2025 Major League Baseball Thread

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by ctujackbauer

Yank's outfield looks deadly: Verdugo in left, Judge in center, Soto in right.

They didn't really give up all that much for Verdugo and Soto, too.

Pretty wild! I’m not sure how Verdugo will do in the Bronx considering he’s hated by most fans. Damon was different. Not including Jacoby as he never played LOL. I don’t see Verdugo sticking around long considering he’s a bit of a hot head and Alex Cora benched him a few times last season. Still nice to have some more lefty hitters. Speaking of lefty hitters..

FREAKING JUAN SOTO!

[Doc Samson]

Please let Ohtani be a Blue Jay! I'm not asking for much. Just the greatest living baseball player to be on the team I've supported my whole life.

[Bigdog]

Yanks get Soto and the freaking Sox trade away the last piece of their disastrous Betts trade for a guy named Dick Fitts!

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by Bigdog

Yanks get Soto and the freaking Sox trade away the last piece of their disastrous Betts trade for a guy named Dick Fitts!

I watched Michael Kay yesterday and nobody is really thrilled about Verdugo. He’s probably going to be dealt for a pitcher at some point.

LOL @ Fitts!

He made 27 starts at AA this season and worked 152.2 IP. Posted a 3.48 ERA/3.92 FIP with a 9.6 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9.

He is the 16th ranked prospect in the Yankees system.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Doc Samson

Please let Ohtani be a Blue Jay! I'm not asking for much. Just the greatest living baseball player to be on the team I've supported my whole life.

I'll believe it when I see it. Rogers have been pretty cheap over the years. That's why I still can't take this story seriously that Toronto are finalists.

[DanTheMan]

Shohei Ohtani has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 10 years, $700 million.

Largest guaranteed player contract in North American sports history.

[Poya]

Dang. This is huge.

[VictoryAtNight]

In 5 years, a MLB player will sign a billion dollar contract.

[DanTheMan]

More details about the record breaking contract:

The contract is the largest in baseball history by more than $250 million, topping the 12-year, $426.5 million deal that now-former teammate Mike Trout signed in 2019. The $70 million average annual salary also easily eclipses the previous record of $43.3 million for Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer and is more than the 2023 Opening Day payrolls of the Baltimore Orioles ($60.9 million) and Oakland Athletics ($56.9 million).

The deal does not include any opt-outs, a source told ESPN. Another source said "the majority" of Ohtani's salary will be deferred in order to mitigate what the Dodgers are charged toward their competitive balance tax payroll on a yearly basis, giving them more freedom to add to their payroll over the life of Ohtani's contract. The deferrals, according to the source, were Ohtani's idea.

[Bigdog]

Crazy Betts deal looking like a steal next to that contract. I just don't see the value at 700 million if only hitting though, nothing says he will go back to pitching again.

I kind of feel bad for Toronto fans who were kind of toyed with here as it has been the Dodgers imo for months now..

[sfmarine]

Aaron Judge must be so pissed! 360m is peanuts compared to what Ohtani got. I really thought he was going to Toronto. What a remarkable contract.

[BizCat]

Yanks and Dodgers continue to just ruin the sport. Yawn.

[Doc Samson]

Originally Posted by BizCat

Yanks and Dodgers continue to just ruin the sport. Yawn.

Thats why salary caps would work so much better than the luxury tax bullshit. Teams don't care about a luxury tax if it's winning them World Series' and putting asses in seats.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by BizCat

Yanks and Dodgers continue to just ruin the sport. Yawn.

Wouldn't be so bad if the teams that are supposed to benefit from the luxury tax weren't pocketing the money to maximize profit while fielding pathetic teams.

[MifuneFan]

That contract is ridiculous. As great as Ohtani is, I can't see $70 million a year for a single player being worth it. He just had his second elbow surgery in September for a torn ligament, who knows how well he will be come 5 years from now.

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

That contract is ridiculous. As great as Ohtani is, I can't see $70 million a year for a single player being worth it. He just had his second elbow surgery in September for a torn ligament, who knows how well he will be come 5 years from now.

He has wrecked the pay scales to be honest, this is not the Ohtani who will be giving 20 starts per season while also swinging a bat. I mean he is nothing more then a hitter right now and one that played a lot of DH to boot, he is now getting double the pay of a guy like Judge, this is going to have a snowball effect for other teams.

[bruceames]

Definite overpay, even being used as a pitcher as well, and I'm a Dodger fan. I hope they don't regret it.

[ctujackbauer]

Bobby Bonilla, eat your heart out.

Ohtani is deferring $680 million of $700 million salary (ESPN) which decreases the competitive balance tax payroll hit (luxury tax) from $70 million to about $46 million.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by ctujackbauer

Bobby Bonilla, eat your heart out.

Ohtani is deferring $680 million of $700 million salary (ESPN) which decreases the competitive balance tax payroll hit (luxury tax) from $70 million to about $46 million.

Ok wow that makes a huge difference. The deferred $680 million will be in today's dollars. So considering an estimated annual inflation rate of 3% a year, that brings the actual value of his contract to under $500 million. So not a bad deal after all, especially if can resume pitching in 2025.

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by bruceames

Ok wow that makes a huge difference. The deferred $680 million will be in today's dollars. So considering an estimated annual inflation rate of 3% a year, that brings the actual value of his contract to under $500 million. So not a bad deal after all, especially if can resume pitching in 2025.

Yeah paying a star player 2 million a year that's on the books when all other teams pay the player his yearly average is pretty much the definition of unfair. They avoid the luxury tax burden and also have complete payroll flexibility since your average pinch runner from triple a makes more than Ohtani will next season, and the one after that, and the one after that...

I have to imagine they received better offers than this, inflation contrary to what the white house claims is running around 25-30% right now. This 700 million can literally be worth around 50 in 10 years at the rate we are going, this is a terrible deal for Ohtani which leads me to believe he just wants to be a Dodger, regardless because he is leaving a ton of cash in hand on the table!

I also imagine this deferred pay structure will come with deferred tax charges since it won't count as income until he gets it 10 years from now! I shutter to think how many tax increases the state of California will see within the next 10 years, Newsome has pretty much bankrupted the state and they are in for some hard times ahead. Ohtani's agent must hate him right now......