Japanese Pitcher Shohei Otani puts Major League Plans on hold for now- MLB News
Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani has decided to start his professional career in the Nippon Professional Baseball League. The 18-year-old has earlier said that he wanted to start his career in the major league but has decided to put those plans on hold for
now.
A number of Major League teams had shown interest in recruiting the pitcher who throws a fast ball at speeds of 99-100 miles per hour. He was drafted by the Japanese team Nippon-Ham Fighters who spent a fair amount of time to convince him to stay in Japan
and pitch for the team rather than going to the MLB.
He will be getting the highest salary thus far in the NBP offered to any first year player and will be getting the No.11 jersey, which was previously worn by Yu Darvish.
The 6-foot-4 pitcher believed it was time to pay back the community that had given him so much and to be a role model for the youngster in Japan. He also wants to show his skills to the local fans.
“I want to give back to the people that helped me up until this day and to the people from my hometown by having them see me pitch in Japan,” Otani said in a news conference. “I will do my best to become the type of player that kids can look up to.”
He also hoped that at some point in time, he will be playing in the Major League. He admires the way the game is played in MLB and hopes that his stint with the fighters will pave the way for him to get there.
“I would eventually like to go to the major leagues,” Otani said. “It’s a place I admire. I would like the Fighters to teach me the road to get there.”
Players in the NBP can become free agents after nine years of play in the league. There have been occasions when such time limits were not exercised in which case the franchises bid for the rights to negotiate with the players.
Los Angeles Dodgers were at the forefront of the contenders to sign the pitcher. They have already signed in a six-year deal with left-handed Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and were looking to add Shohei to their ranks as well.
The decision by Shohei Otani to postpone his plans to play in the Majors will have certainly disappointed some clubs who were interested in signing him. This may, however, help the pitcher in the longer run as he will develop in to a much more mature pitcher
in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in the next few years.
By the time he come to the Majors, Otani is very likely to be a lot more sort after pitcher then he is at the moment.
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