Jump to content

Roki Sasaki Free Agency - Dodgers vs Blue Jays for Roki's heart


Timmy U

Recommended Posts

18 minutes ago, wegner said:

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.

"Roki! We got you, Roki! We got you, Roki! We got you Ro, Ro, Ro!"

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yeah, odd.

The Padres put all their eggs in the Sasaki basket and were recently asking prospects to wait back for the 2026 class.

Blue Jays have just one guy in the $1-1.5 million range...so it's not like there are a huge number of Top 30-50 prospects in their signing class.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"This year, the Padres are not attached to any of the upper-echelon prospects, in part because they’re all-in on Sasaki.

Baseball America’s top-100 international board currently links the Padres to Dominican shortstop Jhoan De La Cruz (No. 43), Venezuelan shortstop Deivid Coronil (No. 50), Dominican left-hander Carlos Alvarez (No. 69) and Venezuelan outfielder Sebastian Peña (No. 77).

The Padres could attempt to push their handshake deals into the 2026 window, but that’s more complicated than it seems.

The White Sox have swiped Venezuelan outfielder Orlando Patiño (No. 81) from the Dodgers for an expected $570,000, up from the $400,000 he was going to sign for with Los Angeles, according to Baseball America."

 

Dodgers can add as much as $3,000,000 from trading pool money with other teams, bringing their total closer to $8.25 million and Blue Jays/Padres could both go over $10 million each, total

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/01/14/as-international-signing-period-opens-padres-await-roki-sasakis-decision/

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

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?

I think it’s they couldn’t commit to signing them day 1 and therefore the players used this opportunity secure more money and/or better security.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Here are the three biggest prospects to watch any movement with in the days ahead with TORONTO...
 
 
According to Francys Romero, the Blue Jays have an agreement with nine players, including MLB Pipeline’s 22nd-ranked international prospect, Cristopher Polanco. The shortstop is expected to sign for $2.3 million.
 
Polanco’s MLB Pipeline notes that he has a smooth left-handed swing with “tremendous” bat speed. There’s not a lot of room for projection left in his 5’11” frame and he may end up at second base in the future, but the hit tool is ranked a 60 grade.
 
Another shortstop is set to sign for the Blue Jays as well, Juan Sanchez. The youngster is set to sign for $1 million and is Baseball America’s 44th-ranked available prospect. Moreover, the Blue Jays are set to sign Kennew Blanco, who ranked NINTH on MLB Pipeline’s available IFA’s last season, for $600,000. Last season, he was supposed to sign, but an age controversy set his signing back a year with a lesser bonus.
 
Altogether, the Blue Jays are set to spend $4.76 million of their $6,261,600 pool, giving them just over $1.5 million left. There is something that complicates things though.

What about Rōki Sasaki?

https://bluejaysnation.com/news/international-free-agency-primer-the-blue-jays-are-set-to-sign-nine-players

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"And now they are believed to be finalists for Sasaki, who reportedly held a second meeting with the club Tuesday and could sign as soon as Wednesday when the new international signing period officially begins.

“He’s someone that is obviously a major priority for us,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this winter. “We’re going to do whatever we can, and know that there are a lot of other teams that are going to do the exact same thing.”

latimes.com/sports

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • southsider2k5 changed the title to Roki Sasaki Free Agency - LAD, SDP, TBJ finalists

What if the inverse strategy would work - go acquire some extra money if you are the White Sox and than go after these 3 teams hard (a little too late to do that now) - but I could have seen a world where I would have went and grabbed some international money in trades and than leveraged it to buy out some high quality prospects on the promise of certain payouts.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

What if the inverse strategy would work - go acquire some extra money if you are the White Sox and than go after these 3 teams hard (a little too late to do that now) - but I could have seen a world where I would have went and grabbed some international money in trades and than leveraged it to buy out some high quality prospects on the promise of certain payouts.  

The problem here is that Toronto already seems to be out...

SD doesn't have any high profile targets like the last two years and the Dodgers have already lost a couple of their better guys.

And Sasaki isn't as motivated by up front money, as they're looking at a plethora of marketing/sponsorships from Japanese companies to start off with.

 

Have the White Sox ever ACQUIRED instead of traded away international pool money lol???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roki Sasaki is from Rikuzentakata in the Iwate Prefecture. Born in 2001, he was named after the villain Rouki from Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger, a Super Sentai show that was aired in the same year.[2][3] He was in the third grade during the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. The resulting tsunami swept away his house. His father and grandparents died, while Sasaki, his mother, and his two brothers had to live in a nursing home during the recovery.[4][5][6] The family moved to Ōfunato the next year and Sasaki began to play baseball at his new school.

wikipedia

 

Wow....didn't know this part of his backstory.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Twins pick DR OF Teilon Serrano off from Dodgers...their third none lost player.

