Should MLB back out of the posting agreement with NPB?

craig44

With the quality of Japanese players seemingly increasing, should MLB dissolve/back out of the current posting agreement with NPB and allow teams to negotiate directly with Japanese players as free agents? It was the MLB that agreed that japanese players who "retired" couldnt come to the states to play like Nomo did back in 95. As it is now, NPB controls a player for 9 seasons.

Superstar players are never returning to NPB, why would they have a problem leaving under those circumstances? They would get significantly higher contracts here in the states and have a longer earning period as well. MLB would have access to the great players younger and more in their primes.

it seems like a win-win for the MLB and players. Just not for NPB

Basebal21

There would be repercussions for MLB. Japan would just ban any player for life that did so and take other steps that would make it very difficult for a player to want to take that chance. Why would a player want to go rid buses through the carolinas making a 100 bucks a month instead of playing in Japan for a few years? The posting system is there so that players are actually allowed to come over

Theres paths for them to skip the NPB but they come with a lot of risk for the player

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/royals-become-first-mlb-club-to-sign-japanese-high-school-player

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1711823014503813543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1711823014503813543%7Ctwgr%5Ee48ba9370badd600a82512942979c327c9a45e8a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Ffannation%2Fmlb%2Ffastball%2Fnews%2Fjapanese-high-school-baseball-phenom-rintaro-sasaki-makes-unprecedented-decision-to-come-to-united-states-for-college-and-forego-playing-in-nippon-professional-baseball

craig44

@Basebal21 said:
There would be repercussions for MLB. Japan would just ban any player for life that did so and take other steps that would make it very difficult for a player to want to take that chance. Why would a player want to go rid buses through the carolinas making a 100 bucks a month instead of playing in Japan for a few years? The posting system is there so that players are actually allowed to come over

Theres paths for them to skip the NPB but they come with a lot of risk for the player

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/royals-become-first-mlb-club-to-sign-japanese-high-school-player

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1711823014503813543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1711823014503813543%7Ctwgr%5Ee48ba9370badd600a82512942979c327c9a45e8a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Ffannation%2Fmlb%2Ffastball%2Fnews%2Fjapanese-high-school-baseball-phenom-rintaro-sasaki-makes-unprecedented-decision-to-come-to-united-states-for-college-and-forego-playing-in-nippon-professional-baseball

I dont see what repercussions MLB would face. they dont want the rank-and-file players, just the greats. It seems that the agreement only is an asset for NPB. Not sure what benefit MLB gets from it. If I were an Ohtani or an Ichiro type player, screw NPB, I am declaring as a free agent and heading to MLB

Basebal21

@craig44 said:

@Basebal21 said:
There would be repercussions for MLB. Japan would just ban any player for life that did so and take other steps that would make it very difficult for a player to want to take that chance. Why would a player want to go rid buses through the carolinas making a 100 bucks a month instead of playing in Japan for a few years? The posting system is there so that players are actually allowed to come over

Theres paths for them to skip the NPB but they come with a lot of risk for the player

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/royals-become-first-mlb-club-to-sign-japanese-high-school-player

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1711823014503813543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1711823014503813543%7Ctwgr%5Ee48ba9370badd600a82512942979c327c9a45e8a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Ffannation%2Fmlb%2Ffastball%2Fnews%2Fjapanese-high-school-baseball-phenom-rintaro-sasaki-makes-unprecedented-decision-to-come-to-united-states-for-college-and-forego-playing-in-nippon-professional-baseball

I dont see what repercussions MLB would face. they dont want the rank-and-file players, just the greats. It seems that the agreement only is an asset for NPB. Not sure what benefit MLB gets from it. If I were an Ohtani or an Ichiro type player, screw NPB, I am declaring as a free agent and heading to MLB

The posting system is only for players already under contract. Ohtani almost signed with the Dodgers before signing with the NBP but the Dodgers wouldnt let him be a two way player. Japan is a massive massive market for MLB. Othani to this day makes more money in Japan than he does in MLB. If MLB started poaching NPB players they wouldnt get any of the elite players ever again. Japan could easily just ban players that violate their contract from getting endorsements in Japan, refuse to play in the WBC which they are a massive market in, ban those players from the national teams, ban MLB from being shown on TV etc. The government would absolutely get involved if their beloved NPB was being used like an asile at the grocery store. Other leagues would also start doing the same to MLB players, oh sorry you dont have your pre abritration closer for the playoffs anymore he just got offered millions to go play overseas.

The majority of Japanese players fail in the MLB or are below average and then return to Japan, that would no longer be an option for them. Japanese culture would bring shame to the players families etc if they broke a contract and just left. The Japanese players overall would just stay in Japan in MLB started operating in such a shady manner and other places like Korea would take notice of what is happening as well and start making moves to keep the MLB product out of its country. Theres nothing to gain by operating in a scummy manner

If MLB doesnt have to honor contracts with other leagues, why should teams not be able to poach players from each other?