

 

 

Nothing can be done to exclude Sasaki from the international signing bonus pools of the Dodgers, Padres or Blue Jays. Any rules change will be too late for him. Only one team can win the Sasaki sweepstakes, but there will be many losers.

For now, this is a problem of uncertainty that affects a few dozen players and their families in Central and Latin America, plus the two teams that won't be able to sign Sasaki, as well as some or all of their anticipated 2025 international amateur class. Let's hope the next Collective Bargaining Agreement addresses this loophole so it never arises again.

 

https://www.thebiglead.com/the-roki-sasaki-sweepstakes-will-crown-one-winner-many-potential-losers

[caulfield12]

5 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

And hopefully they put themselves into the middle of this by offering cap space for players too.

Dodgers at only $3.6 million available right now....not sure if that has been corrected to reflect Morel/Patino "losses."

Things are changing/evolving in real-time by the hour, lol.

 

How sweet it would be if the Dodgers lost all their prospects that they'd scouted so extensively AND Sasaki?

MLB needs him to go to Toronto or SD for the "best interests of the game/sport."   Haha.

[Chicago White Sox]

48 minutes ago, Quin said:

Nothing beats the Bryce Harper United Center.

I realize that was part of the pitch and not something Harper was rocking, but dear fucking God it's seared into my head.

Or the rumors of KW & Harper making eye love during the interview.  And then never proceeding to make an actual offer.

[caulfield12]

The same can be said for De Vries. Playing this past summer for Single-A Lake Elsinore at the same age as most high school seniors, MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 overall prospect went on a tear over his final 36 games (10 homers, .989 OPS) before a right shoulder injury sustained on a diving defensive attempt ended his year early. He returned less than two months later and rewrote multiple Fall League records, including becoming the youngest player to homer on the circuit since Bryce Harper in 2010.

No member of Padres brass got to see De Vries’ growth more prominently in 2024 than Lake Elsinore manager Lukas Ray, who said of the shortstop in June: “If you come to the games and you watch him in person, you know he's the best player on the field every night. And if you come to our pregame, you know how hard he works, how much he’s getting better."

For all of the (much-deserved) hoopla about landing the No. 1 international prospect, the Padres have also efficiently scored with less-heralded members of their classes: right-hander Humberto Cruz, the club’s No. 5 prospect, was tabbed by MLB Pipeline as a potential breakout candidate in 2025 after signing for $750,000 out of Mexico last February. Twelve of the club’s current Top 30 prospects joined pro ball via the international market, with Salas, De Vries, Cruz and right-handers Henry Baez (No. 7) and Victor Lizarraga (No. 9) all landing in the top 10.

 

Whether or not the club is able to land the No. 1 prospect for a third year running remains to be seen. But ultimately, that they’re even in the conversation again is a testament to the overwhelming amount of high-level work San Diego has done on the international market under vice president of amateur and international scouting Chris Kemp in the past decade.

https://www.mlb.com/news/padres-aim-to-sign-third-top-international-prospect-in-a-row

[Quin]

This is all a master plan by Roki: Make Dodgers prospects decommit and go to the Sox, strengthening the farm system, train at the shiny new DSL academy (off the record), for a year and then he's OD starter in 2026.

5D chess.

[caulfield12]

The most the Padres and Jays can offer Sasaki is $6,261,600 while the Dodgers max out at $5,146,200 (updated number is $3.6 million) — although it’s worth noting teams can trade for additional funds. After that one-time payment, Sasaki would earn close to the league minimum for three years until he hits arbitration.

 

What prospects from the Dodgers can we pilfer by trading the Dodgers the remainder of our 2025 international signing bonus allotment???

They already lost Diego Cartaya to the Twins.

 

As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to offer Roki Sasaki a contract from their international bonus pool, the organization has put all other international amateur signings on hold. The Dodgers have suggested the incoming 2025 class instead sign the following year (2026 class), an indication the team hopes to land the Japanese phenom despite being among teams with the least amount of money in their international bonus pool.

https://dodgersnation.com/dodgers-asking-2025-international-signees-to-wait-until-2026-as-roki-sasaki-nears-decision/2025/01/11/

 

Edited 21 hours ago by caulfield12

[WhiteSox2023]

Per Passan, the White Sox are not one of the three finalists (Dodgers, Padres, Blue Jays) for Sasaki.  Shocking, I know.  I still can’t believe some of the earlier posts in this thread that thought the Sox actually had a chance.  I guess the Tadahito Iguchi connection wasn’t strong enough…  🤣

 

Edited 20 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[caulfield12]

55 minutes ago, Quin said:

This is all a master plan by Roki: Make Dodgers prospects decommit and go to the Sox, strengthening the farm system, train at the shiny new DSL academy (off the record), for a year and then he's OD starter in 2026.

5D chess.

You forgot the part where we trade for Dylan Cease (back from SD) and award him and Boras with a handsome extension.

[caulfield12]

https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-scouting-report-on-christopher-polanco-the-top-international-prospect-linked-to-toronto-for-the-2025-signing-period

Looks like Christopher Polanco profiles more at 2B than SS...so Getz can corner the freakin' market, lol.  Should get at least $1.0-1.5 million.

(Or just sign the former Twins'/Mariners' Polanco to flip.)

[caulfield12]

As long as he doesn't pay attention to Sheehan, Gonsolin, May, Stone, Ryan, Yamamoto, Kershaw, Buehler, Glasnow getting injured, etc. I saw a post that Seattle has managed to keep their young pitchers basically or for the most part healthy.

 

Then there's SD and Sasaki’s name being included already in the pending ownership/control person lawsuit.

