MLB Weekly Digest 11/27/17

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The previous week in MLB was about a path being cleared for a Japanese Superstar to playing in the Majors, a free-agent reliever receiving multiple offers and the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot is released.

Shohei Ohtani Set to Join MLB in 2018

Major League Baseball, the Players Association, and Nippon Professional Baseball reached a provisional agreement on Tuesday for a new posting system that will allow Japanese pitcher Shohei Ohtani to play in the United States in 2018.

The previous posting rules—which stipulate MLB teams can pay NPB clubs a maximum fee of $20 million—will continue until the new rules start next year, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Source: Previous posting rules apply for the current offseason; new rules will take effect with 2018-2019 offseason. @MLB teams must ratify for agreement to become official, but that is expected to be a formality.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 21, 2017

Joel Sherman of the New York Times provided the details of the posting agreement:

1/just to clarify my confusing tweet from earlier: Beginning next offseason if Japanse player signs a major league contract, a Japanese team will receive 20 percent of the total of the contract plus all earned bonuses, buyouts on unexercised options and full amount of option yrs

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 22, 2017

2/ 20 pct on guarantees up to $25M, 17.5 pct of deals between $25M-$50M, 15 pct for any pact over $50M.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 22, 2017

Sherman also added the deal must be ratified by MLB owners next Friday.

MLB owners must ratify next Friday, so if that happens Ohtani likely to be posted next Fri or Saturday

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) November 21, 2017

Once Ohtani is officially posted, there will be numerous teams that want him on their roster.

The Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins can offer him the most money, per the Associated Press.

Ohtani is a talented player and could a be a difference-maker for whichever team signs him.

Bryan Shaw Has Received Offers from Multiple Teams

Bryan Shaw has been one of the better relievers in the American League over the past couple of seasons and is a hot commodity with him entering free agency.

The right-hander has received multiyear offers from two clubs, and both deals are for a minimum of three years, per Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com.

The New York Mets are probably one of the teams interested in Shaw as their new manager Mickey Callaway was his pitching coach for the past five years with the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians should be the other team that’s made an offer to Shaw as he’s been a critical member of their bullpen over the last several years.

Shaw has a 3.7 WAR and 3.11 ERA in five seasons with the Indians but has also been very durable. The workhorse reliever has led the AL in appearances in three of the last five seasons.

Chipper Jones, Jim Thome And Omar Vizquel Highlight 2018 Hall of Fame Ballot

The Baseball Hall of Fame and Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed the ballot for the 2018 Hall of Fame on Monday.

It includes some players from last year’s ballot like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Trevor Hoffman and Vladimir Guerrero.

Ryan Thibodaux released the full ballot:

As announced by @baseballhall and @officialBBWAA today, your 2018 National Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot: pic.twitter.com/LM3a5iLH7C

— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) November 20, 2017

Meanwhile Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel and Jamie Moyer highlight players on the ballot for the first time.

Bonds and Clemens have the stats to be in the Hall of Fame, but there is controversy involving them using steroids. Both Clemens (54.1 percent of ballots) and Bonds (53.8 percent) received more votes than last year but were still short of the required 75 percent for induction.

Hoffman (74.0 percent) and Guerrero (71.7 percent) were within five and 15 votes of being inducted, respectively last year.

As for the first-year players on the ballot, Jones was a career .303 hitter with 468 home runs, an eight-time All-Star and won the 1999 NL MVP. Thome ranks eighth all-time with 612 homers while being selected as an All-Star five times.

Vizquel is regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops of all time as he won 11 Gold Gloves in 24 seasons. Finally, Moyer pitched for 25 years and won 269 games.

About Post Author

Chris Lacey

Chris is a New Jersey native whose favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously attended Western New England College to study Sports Management. Chris has been following the Diamondbacks since he was 12. You can find him on Twitter at @aecanada12.

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