Not our Star Blazer: Yamamoto signs with the Dodgers for $325 million, 12 years

[MuppetAsteriskTalk]

Isn't Ken Rosenthal the epitome of a dork?

Dork on dork violence.

 

[Tokyo Sox]

Anyway, aside from not wanting the MFY to get better, I hope they don't sign YY because he seems to be a likeable guy, and the kind of talent you want to root for and see succeed. And if he becomes a Yankee I will not be able to do that.

Yeah same. For me it's the only place he could go where I won't be rooting for him.

 

[Rovin Romine]

I asked Bard AI what it thought:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto had just touched down in Logan, the biting Boston air a stark contrast to the Tokyo sunshine he left behind. But the chill held a thrilling promise: Fenway Park, a new home, a dream come true. He wasn't just another tourist; he was Yoshinobu "Yoshi" Yamamoto, the Red Sox's prized off-season signing, ready to paint the Green Monster with his fastball symphony.
His apartment in Back Bay traded ramen shops for Fenway views. Every morning, the sunrise bled crimson over the ballpark, a fitting omen for his Sox ambitions. Downstairs, a "wicked strong" coffee and a friendly "Morning, champ!" from the corner deli fueled his day. Learning the lingo was part of the game: "Bah hahbah" in place of "hamburger," "pahk ya cah" instead of "park your car." Boston was a crash course in accents and attitude, and Yoshi loved it all.
He wasn't just pitching for the Sox; he was becoming one of them. He spent afternoons at Fenway, not in the plush seats, but mingling with the bleacher bums, their salty wit and unwavering loyalty making him feel like he belonged. They taught him the intricacies of "Sweet Caroline," the chant that sent shivers down his spine, and the sacred rituals of Fenway Frank consumption.
Nights were for exploring. North End trattorias welcomed him with open arms and mispronounced Japanese, their boisterous celebrations of family and food mirroring the spirit of his own homeland. In hidden Irish pubs, he'd swap baseball stories with gruff locals, their faces etched with tales of past Sox legends, weaving him into the city's rich tapestry.
Boston wasn't just a team, it was a tribe. They embraced him, warts and all, celebrating his every strikeout with a guttural "You da man, Yoshi!" Even the occasional "Yankees suck!" felt like a badge of honor. This wasn't just a contract; it was a pact.
As a crisp November rain slicked the streets, Yoshi stood on the Fenway mound, the Green Monster towering behind him. He looked out at the sea of red faces, their voices a united roar, and his heart swelled. This was his city, his team, his family. He didn't need to understand every word to know the love etched in their eyes. He gripped the ball, ready to unleash his fire, ready to paint Fenway green with victories, ready to be Boston's own Samurai of Sox. This wasn't just a new chapter; it was a love story written in fastballs and cheers, a story forever etched in the heart of Boston.

 

[GreenMonsterVsGodzilla]

Lost me when it had him on the mound in November.

 

[allmanbro]

I asked Bard AI what it thought:

Can't wait to go to Fenway, eat a hot dog with him in the bleachers, and watch him paint the Green Monster with his fastball symphony.

 

[Brianish]

View: https://twitter.com/ken_rosenthal/status/1736915246361833504?s=46

“The Red Sox have reportedly made a big bid”

Surely this is a reference to the 300m report that started this thread?

 

[Rovin Romine]

Can't wait to go to Fenway, eat a hot dog with him in the bleachers, and watch him paint the Green Monster with his fastball symphony.

A man who trades ramen shops for bleeding sunrises has to be worth knowing.

 

[pk1627]

Lost me when it had him on the mound in November.

World Series game 5 played Nov 1, 2023

I certainly hope if the 2024 WS goes 7, Cora starts YY.

 

[E5 Yaz]

I took a nap ... I promise to make less mistakes the rest of the day

 

[bohous]

It didn't even occur to me until reading RR's story, but it's so obvious now that this has to happen...

