An assessor from the Los Angeles Dodgers stood in the seats with a video camera six years ago to record the beauty of a lanky 17-year-old Japanese pitcher when the world knew very little about him. Roki Sasaki's right arm was a natural tornado, and his fastball often surpassed 100 mph. The Dodgers couldn't get enough. Team executives whispered between themselves that Sasaki had the potential to become the top pitcher in the world. To top it all off, they wanted to make sure he felt as committed to them as they did to him before he stepped into Major League Baseball.
Since then, the Dodgers have dominated baseball in practically every way conceivable. They have lost no cost in pursuing victory, fueled by their owners' enormous fortune and supported by the game's most outstanding local broadcast deal. In addition to their continuously top-ranked big league salary, they also have best-in-class technology infrastructure, remuneration for the coaching staff, and food quality for minor league players.
There was no need for a sales presentation from the Dodgers when 23-year-old Sasaki announced his plans to join the Major League Baseball team this winter. The team's growing dynasty is an apparent draw for athletes who desire to win. The Dodgers have successfully remade themselves since being sold to the Guggenheim Baseball Management group in 2012, following the disastrous ownership of Frank McCourt that caused the team to file for bankruptcy. Since then, they have won 11 National League West titles in 12 years, defeated their October rivals twice in five years, and dominated the Japanese baseball market with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto signings for over $1 billion guaranteed.
Is Baseball Being Destroyed by the Dodgers?
During the offseason, every front office wished for the newest Japanese superstar. Eight groups were made possible to meet with Sasaki. Three made it to the finals. One of them was the Dodgers. Another club whose early scouting of Sasaki garnered praise was the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles' primary adversary in the National League West. Four teams—the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Texas Rangers—were left standing in the third round. These clubs understood Sasaki and his demands because of their history with Japanese players and their extensive work in Japan. The Blue Jays advanced to the third round of the playoffs because of their relationship with Toronto's foreign scouting apparatus.
When Sasaki asked Toronto why his scorching fastball had lost speed in 2024, the city's response left him speechless. Frank Herrmann, an employee of the Blue Jays' baseball operations department and a former major league pitcher who had played with Sasaki on the Chiba Lotte Marines, and Sam Greene, an assistant pitching coach for the Blue Jays, provided an explanation that accelerated their pursuit by combining a discussion of statistics, mechanics, and gut instinct. The Blue Jays were sure they could overcome whatever advantages the Dodgers might have when Sasaki left Toronto after spending several days there.
According to baseball betting strategies experts, the Padres were similarly specific after their trip to San Diego, the home of star third baseman Manny Machado. The guests were familiar with Japanese chef-prepared dishes. Ethan Salas, the 18-year-old catcher seen as a key cog in the Padres' future, and 21-year-old center fielder Jackson Merrill were also in attendance. The ace in San Diego's ace-shaped hole was Yu Darvish, the father of contemporary Japanese pitching and a mentor to Sasaki with unparalleled wisdom.
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