 

 

“ABSOLUTELY INSANE”

“There are probably a handful of teams that have money and have budgeted and planned to be part of this process,” the executive familiar with the international market said. “They’re keeping a close eye on the favorites and their players. Now, they’re not going to scout them. They’re not going to watch those players. But they’re paying attention. And agents and trainers aren’t stupid, either. They’re aware that their commitments are very much in jeopardy with some of the reported teams that are on Sasaki’s list.”

One way to add more international bonus pool money is through trade. A club can acquire 60 percent of its original pool, but can only make trades in increments of $250,000 ($250,000, $500,000, $750,000, etc.) unless it is trading away its entire pool. Teams can only make trades during the signing period to which the pool space applies, so no trades involving international cash can be made until Jan. 15.

“We’re sitting quietly, waiting for teams to call us, because we have international money that we’d be happy to trade, but we value that money,” said another executive familiar with the international market who requested anonymity to speak freely. “If we’re trading it to you to get Sasaki, that should garner some sort of return that has legitimate value.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6056989/2025/01/13/roki-sasaki-international-market-chaos/

 

Edited 15 hours ago by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-01-14/roki-sasaki-decision-dodgers-free-agency

 

If he were to choose Toronto, Sasaki would be the most exciting starting pitching signing since Roger Clemens took his talents north before the 1997 season. He would immediately slot in at the front of the rotation, turning Kevin Gausman from a slightly underwhelming number one option to an over-qualified number two starter. It's not overstating it to say that Sasaki could significantly change Toronto's outlook in a difficult American League East, especially if his ridiculous career 2.02 ERA and 5.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio translate to the big leagues as smoothly as scouts expect them to. 

The projection systems love him as well. Steamer projects Sasaki to put up 3.7 fWAR during the 2025 season, striking out 11.6 batters per nine innings and running a 3.19 ERA. In terms of WAR, that's the ninth-highest projection of any pitcher, coming in right between Sonny Gray and Corbin Burnes. PECOTA projects similar numbers, pegging Sasaki for a 3.04 ERA and 3.5 WARP, 14th among all pitchers. If the transition ends up going that seamlessly, he could immediately turn a Blue Jays team currently projected for 84 to 85 wins into one flirting with 90. He'd add a new level of upside, a potential Game 1 starter in a playoff series, and provide some much-needed depth for a rotation that seriously thins out after the fourth or fifth rotation spot. Framed that way, it’s not unreasonable to say that Sasaki could be the difference between the Blue Jays making the playoffs and missing out for a second straight season.

https://jayscentre.com/news-rumors/toronto-blue-jays/sasaki-sweepstakes-down-to-blue-jays-dodgers-and-padres-r2243/

Edited 11 hours ago by caulfield12

[Dick Allen]

12 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Sasaki sent the White Sox’s PowerPoint deck straight to trash and blocked Getz’s email address.

That's boring. He should want to come to the White Sox. Getz is building correctly. This team should get to close to .500 by the time the better players have to be traded because they will soon be free agents.

[Kyyle23]

10 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

That's boring. He should want to come to the White Sox. Getz is building correctly. This team should get to close to .500 by the time the better players have to be traded because they will soon be free agents.

He can just hitch a ride to the dodgers!

[WhiteSox2023]

11 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

That's boring. He should want to come to the White Sox. Getz is building correctly. This team should get to close to .500 by the time the better players have to be traded because they will soon be free agents.

Would even the biggest Sox fan in the world choose to play for Jerry and the Sox over the Dodgers?

[Bob Sacamano]

9 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-scouting-report-on-christopher-polanco-the-top-international-prospect-linked-to-toronto-for-the-2025-signing-period

Looks like Christopher Polanco profiles more at 2B than SS...so Getz can corner the freakin' market, lol.  Should get at least $1.0-1.5 million.

(Or just sign the former Twins'/Mariners' Polanco to flip.)

They might as well have done this instead of Rojas. They should maybe have waited on the RHH OF market as well since Hays is still there.

[caulfield12]

Some new facts:

SD the last team to meet with him, in SD...in Toronto last week.

Preller has learned Japanese...and haven't done a single thing this off season.

SD is a much more compact city....much smaller media market, feels more close knit as a community.

LA has wildfires and earthquakes/climate change going against it moreso than SD.

Yu Darvish under contract for at least 3 to 4 more years.  Share the same agent.

SD holding back all their powder on international signing class for WED....

[caulfield12]

https://www.mlb.com/news/roki-sasaki-finalists-breakdown

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/roki-sasakis-free-agency-what-you-need-to-know-as-the-japanese-star-nears-an-mlb-decision-200550721.html

Edited 3 hours ago by caulfield12

[WhiteSox2023]

I think we can all see how this is going to go down…

“Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic report that the Dodgers are meeting again with Roki Sasaki on Tuesday.”

Edited 2 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[wegner]

Watching Ted Lasso again and thought "hey, Chris Getz should follow Sasaki to the bathroom and call him a pu**y for not signing with the White Sox"....but I do not know how to say that in Japanese.

[caulfield12]

7 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

I think we can all see how this is going to go down…

“Ken Rosenthal and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic report that the Dodgers are meeting again with Roki Sasaki on Tuesday.”

Well...if that does happen, Dylan Cease Luis Arraez and Robert Suarez all immediately go on the trade block as they will have no choice but to refill their farm and wait on the eventual arrivals of Salas and deVrieze.  Michael King will be traded as well unless they can agree on an extension.

Meanwhile, Rockies fans will be left wondering why they continue to exist.

You simply can't afford to consistently compete with the LAD in a small media market without a handsome RSN deal as a backstop...long term contracts for guys like Machado Bogaerts Darvish Musgrove and Cronenworth will eventually force tough personnel decisions.

[WestEddy]

I'm just wondering why other teams aren't poaching presumed Blue Jay and Padre international signings. Are the Dodgers the only team confident enough to start telling their commits to look elsewhere?