Yoshinobu Yamamoto had just touched down in Logan, the biting Boston air a stark contrast to the Tokyo sunshine he left behind. But the chill held a thrilling promise: Fenway Park, a new home, a dream come true. He wasn't just another tourist; he was Yoshinobu "Yoshi" Yamamoto, the Red Sox's prized off-season signing, ready to paint the Green Monster with his fastball symphony

 

[tims4wins]

I took a nap ... I promise to make less mistakes the rest of the day

Fewer

 

[Harry Hooper]

"Bah hahbah" in place of "hamburger,"

What the heck, Bard?

 

[snowmanny]

Fewer

That’s the joke. There’s always a joke.

 

[Van Everyman]

Can't wait to go to Fenway, eat a hot dog with him in the bleachers, and watch him paint the Green Monster with his fastball symphony.

This was the tell for me. For a pitcher that would … not be a good thing?

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

Red Sox are dorks of the week for not making any bold moves. Stupid take of course but to be fair, baseball writers everywhere are starved for material.

No new information was conveyed.

I don't care if it is stupid, we need a BOLD move dammit! Sure, Ken.

 

[MFYankees]

This was the tell for me. For a pitcher that would … not be a good thing?

But what else could happen in a lyric little bandbox of a ballpark?

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

This was the tell for me. For a pitcher that would … not be a good thing?

I'm picturing YY coming out of the clubhouse at 2am so devoted to his craft and wanting to long toss but having no teammate. Then throwing the ball off the monster to himself like it is a concrete wall at the little league field.

The "Bah Hahbah" instead of hamburger killed me. If you order a bah hahbah at McDonald's, I wonder what they would give you at the drive through window?

 

[SouthernBoSox]

View: https://twitter.com/bossportsgordo/status/1736937537443156287?s=46


The last 45 seconds of this should be mandatory viewing for every one of us lunatics on this board.

 

[soxhop411]

View: https://twitter.com/bossportsgordo/status/1736937537443156287?s=46


The last 45 seconds of this should be mandatory viewing for every one of us lunatics on this board.

Aka. Nobody knows anything. Not shocking after the Ohtani jet shitshow

 

[SouthernBoSox]

Aka. Nobody knows anything. Not shocking after the Ohtani jet shitshow

Not only do they not know anything, but they are actively saying that they do know something.

When legit reporters have legit sources saying completely contradictory things you know you’ve got a real shit show on your hands.

We will see….

 

[radsoxfan]

In the unlikely chance we sign him, I will be excited to see him pitch. It's not my money. I'm not too worried about the Japanese vs MLB issue. Guy seems legit. But 5'10" 175 lbs as a starter on a 10 year contract.... my brain says "yikes".

Pedro was an all-time great outcome for a small guy and even he was barely hitting 90 mph by age 30 (though of course was still good for awhile after that).

Giving Tim Lincecum a 10 year 300M+ deal at age 25 would have been catastrophic.

Sonny Gray is still pretty good I suppose.

 

[loneredseat]

I asked Bard AI what it thought:

YY needs to read this. And if he still doesn't sign with us, screw 'em.

 

[burstnbloom]

Yankee Stadium is overall not a hitter’s park and actually has the least singles/doubles/triples to RF of any park (for obvious reasons).

but it’s the second highest park factor for home runs and is the number one park for home runs by left handed hitters.

I don’t actually think any of this will matter to Yamamoto because hes a ground ball pitcher who never gives up home runs.

 

[EvilEmpire]

I hope playing in front of a good defense is important to YY because I think that is an advantage the Yankees have had over the Mets and Red Sox the last couple of seasons.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

I asked Bard AI what it thought:

Every morning, the sunrise bled crimson over the ballpark, a fitting omen for his Sox ambitions. Downstairs, a "wicked strong" coffee and a friendly "Morning, champ!" from the corner deli fueled his day.

It’s just getting ridiculous at this point with the bannings. JMOH needs to be stopped.

