Will the Nationals pursue Shohei Ohtani? What about suddenly free Braves
prospects?
By Chelsea Janes November 22
文章來源：https://goo.gl/1KCEyJ
Late Tuesday, Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball came to
an agreement on a new posting system, according to reports by the New York
Post, Yahoo Sports, and others. That agreement will allow Japanese star
Shohei Ohtani to sign with any of the 30 MLB teams and will consequently set
off an unprecedented recruiting frenzy for what many describe as an
unprecedented talent.
本周二，根據紐約郵報、雅虎體育和其他媒體的報導，大聯盟與日職終於決定了本季的
入札制度，這項協議將允許大聯盟三十支球隊都有機會能與這位來自日本的超級巨星簽約
，為了這位號稱史上最具天分的球員，一場史無前例的競逐大戰即將開始。
Ohtani, 23, is known for his prolific power and prolific fastball, which has
hit 102 mph. He tantalizes dreamers with the promise of a legitimate two-way
player not seen since Babe Ruth and entices professional evaluators with the
potential for a front-line starter who can chip in offensively now and then,
too. Any team could use a player like that, including the Nationals. Will
they pursue him?
大谷翔平，這位年僅二十三歲的球員，以他的爆發力與102mph的快速球聞名，
同時他也是繼Baby Ruth後，第一位正統的二刀流選手，他也被評估具有直接進入前段
先發輪值的潛力，這些條件對所有的大聯盟球隊而前，都是不可抗拒的誘惑。而現在每個
球隊都有機會擁有這位球員，包括國民隊。那，國民隊會競逐他嗎?
The short answer is sure. Who wouldn’t? One of Nationals General Manager
Mike Rizzo’s most-used phrases is “due diligence,” which usually refers to
showing an interest in a free agent or making calls on potential trades. You
call. You ask. You see what it would take. The Nationals will do their due
diligence on Ohtani, whatever they determine that is.
簡單回答的話，那自然是無庸置疑的，誰會不願意?
如國民隊GM Mike Rizzo最常用的名詞「盡職調查」，一般都會出現在當他對於一個FA有
興趣，或是被問到一個潛在的交易時的回答，你會盡所能的去評估並了解需要付出的代價
，不論國民隊最終的決定為何，他們一定會對大谷做出盡職調查。
* 盡職調查，指在進行任何交易或簽署合約前，對於合約或相關交易人的調查。這類的
調查可讓決策者有更多系統化的資訊，以對其成本、利益、風險有更多的理解以做出最
佳的決策。
But logistically, they simply cannot mount the kind of pursuit that other
teams can. Under the reported terms of that posting agreement, whichever team
signs Ohtani must pay his Japanese team, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters,
$20 million. For the Nationals, conservative and slow-moving in their
spending all around, that fee sounds prohibitively high.
但理性來說，國民隊完全無法像其他隊一樣，負擔得起追逐大谷所需的支出。
根據入札協議，不論是哪一隊獲得與大谷的議約權，都必須支付火腿隊兩千萬美金的轉
隊費。對財政保守的國民隊來說，這無疑是一筆過高的支出。
Even if it weren’t, the Nationals are crippled by their recent international
spending. The Nationals blew by their 2016 international bonus pool when they
spent nearly $5 million on more than a dozen players in a year they were
allotted just $2.35 million — a signing class those within the organization
think could yield one or two bona fide major leaguers, though they are still
teenagers and therefore years away.
即使國民隊願意出錢，但他們在近期的國際球員簽約金上也會有大問題。
在2016年，國民隊花了將近五百萬美金簽了超過一打的國際球員，但他們的簽約金上限
卻只有三百三十五萬美金。這個上限是聯盟認為足以讓他們簽一至兩位貨真價實、具有
進入大聯盟球場實力的年輕球員。
But in keeping with the penalties outlined in the old collective bargaining
agreement — penalties that carry over into this year’s July 2 period — the
league penalized the Nationals by limiting them to a maximum of $300,000 on
any one bonus over the next two seasons. As a result, they can only offer
Ohtani $300,000 as a signing bonus. The Rangers and Yankees, not under
penalty and with the two biggest international pools available, can commit
around $3.5 million.
也因此，根據舊版的CBA，在今年度七月二號開始的這個國際球員簽約期間，
國民隊在未來兩年給予每位國際球員的簽約金不得超過三十萬美金。換句話說，國民隊
只能提供大谷三十萬美金的簽約金，而遊騎兵或洋基隊除了不受此限制外，他們目前還
用有全聯盟前二高的國際球員簽約額度，大約剩三百五十萬美金左右。
Still, had Ohtani waited two years until he was 25, he would not have been
subject to signing bonus limits that govern the way teams acquire younger
international talent. If money were the only concern, he would have waited
two seasons, at which time he could have earned tens of millions more. The
former Nippon Baseball MVP is reportedly more interested in the chance to
compete in the world’s most talent-rich league, and to do so both as a
pitcher and hitter.
