Several teams including the Mariners and Yankees are adding international signing bonus pool money to go after Japanese two-position star, Shohei Otani.
MLB, the players union and Japanese baseball have a tentative agreement for a "posting" fee. That means teams must post an amount of money with the Japanese club to negotiate a deal with Otani. If Ontani signs with a MLB club, the posting fee (approx. $20 million) goes to his Japanese club as a transfer fee.
Why teams are collecting additional international signing bonus money is simple. Under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement, the 23-year-old
Otani can only agree to a minor league contract that is subject to
signing bonus pools. If added to a big league roster, he would have a
salary for about the minimum $545,000 next season and not be eligible
for salary arbitration until 2020 at the earliest.
If he waits until he is 25 to enter MLB, there would be no
restrictions and he likely would get a deal for more than $100 million.
MLB has warned of severe penalties if a team attempts to sign Otani to a
secret long-term contract, then announce it in future years.
The current amounts teams can pay over a million dollars is small. Both the Yankees and Mariners have made post-season trades to acquire additional bonus money,
Texas Rangers — $3,535,000
New York Yankees — $3,250,000
Minnesota Twins - - -$3,245,000
Pittsburgh Pirates — $2,266,750
Miami Marlins — $1,740,000
Seattle Mariners — $1,570,500
In addition, Otani's current club will take 25 percent of any bonus allotment. So the real contenders for his services are down to the Rangers, Yankees and Twins, all clubs with the DH.
Otani wants to play both in the field and as a starting pitcher. Most teams balk at that notion, claiming that being a starting pitcher requires daily preparation including rest. He will only talk to teams that will assure he will be a two-way player.
The Mariners, being in the AL, think they can accommodate his demands. They can play him at DH, and in the outfield. The DH could save wear and tear and possible injury (example, Kyle Schwarber's knee injury).
Otani, who underwent surgery on his right
ankle last month, is 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA in five seasons with the
Sapporo-based Fighters in the Pacific League.
At the plate, he hit
.286 with 296 hits, including 48 home runs, and 166 RBIs in 1,170 plate
appearances, mostly as a designated hitter.