 

[Rovin Romine]

It’s just getting ridiculous at this point with the bannings. JMOH needs to be stopped.

FWIW, I made one prompt, asking Bard to write a story about YY falling in love with Boston while using lot of Boston stereotypes. I then made a second prompt to modify the story to include him being a FA pitcher who recently signed with the Red Sox. But I didn't tinker with the results or ask it to add any particular thing. (Hence my amusement and my posting it.)

The first version had some absolutely hysterical bits also, the more so if you just lightly drill down. So I'll post it here:

Yoshinobu "Yoshi" Yamamoto could smell Dunkin' Donuts and Fenway Park from his tiny Southie apartment, even with his eyes still stubbornly shut. Sunlight, stubbornly insistent, finally pried them open, revealing a panorama of brick buildings and fire escapes tangled in laundry lines, a symphony of car horns honking a Bostonian concerto. Yoshi wouldn't have it any other way.
He shuffled to the kitchen, dodging piles of dog-eared books on John F. Kennedy and the Red Sox (a testament to his dual loves) before pouring himself a cup of "wicked strong" coffee. With each sip, the city's energy coursed through him: the clatter of the "T" train, the salty whisper of the harbor, the gruff yet friendly banter of "wicked pahk yah cars" echoing up his alley.
Yoshi worked at a tiny ramen shop on Newbury Street, a vibrant mosaic of tourists and locals slurping steaming bowls of his grandma's recipe. He loved explaining the difference between "hahkah" and "chah shu" to wide-eyed college kids, their accents betraying their Midwestern origins. He'd throw in a Bostonism here and there – "Go 'head honk, ahm closin' up in a moominute" – just to see their eyebrows quirk with surprise.
Afternoons were for Fenway. Yoshi knew every brick, every scuff mark on the Green Monster, could hum Yawkey's ghosty pronouncements of "just hit it, son!" alongside the crowd. He'd cheer with the die-hards, scarf down lobster rolls dripping with mayo, and argue about David Ortiz's legacy until his voice was hoarse.
Evenings were for wandering. He'd weave through the North End, the scent of garlic and pastries tickling his nose, stopping to chat with old Nonna's on their stoops, their Italian vowels blending with his Boston drawl. He'd find a hidden pub, a haven of worn wood and dim lights, where locals with faces etched by the harbor wind recounted tales of blizzards and World Series wins.
Boston wasn't perfect, Yoshi knew. The winters were brutal, the accents gruff, the drivers...well, let's just say aggressive. But for Yoshi, it was a canvas splashed with a million shades of life, a symphony of noise that hummed the rhythm of his own heart. It was the city that had welcomed a stranger with open arms, taught him "Wicked good, kid!" when he burnt his ramen, and cheered him on when he finally aced his English exam.
As he watched the city slick with the first drops of a November rain, Yoshi couldn't help but smile. This was his Fenway, his North End, his Boston. And he wouldn't trade it for all the Dunkin' Donuts in the world.

I mean, you know its a warm day when you can smell Fenway Park in Southie. . .

 

[Rovin Romine]

It didn't even occur to me until reading RR's story, but it's so obvious now that this has to happen...

If he signs, I think "fastball symphony" is going to stick.

I hope playing in front of a good defense is important to YY because I think that is an advantage the Yankees have had over the Mets and Red Sox the last couple of seasons.

And if he signs with the Yanks, I hope "painting the Green Monster with his fastball symphony" holds true in another sense.

More seriously, this is a good point about defense, which I haven't seen discussed yet. (Granted there's a lot of noise out there.) But an extreme GB pitcher would probably be interested in that.

Ultimately, I think Boston presents (at best) as average there. Devers is a clear minus, Story a huge plus, and (in one year?) the Story/Mayer combo should be excellent. Casas is a question mark and young enough to be a reasonable work in progress.