若大谷願意再多等兩年，等到他超過25歲的話，他將不受國際球員簽約限制。
若金錢事他唯一考量的話，他就會願意多等兩季，屆時他將可以獲得超過千萬美金的
簽約金。但這位前日職MVP球員似乎對能與全世界最佳球員一同競爭的機會更有興趣，
不論是以投手或打者的身分。
In that realm, like the financial one, the Nationals can offer Ohtani far
less than other teams. Their starting lineup is all but set. Their rotation,
while in need of help, is not desperate for a front-line starter around which
they would be willing to reconfigure their schedule so that Ohtani — used to
pitching once a week — could transition comfortably. American League teams
can offer the designated hitter and wouldn’t need Ohtani to play the field
as he did as an outfielder for the Fighters.
在金錢方面，國民隊只能提供大谷遠少於其他隊的簽約金。
而他們的先發輪值也相對完整，他們的輪值雖然可以再更好，但並不是非要一個前段先發
不可。若他們獲得了大谷，為了要讓大谷能順利地適應大聯盟，他們可能得重新安排先發
的日程，畢竟大谷過去以投手身分的出賽頻率是每周一次而已。此外，若是個美聯球隊，
或許還可提供DH的位置給大谷，這樣他就不需像以往在日職得以外野手的身分出場。
Besides, the Nationals do not have a history of chasing Asian-born players
under Rizzo’s watch. Much like their reticence to spend on Cuban players,
who command huge deals before proving anything in MLB, the Nationals have
been cautious in their approach to Asian talent, largely because of the
belief that comparable, more proven talent is available in other marketplaces
— for more manageable prices.
況且在Rizzo主政的時期，國民隊並沒有競逐亞洲球員的例子。
如同他們看待古巴球員一樣，他們認為簽一個古巴球員需要在球員還沒證明自己有能力
站穩大聯盟前，就要花費非常大筆的錢，因此國民隊鮮少花錢在古巴球員身上，也因此
他們看待亞洲球員時，也是持相同態度，變得相當謹慎。他們會認為相較之下，他們可以
從其他管道獲得一些已證明自己身手的球員，且所花費的金額是他們能夠負擔的。
In other words, Ohtani seems unlikely to find his way to Washington. But he
is not the only remarkable talent available on the international market.
也就是說，大谷前往國民隊的機率似乎不高，
但大谷並非今年國際球員市場中唯一耀眼的球員。
Tuesday, MLB announced the results of its investigation into the Atlanta
Braves’ international dealings. Among the punishments levied on the Nationals
’ division rivals was the release of a dozen international prospects the
Braves signed during the last three international signing periods. One of
them, Venezuelan Kevin Maitan, is a highly touted 17-year-old shortstop the
Braves originally signed for $4.2 million. Maitan was ranked 72nd on Baseball
America’s midseason top 100 but has received less-positive reviews as a
professional than he did during his much-discussed amateur days.
在禮拜二，大聯盟宣布他們對於亞特蘭大勇士隊在國際球員市場交易行為的調查
結果，勇士隊必須釋出他們在過去三個國際球員簽約期間所簽下的十二名新秀。其中來自
委內瑞拉的Kevin Maitan就是一名相當有名的游擊新秀，勇士隊給了他四百二十萬簽約金
。在BA季中的百大新秀中他只排名72，對他能否成為職業球員的評價與他在業餘時期
相當熱烈的討論度相比似乎有所下降。
According to reports from the Athletic, the New York Post and others, the
released Braves prospects will be subject to the same bonus pool rules as any
other — though teams can use either their remaining money from their 2017-18
July 2 funds, or from next season’s (but not a combination of both). The
Nationals’ penalties for overspending in 2016 extend to next season, meaning
the most they can offer any of the Braves prospects is $300,000. Other teams
will likely be willing and able to offer Maitan, and others, more.
根據Athletic、紐約郵報與其他媒體的報導，這些被釋出的勇士新秀將受到相同的
簽約金規定限制，其他球隊可以用他們今年七月二號開始的2017-2018國際球員簽約期
內他們所剩的金額來簽這些球員，或是利用下一季的簽約期所擁有的簽約金金額來簽下
這些球員(但是不能夠跨季計算)。國民隊因超過國際球員簽約金上限而受到的懲罰
將導致他們在未來兩季所能提供給這批勇士隊球員的簽約金最高不得超過三十萬美金。
而其他球隊，如果他們願意，將能夠提供包括Maitan在內的其他球員更高的簽約金。