Don Nomura on the Posting System
Author’s note: I wrote this last Wednesday, before the Thanksgiving holiday, but decided not to publish it and deleted it. For some reason, it was not deleted, and I’ve changed my mind and decided to publish it, with a few edits.
Without assessing blame, I have to say that I’m quite disappointed at the way Oakland-Hisashi Iwakuma negotiations have gone. Being a resident of the Bay Area, I was really looking forward to the opportunity to watch each one of his starts and seeing if my optimism in him was justified. It’s not too late for the two sides to work out a deal but it isn’t looking good.
Iwakuma’s agent Don Nomura was a constant presence in the Japanese media for a few days after talks broke down last weekend. This Sponichi piece with his comments on the posting system caught my eye.
“This system is extremely one-side. The team (that acquired negotiating rights) can offer a minor league contract (and break off negotiations) without losing anything. The player’s side is at a disadvantage.”
“The top three bidding teams should get negotiating rights.”
Despite my afore stated disappointment, I find this kind of perversely poignant. Nomura’s gaming of the system in the 90’s led to the creation of the posting system. It seems oddly appropriate that he’s now frustrated by its limitations.
Neither side is without fault here — Iwakuma’s camp should have known that they were leaving a lot of negotiating leverage on the table by pursuing the posting process. And why did Oakland put in such an outsized bid (third biggest winning posting fee), only to follow it up with a seemingly low-ball offer? We’re missing some data and the story isn’t over yet, so we’ll just have to see how it plays out.
28/11/2010 at 1:44 pm Permalink
On word on this issue … blockage. The A’s are a cheap organization with no fan base. I think that this whole move was to prevent other teams from gettting him.
28/11/2010 at 3:51 pm Permalink
In other news, Albaladejo’s rights were sold at $1.2 million.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/not_in_the_ballpark_B9cTNeZ2727OT9iMooroXP
28/11/2010 at 5:56 pm Permalink
Dunno if it’s so much a lowball offer as just a sign of the times. Plus, offers that amount to posting fee = total contract value seems to have become some kind of a standard? (Teams tend to bid up to half the value they assess a player to be?)
It’s probably better (financially) for a player to just use international FA rather than being posted 1 year earlier. Wonder how much Iwakuma will get as an FA next year?
29/11/2010 at 12:56 am Permalink
On word on this issue … blockage. The A’s are a cheap organization with no fan base. I think that this whole move was to prevent other teams from gettting him.
I’m sick of hearing, for this cheap organization you know how many pennants/playoffs they been in since Alderson/Beane? 4 1st place finishes and 1 Wild Card. Billy Beane’s done something right. I know 29 other teams that take him. There’s a reason he almost became Boston’s GM.
In other news, Albaladejo’s rights were sold at $1.2 million.
I mean I think he’s going to be good, but $1.2M, are they nuts for a guy who was a closer and could bust at any time. Sorry dont approve.
Wonder how much Iwakuma will get as an FA next year?
I think a lot here will disagree with me, but I dont see him getting past 6-8M. He just isnt worth $10M and rightly so. Just because your current 4th starter gets doesnt mean Iwakuma should. Give him 3yr/$24 and see if he bites if not forget and wait for Nomura to come crawling.
29/11/2010 at 6:52 am Permalink
It’s simple. The A’s are trying to trade him later.
Having sinking fastball and splitter, Iwakuma is the ideal type of pitcher the A’s wants. And the most important, I think most people don’t rate him high, so he can only be underrated.
I think Billy wants to have him at bargain price, then trade him after he gets some good performance.
But if he gets $10M/year nobody will acquire him.
29/11/2010 at 6:58 am Permalink
To kman410:
He isn’t Daisuke Matsuzaka. No club will try to block others from signing him.
I can image how Europeans laugh at Nomura. In pro football they have transfer fee, a player’s agent won’t tell Man. Utd. that “my client isn’t happy that you pay big bucks to his club but not Wayne Rooney type contract to him?”
Oh maybe there were some agents doing that. Only to be fired by their own clients :p
29/11/2010 at 11:52 pm Permalink
Iwakuma’s not unsatisfied about the transfer fee (posting fee), he cares about what he’ll actually take home, and rightly so.
From all media reports, it sounds like he’ll be a happy duck signing a $6-8m/year contract (as an FA next year).
02/12/2010 at 10:55 pm Permalink
On word on this issue … blockage. The A’s are a cheap organization with no fan base. I think that this whole move was to prevent other teams from gettting him.
I mean you do know how ridiculous that sounds. As J has pointed out above Beane has won 4 1st place finishes and 1 Wild Card. You sure you’re not a disciple of Joe Morgan? Hisashi Iwakuma when he asked to be bid, knew what he was getting into when he asked. If he didnt then I suggest he should of found a better agent than Don Nomura, whose I’ve never had a high opinion of. Yes, I’ll admit he’s been a key part in bringing Japanese players to the States ex. Nomo, but even without that someone else would have challenged the system, it was like the MLB Reserve Clause waiting for someone to challenge it(Note:I am not comparing the two league’s Free Agent Systems for those who dont know, I’m using it for a metaphor)
Now back to Iwakuma, as if what Susan Slusser of the SF Chronicle reported is true and the bid was $15 million and he asking for Zito money, Nomura has flipped his wig and he needs to hire a new agent next time around in the States. At 15 million, 3 yrs/$15M is good.
As Simon points out as a FA, all will be well if he has a great year and all. He should easily command $6-8M. And Boras could even sucker some team $10M a year for him.