 

"Some executives with knowledge of the International market predict Sasaki will make his decision first before giving the chosen team some time to acquire further bonus pool money (teams can increase the total value of their pools by 60 per cent). In the Blue Jays’ case, they could increase their allotment from $6,261,600 to $10,018,560.

Whether Sasaki would expect all that money is one of the many unknowns here, but he’d certainly get most of it, meaning the winning bidder for Sasaki will likely have to back out of some existing deals."

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-in-limbo-as-roki-sasakis-decision-looms-large/

 

Only pool cash move so far for Sabol...between SFG/Boston.

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the plate, Serrano shows off plus bat speed among his peers, giving confidence that despite his current smaller frame, there will be more pop in his bat as he matures. He employs a dip in his left-handed swing and front leg kick in an attempt to generate power from his 185-pound frame. His sweet swing is his best known commodity, which when coupled with pro instruction, gives him the floor of being at least an average bat. 

Serrano’s carrying tool is his well-above-average speed, which should suit him well as he makes the transition to center field in pro ball after getting looks on the infield as an amateur. A dynamic, high-twitch athlete, Serrano has had 60-yard dash times clocked as quick as 6.4 seconds. Those wheels have clubs believing he is destined for gap-to-gap outfield coverage, which enhances his overall upside as his pro career begins.

mlb.com scouting report

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Serrano, a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic, received more money from the Twins than he would have with the Dodgers, according to FanGraphs. A 6-1 center fielder who hits lefthanded, Serrano is ranked No. 50 on MLB.com’s top international prospects list.

“He can really run,” Barinas said. “He can really hit — advanced approach at the plate. There is actually some power, too. Really exciting at a premium position.”

Serrano is one of the Twins additions headlining their 2025 international signing class, with five players expected to command signing bonuses around $1 million or higher. The Twins entered this year’s signing period with $7.56 million they can spend in bonuses, one of eight teams with the highest international bonus pool."

http://www.google.com.hk/url?q=https://www.startribune.com/twins-international-signings-teilon-serrano-santiago-leon/601206371&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwie8tG36_iKAxWiI0QIHSM0B58QFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw0j-Z7H-H2-5qgTQGaKvpIn

"Honestly, this is kind of the craziest signing period I’ve seen,” said Roman Barinas, the Twins’ director of Latin America scouting.

"In addition to Morel and Patiño, the Dodgers also lost a commitment from Teilon Serrano as too received a larger bonus upon signing with the Minnesota Twins, according to baseball insider Francys Romero: Dominican SS Teilon Serrano is set to sign today with the Minnesota Twins for approximately $1M, sources confirmed."

 

50. Teilon Serrano, OF, D.R.: Twins ($847,500)

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Which team would that be?  The Sox?  KC?  Oh, right, now San Diego. 

At least I haven't been accused of Cubs' random yet...so there's that.

SD has been my second team (and official NL club, growing up it was Cardinals) ever since Tatis/Machado.

At any rate, I will applaud Getz as soon as he learns a foreign language as difficult as Japanese just to recruit an international prospect as impactful as Sasaki.

Frankly, wouldn't be shocked if their recent signee Wendelken out of Japan is tied into Sasaki somehow.

They have another Japanese pitcher Matsui in their bullpen just for this moment...four more years on his contract, similar to Darvish.

https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/yuki-matsui-japanese-reliever-signs-with-padres

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

Since this entire White Sox Reign of Terror seems like it was meant to follow the script of Major League minus Rachel Phelps' non-politically correct cardboard mannequin being stripped down, I'll take it.

Lou Brown is definitely dead in real life. and Eddie Harris (greaseball soft tosser) is 82...Dennis Haysbert is 70 (gone on to do countless commercials), Charlie Donovan (front office exec) is dead, Bob Uecker is 90, Suzanne Dorn left Hollywood in 1992, Renee Russo is 70.  Corbin Bernsen/Roger Dorn is 70 and Tom Berenger 75.   Apparently Margaret Whitton/Rachel Phelps has also passed away, sadly.

Can't find the two Asian dudes who opine "They suck."  and then later, "They still suck."

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Quin said:

what

Apparently you've never seen the movie MAJOR LEAGUE, nor are familiar with the legendary slugger Pedro Serrano who struggles with off speed stuff about as much as Andrew (not Ricky "Wild Thing") Vaughn and Luis Robert.  And talks like 1990's Sammy Sosa...

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

 Serrano

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

Edited by caulfield12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Apparently you've never seen the movie MAJOR LEAGUE, nor are familiar with the legendary slugger Pedro Serrano who struggles off speed stuff about as much as Andrew (not Ricky "Wild Thing") Vaughn and Luis Robert.

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

I've seen it and quote it frequently.

Why all the characters' ages (and deaths?) suddenly came up, I don't know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Quin said:

I've seen it and quote it frequently.

Why all the characters' ages (and deaths?) suddenly came up, I don't know.

When you're 55 years old and had four mini-strokes last year...you suddenly start noticing these little things in a way that people in their 30's and 40's don't yet quite fathom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...