Ohtani’s Contract Goes Beyond Dollars and Sense

Ohtani, although, is thrashing the Americans on their very own phrases. “He can hit a home run 500 feet and throw a ball 100 miles per hour, and he’s bigger and stronger than most Americans,” mentioned Robert Whiting, who has written a number of books on baseball in Japan, together with “You Gotta Have Wa.”

Ohtani’s Ruthian contract would possibly by no means have been signed if Nomo, Hideki Irabu and Alfonso Soriano hadn’t challenged Japanese restrictions on the motion of gamers within the Nineteen Nineties. Nomo, as an example, retired from Japanese baseball so he might signal with the Dodgers, whereas Irabu pushed again when his previous crew, the Chiba Lotte Marines, minimize a deal to ship him to the San Diego Padres. Irabu was later despatched to the Yankees, his most well-liked vacation spot. A few years later, Soriano, who had been drafted as a youngster by the Hiroshima Carp, adopted.

“The real credit for the growth of the Japanese market in the U.S. belongs to Nomo, Irabu and Soriano,” mentioned Gene Orza, a longtime lawyer for the M.L.B. Players Association. “Those three broke the dam. Ohtani really owes it to them.”

And even if the Dodgers do not make back their money directly from Ohtani, they may be playing the long game. They have made the playoffs 11 consecutive years, but won only one World Series title. By teaming up Ohtani with Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts — two other former M.V.P.s — as well as an excellent pitching staff, the Dodgers could become the dominant team of the decade.

That is a far cry from the Angels, who never made the playoffs or even had a winning record during Ohtani’s six seasons with the team.

“If the Dodgers win two or three World Series in the next six, seven years,” Gennaro mentioned, “Ohtani will be the face of the franchise and a whole generation of fans will follow the team for years.”