Winter Meetings Thread

[Donn Beach]

On the other hand, I don't think ichiro is viewed as some old dude in Japan

[D-train]

lol, as if talking to some old Japanese dude is going to sway things

Let's just hope Roki goes to the Padres. I ain't in favor of no 6-man rotation.

I completely agree, I hope the 23 year old flamethrower making league minimum with 6 years of control doesn't come to Seattle because having 6 really good pitchers is an embarrassment of riches and we wouldn't want to be greedy.

Having 6 really good starters is a complete waste. It literally does nothing to improve the team. You would just be starting Sasaki every six games instead of one of the other 5 while running out Dylan Moore, Bliss and Rivas at 3B/2B.

[Donn Beach]

Interesting look at Sasaki from Tom Verducci, there's going to be more to this than just signing him and running him out there every fifth day at the top of your rotation. He is looking for development, he's not a finished product. There also could be questions about the condition of his arm.

In highschool they pitched the crap out of him which I guess is standard in Japan.

In the national tournament for Ofunato High School, Sasaki did throw 194 pitches in a 12-inning victory and 129 pitches in a semifinal win three days later, but did not pitch the next day in a loss in the championship game, prompting a flood of calls to the school asking why he didn’t pitch again. Ofunato's manager explained he was protecting Sasaki’s health.

Then he gets to the majors and the marines don't pitch him in a game his first season.

The Marines permitted Sasaki in his rookie season, 2020, to train and travel with the team but did not allow him to pitch in a game.

In 2021 he threw only 83 1/3 innings while working on his mechanics and physical strength. The team preferred to give him 10 days of rest between starts.

The next season, 2022, was his breakout season. He posted a 2.02 ERA over 129 1/3 innings while coming within three outs of back-to-back perfect games.

His velocity apparently has been declining, the 129: innings is his career high

Sasaki’s innings fell to 91 in 2023 and 111 this year, in part due to arm soreness and an oblique issue.

How he'd be used in MLB

He is going to pitch every sixth or seventh day. The Dodgers already have Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow on that schedule. More and more teams are using six-man rotations or keeping a five-man rotation through off days.

Verducci goes on to dismiss the value of a "workhorse" starting pitcher. Complain all you want, welcome to the world of six man rotations

The baseball industry does not ask pitchers to throw 200 innings anymore. Why? Because of the (1) increased velocity, which is a risk factor for injury; (2) increased supply of power relievers, thanks to advances in training and technology; and (3) diminished importance of the regular season, which has prompted clubs to put starting pitchers on six-month workloads to prioritize the expanded postseason.

You don’t need regular season workhorses to win. The Dodgers did not have a qualified pitcher (162 innings in a full season) in 2023 or 2024—after only one such season in their first 135 years (2018).

https://www.si.com/mlb/roki-sasaki-what ... free-agent

[D-train]

Interesting look at Sasaki from Tom Verducci, there's going to be more to this than just signing him and running him out there every fifth day at the top of your rotation. He is looking for development, he's not a finished product. There also could be questions about the condition of his arm.

In highschool they pitched the crap out of him which I guess is standard in Japan.

In the national tournament for Ofunato High School, Sasaki did throw 194 pitches in a 12-inning victory and 129 pitches in a semifinal win three days later, but did not pitch the next day in a loss in the championship game, prompting a flood of calls to the school asking why he didn’t pitch again. Ofunato's manager explained he was protecting Sasaki’s health.

Then he gets to the majors and the marines don't pitch him in a game his first season.

The Marines permitted Sasaki in his rookie season, 2020, to train and travel with the team but did not allow him to pitch in a game.

In 2021 he threw only 83 1/3 innings while working on his mechanics and physical strength. The team preferred to give him 10 days of rest between starts.

The next season, 2022, was his breakout season. He posted a 2.02 ERA over 129 1/3 innings while coming within three outs of back-to-back perfect games.

His velocity apparently has been declining, the 129: innings is his career high

Sasaki’s innings fell to 91 in 2023 and 111 this year, in part due to arm soreness and an oblique issue.

