Way too early offseason

[D-train]

They clearly placed a ban on Asian players since the Kikuchi debacle. Though Polanco looks part Asian.

Debacle? Three years $40 mil, 3 war and an all Star game, declines his option, gets another similar contract from the blue jays

Classic bounty99 post.

[Donn Beach]

They clearly placed a ban on Asian players since the Kikuchi debacle. Though Polanco looks part Asian.

Debacle? Three years $40 mil, 3 war and an all Star game, declines his option, gets another similar contract from the blue jays

why give a dime to anyone 5 minutes into a rebuild. Could have use that $40M this season, right???

Not saying it was money well spent but debacle a little harsh. It's the reason they will not sign a Japanese player again? We could make a list of not particularly wisely spent money couldn't we? What would the conclusions be, don't spend on starting pitchers, don't spend on DHs? That's the connection I'm not seeing, other than japanese players require an additional investment.

[harmony]

This is the most likely outcome though they will try Cole Young at 2B again. Not going to bail on one of their prized prospects. Btw Kelenic is a FA.

I see that Kazuma Okamoto will be posted. This is a guy I think we should go after for the hot corner. He is apparently a better hitter than Ohtani was when he played in Japan (indicating how difficult it can be to predict how well players will adjust to MLB). He's a "six-time All-Star with two Gold Gloves and three NPB home run titles to his name" and has a career slash line of .277/.361/.521 .

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/ ... wtab-en-us

He'll be aggressively pursued by just about every club out there who doesn't sign Bregman, but I actually don't see a reason why the M's can't land him.

Last year I advocated for the M's to go after Jung Hoo Lee. Folks expressed legitimate concerns over his lack of pop and how well he'd adjust to hitting in MLB, but in an injury-shortened 2025 season with the Giants, he batted a respectable .266 and posted a 110 OPS+. Okamoto seems like he has the glove and the power plus a low strike out rate to fit into the M's lineup.

For keystone - why not bring Cano back? In 2024 he batted .431 in the Mexican league and a 1.114 OPS.

This fan is biased after witnessing a Kazuma Okamoto home run on April 9 in Yokohama:

https://npb.jp/bis/eng/2025/games/s2025040900135.html

[harmony]

What a difference a year can make.

Over two seasons in 2023-24 Josh Naylor posted 3.7 bWAR and a 124 OPS+ in 273 games while Luke Raley posted 5.9 bWAR and a 127 OPS+ in 255 games.

Recency bias clearly favors Naylor, who is three years younger than Raley.

[D-train]

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I'm shipping off Luis Castillo for a halfway decent bullpen arm or maybe we can revisit the Tristan Casas situation. Frees up 24 Million or so and should get us a useful piece back. I'm shipping off Arozarena for another useful piece OR trying to lock him up on a 4 year deal for 60 mil or so, dropping the yearly amount down slightly. If you can get rid of those two thats 42 mil freed up, garver 12 mil, Haniger off the books as well. I'd be fine rolling out Evans in place of Castillo for half a year until we can bring up Anderson or make a deadline deal. We should be able to bring Naylor back at 18-20 mil a year and even after pay increases we should have 30 mil or so to bring in an outfielder and possibly re-sign Polanco. Keep Williamson at 3rd for now until Emerson is ready.
Robles RF
Julio CF
Raleigh C
Naylor 1st
Polanco 2nd
Casas DH
FA/TRADE LF
Williamson 3b
JP SS

Woo
Gilbert
Kirby
Miller
Evans/Anderson

Casas was injured most of the season and had a .580 OPS when he wasn't.

[Big_Maple]

This fan is biased after witnessing a Kazuma Okamoto home run on April 9 in Yokohama:

https://npb.jp/bis/eng/2025/games/s2025040900135.html

So cool!! I am so jealous.

I've seen footage of what it's like at a baseball game in Japan. Looks nuts.

What's it like, IRL?

[harmony]

This fan is biased after witnessing a Kazuma Okamoto home run on April 9 in Yokohama:

https://npb.jp/bis/eng/2025/games/s2025040900135.html

So cool!! I am so jealous.

I've seen footage of what it's like at a baseball game in Japan. Looks nuts.

What's it like, IRL?

The atmosphere was electric (as was the atmosphere at a KBO game in Seoul a few weeks earlier).

On the approach to the Yokohama stadium, a street had been cordoned off as fans cheered the arrivals of cheerleaders for both the home DeNA BayStars and the visiting Yomiuri Giants. During the game fans chanted and sang on every pitch. It reminded me of the Timbers Army at Portland Timbers soccer matches. Led by their cheerleaders, fans of the Yomiuri Giants responded from their own sections. Fans could keep home runs hit into the stands but were expected to return foul balls hit into the stands.

[Donn Beach]

Yeah, cheerleaders, think MLB missed the,boat there. Should import some cheerleaders along with the players

[Big_Maple]

This fan is biased after witnessing a Kazuma Okamoto home run on April 9 in Yokohama:

https://npb.jp/bis/eng/2025/games/s2025040900135.html

So cool!! I am so jealous.

I've seen footage of what it's like at a baseball game in Japan. Looks nuts.

What's it like, IRL?

The atmosphere was electric (as was the atmosphere at a KBO game in Seoul a few weeks earlier).

On the approach to the Yokohama stadium, a street had been cordoned off as fans cheered the arrivals of cheerleaders for both the home DeNA BayStars and the visiting Yomiuri Giants. During the game fans chanted and sang on every pitch. It reminded me of the Timbers Army at Portland Timbers soccer matches. Led by their cheerleaders, fans of the Yomiuri Giants responded from their own sections. Fans could keep home runs hit into the stands but were expected to return foul balls hit into the stands.

I love it. Catching a game in Japan is on my bucket list. I'm. not getting any younger, and I am running out of excuses.

Sounds cool, harmony. Thanks.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Yeah, cheerleaders, think MLB missed the,boat there. Should import some cheerleaders along with the players

Cheerleading is the dumbest concept ever. How about make the games more watchable and entertaining by eliminating the mid-inning breaks and give the pitchers 5 seconds more time to make a pitch.