The Yanks (per 2023 players - Statcast outs above average) have the edge over the Sox, but much of the value is in Rizzo.

Unfortunately for both teams, the Giants IF defense easily eclipses them both. Estrada is a wizard at 2B.

LA is more of a mixed bag - Muncy is terrible.

 

[brandonchristensen]

Fastball Symphony could be our Cabin Mirror moment.

(edit - which I am now realizing was 20 years ago)

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Hopefully when they met Yamamoto, the Red Sox showed some video of Story making great plays at SS in September and Rafaela robbing HRs and hits, and some of that O'Neil highlight reel too. "Despite what other teams might be trying to tell you, we expect our defense to be vastly better this season-- these guys will be part of the team going forward, here's what they can do."

 

[InsideTheParker]

Hopefully when they met Yamamoto, the Red Sox showed some video of Story making great plays at SS in September and Rafaela robbing HRs and hits, and some of that O'Neil highlight reel too. "Despite what other teams might be trying to tell you, we expect our defense to be vastly better this season-- these guys will be part of the team going forward, here's what they can do."

This just reminds me for the umpteenth time that I have no idea how they talk to players and their agents. I would love to hear a tape of such a meeting, even an old one, where the outcome is no longer in doubt, just to get the gist of such conversations.

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

I’d personally check SF or Boston for stadiums proximity to where I’d want to live in the cities. That would be my difference maker.

 

[soxhop411]

The clock has started for teams to start talking serious dollars — potentially hundreds of millions of them — with Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

After a whirlwind courtship by MLB teams, the Japanese ace was open to begin taking formal offers on Monday, according to an industry source, as first reported by ESPN.

The source added the Mets planned to bid on Yamamoto within a couple of days.

During Yamamoto’s recent meetings with teams, broad contract parameters were discussed, without “serious” offers presented, according to the source.

The sessions served more as a forum for teams and the player to get to know each other.
The Mets’ expectation is Yamamoto will reach a decision by Christmas.

Following his posting last month by the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball, the right-hander is within a 45-day window to sign a contract that expires on Jan. 4.

Yamamoto spent the weekend in New York meeting with Yankees and Mets officials and later posted a picture on Instagram of himself on a plane with his agent Joel Wolfe in the background.

The top pitcher on the free-agent market, the 25-year-old Yamamoto has also reportedly met with the Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and Phillies.

https://nypost.com/2023/12/18/sports/yoshinobu-yamamoto-now-accepting-free-agent-offers-with-mets-bit-expected-soon/?utm_campaign=nypost_sports&sr_share=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

[103mph Screwball]

I'm going to be incredibly disappointed if he signs elsewhere. I'm preparing for that being the most likely outcome, however.

 

[RS2004foreever]

I’d personally check SF or Boston for stadiums proximity to where I’d want to live in the cities. That would be my difference maker.

You can get to Citifield or the Stadium pretty quickly from Greenwich.

 

[StuckOnYouk]

Still no mention of a meeting in Boston while he is/was out here. You would think someone would have leaked it by now. Miracles do happen though.

 

[SouthernBoSox]

Still no mention of a meeting in Boston while he is/was out here. You would think someone would have leaked it by now. Miracles do happen though.

Yea, this is something I keep coming back to. Pepen is the only person to this point to mention the Fenway visit.

 

[DadOfFenway]

What the ____ ? This is going on and on...

 

[RedOctober3829]

Morosi: My belief is the Yankees are the front runners. Mentions the Mets and Dodgers as the other teams he may go to. He wants to go to the biggest market and on the biggest stage.

Does not bode well for the Red Sox
View: https://twitter.com/mlbnetwork/status/1737137055983882373?s=46&t=IVL2VrlFgLlpc3mjGGto8Q
https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1737141141349290345?s=46&t=IVL2VrlFgLlpc3mjGGto8Q

 

[The Filthy One]

The old adage remains true: if the Red Sox and the Yankees are interested in the same free agent, the Yankees always, always sign him.

