On the 16th, former Orix Buffaloes outfielder Yoshida Masataka (29) of the Japanese professional baseball team held a press conference at Fenway Park to join the Boston Red Sox. Agent Scott Boras also sat at the front of the podium. Other agents don’t come to the fore during press conferences, but Boras is always there. Show off his own presence.
On the 17th, Boston Globe columnist Dan Shohnesh, who wrote “The Curse of the Bambino,” appeared on the High Heat program hosted by Chris Russo of MLB Network’s “Mad Dog.” It was time to check Boston’s offseason power shifts.
Reporter Shohnesh and host agreed that Boston’s 2023 season performance is also difficult to expect greatly. Shortstop Zander Bogatz, who had been active for 10 years, was taken away by the San Diego Padres without being able to catch it, and it was predicted that it would be difficult to renew even the slugger third baseman Rafael Devers, who will become a free agent after the 2023 season.
Reporter Shohnesh pointed out that the current ownership had been successful by winning the World Series four times in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018, but went into a sharp decline after trading MVP outfielder Mookie Betts in 2020.
The bullpen analyzed that it will be more stable than the 2022 season by reinforcing Kenley Jansen (2 years, $32 million) and Chris Martin (2 years, 17.5 million dollars). Regarding Yoshida’s recruitment, the hosts and the panel all agreed that they “overpaid”.
Yoshida signed with Boston as a post. He is guaranteed five years and $90 million. $3 million signing bonus. An annual salary of $15 million in 2023, and $18 million each from 2024 to 2027. Boston paid $15,373,000 in post blood to the Orix team. The money invested in Yoshida is 105,375,000 dollars. Shortstop Bogatsu was taken away and outfielder Yoshida was recruited with little money.
American reporters think that Japanese pitchers can fully demonstrate their skills in their home country when it comes to entering the MLB. The successive successes of Hideo Nomo and the current Yu Darvish prove their success. Beasts, however, are few and far between successful, with the exception of a few superstars such as Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui.스포츠토토
Currently, there are two fielders: Yoshida and Chicago Cubs outfielder Suzuki Seiya (28). Former Hiroshika Carps Suzuki, who drew attention in the early stages, recorded a batting average of 0.262, 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 111 games this year due to injury. The Cubs signed for five years and $85 million.
This is why host Rousseau and reporter Shohnesh gave Yoshida too much money. Yoshida hit 133 home runs in seven seasons from 2016 to 2022. Average of 19 per season. He hit 21 in a row in 2021 and 2022. The most in one season is 29 in 2019. The body itself is not a home run hitter. He is 173cm tall and weighs 85kg and is a typical contact hitter with a sense of top hitter. A home run is an extension of a hit.
It is true that MLB scouts view the KBO league at a lower level than Japanese professional baseball. Kiwoom’s Lee Jung-hoo (26) and Yoshida have a similar style. An extension of a hit to a contact heater is a home run. In terms of physique, Lee Jung-hoo is better than Yoshida. He is 185 cm and 88 kg. It is a point of interest to watch what kind of evaluation will be received when entering the MLB with a post after the 2023 season.