How he'd be used in MLB

He is going to pitch every sixth or seventh day. The Dodgers already have Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow on that schedule. More and more teams are using six-man rotations or keeping a five-man rotation through off days.

Verducci goes on to dismiss the value of a "workhorse" starting pitcher. Complain all you want, welcome to the world of six man rotations

The baseball industry does not ask pitchers to throw 200 innings anymore. Why? Because of the (1) increased velocity, which is a risk factor for injury; (2) increased supply of power relievers, thanks to advances in training and technology; and (3) diminished importance of the regular season, which has prompted clubs to put starting pitchers on six-month workloads to prioritize the expanded postseason.

You don’t need regular season workhorses to win. The Dodgers did not have a qualified pitcher (162 innings in a full season) in 2023 or 2024—after only one such season in their first 135 years (2018).

https://www.si.com/mlb/roki-sasaki-what ... free-agent

Hilarious they pitch the hell out of kids in HS and then when the turn pro they can only pitch once a week. Reminds me of the NFL pussy ass KOs and still trying to play Football in College.

[D-train]

I have no interest if he can not pitch every fifth game.

[Donn Beach]

Okay, so if Sasaki wants to play for the mariners you'd tell him no thanks even though he'd cost next to nothing

“His ceiling is he’s the best pitcher in the world,” said one MLB talent evaluator who has watched him in person several times. “[But] he’s definitely not a finished product. Most people in Japan would agree with that.”

[D-train]

Okay, so if Sasaki wants to play for the mariners you'd tell him no thanks even though he'd cost next to nothing

“His ceiling is he’s the best pitcher in the world,” said one MLB talent evaluator who has watched him in person several times. “[But] he’s definitely not a finished product. Most people in Japan would agree with that.”

The mother fucker threw almost 200 pitches in 3 hours as a kid and you are telling me as a grown man he needs 144 hours of rest between outings. LMAO The stuff people come up with and preach it like Gospel is hilarious.

[Pharmabro]

lol, as if talking to some old Japanese dude is going to sway things

Let's just hope Roki goes to the Padres. I ain't in favor of no 6-man rotation.

I completely agree, I hope the 23 year old flamethrower making league minimum with 6 years of control doesn't come to Seattle because having 6 really good pitchers is an embarrassment of riches and we wouldn't want to be greedy.

Having 6 really good starters is a complete waste. It literally does nothing to improve the team. You would just be starting Sasaki every six games instead of one of the other 5 while running out Dylan Moore, Bliss and Rivas at 3B/2B.

I don't know why this is a talking point at all. Just leap-frog Sasaki and you could have a 6-man pace with him and normal rest days with your other 4. No problemo!

[Donn Beach]

Okay, so if Sasaki wants to play for the mariners you'd tell him no thanks even though he'd cost next to nothing

“His ceiling is he’s the best pitcher in the world,” said one MLB talent evaluator who has watched him in person several times. “[But] he’s definitely not a finished product. Most people in Japan would agree with that.”

The mother fucker threw almost 200 pitches in 3 hours as a kid and you are telling me as a grown man he needs 144 hours of rest between outings. LMAO The stuff people come up with and preach it like Gospel is hilarious.

The point is that's the way it's going to be, your liking it or not is irrelevant.

[D-train]

I completely agree, I hope the 23 year old flamethrower making league minimum with 6 years of control doesn't come to Seattle because having 6 really good pitchers is an embarrassment of riches and we wouldn't want to be greedy.

Having 6 really good starters is a complete waste. It literally does nothing to improve the team. You would just be starting Sasaki every six games instead of one of the other 5 while running out Dylan Moore, Bliss and Rivas at 3B/2B.

I don't know why this is a talking point at all. Just leap-frog Sasaki and you could have a 6-man pace with him and normal rest days with your other 4. No problemo!

Please demonstrate how that would work from March 27th to April 30th:

https://www.mlb.com/mariners/schedule/2025-03