 

[Otis Foster]

You can get to Citifield or the Stadium pretty quickly from Greenwich.

Especially if you have a Rolls Royce limo and drive available 24/7.

YY is going to have wealth beyond my reckoning.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

"Sox are aware of a baseball player named Yamamoto"

I've started reading the thread title as "Sox perusing Yoshinobu Yamamoto."

 

[chawson]

There was a while there, maybe a decade ago, where the Yankees were exceptionally quiet about their interest in players and negotiations until they actually acquired them. But in the Twitter era it seems like it's more often their strategy to leak "frontrunner" story angles to reporters regarding their big acquisitions. That way it dominates every 24-hour news cycle and seems like an inevitability.

 

[Delicious Sponge]

There was a while there, maybe a decade ago, where the Yankees were exceptionally quiet about their interest in players and negotiations until they actually acquired them. But in the Twitter era it seems like it's more often their strategy to leak "frontrunner" story angles to reporters regarding their big acquisitions. That way it dominates every 24-hour news cycle and seems like an inevitability.

assume that’s true- what’s the point? This isn’t an election and I’d think if I were on YY’s team I’d find that annoying af.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

The old adage remains true: if the Red Sox and the Yankees are interested in the same free agent, the Yankees always, always sign him.

This is the one guy I’d make an insane offer to.

Yesterday I floated the idea of offering him 10/$330, front loading the first four years at $45 per, followed by another six years at $25 per. Opt-outs after the first four years, and every two years after. The $25 years increase to $45 based on Cy Young Award placement. Sox can nullify each opt-out by opting to pay him $45M for the following two seasons.

10/$330 base, can be up to 10/$450 (basically if he’s consistently in the top 5 of Cy voting)

Unless Yamamoto is adamant about NY/LA, I see little reason why we should not top any offer that is even vaguely resembling what he’s expected to get.

If he’s going to another team because of dollars; it had better be absurd.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

assume that’s true- what’s the point? This isn’t an election and I’d think if I were on YY’s team I’d find that annoying af.

My hope is… the Yankees aren’t prepared to go to war with the Sox and Mets over YY… and when they lose out, they’ll play it as “we made an offer, Yamamoto took it to the other team, used it as leverage, caught us flat-footed, etc”

 

[Dewey's 'stache]

YY needs to read this. And if he still doesn't sign with us, screw 'em.

Your post made me laugh and is spot on how that bard AI passage made me feel. Boston is a great city, the Red Sox are a storied franchise, if he doesn’t sign here… then f’ em NEXT

 

[The Filthy One]

If he’s going to another team because of dollars; it had better be absurd.

I don't think it will be about money. I suspect the other teams involved value him similarly and that he'll basically just choose where he wants to play the most for non-monetary reasons.

 

[Sille Skrub]

Morosi: My belief is the Yankees are the front runners. Mentions the Mets and Dodgers as the other teams he may go to. He wants to go to the biggest market and on the biggest stage.

Does not bode well for the Red Sox

If Morosi is right about this and the bit "YY is tired of being on the smaller team" then there is no realistic shot for the Red Sox. Maybe this is why the Yankees appear so confident.

So apparently, "full throttle" won't be enough in this case. Awesome.

 

[loneredseat]

Assuming that any contract that he signs is going to have opt outs, there may be some wisdom in letting another team take the huge financial risk and then, depending on how good is actually is in the MLB, deciding whether or not to sign him in a few years.
Or maybe I'm just preparing myself...
At this point, if he signs with the dodgers or mets I may be more relieved (that it's not the MFY) than upset.

 

[voidfunkt]

Yea at the end or the day Boston cannot compete with the eyeballs New York or LA gets and frankly, they're better cities to live in if you have a couple hundred million and are in your 20s. Boston basically goes to sleep by 10pm and has like three shitty night clubs in a one block radius. Real fun stuff if you're loaded and young.