Today features not only the first day of spring but also MLB’s opening day. If you are just waking up when you read this, the Dodgers-Padres started at 6:05 am on ESPN so you can switch on your T-V and catch the ongoing action taking place in Seoul, Korea. Today’s game will be the first of a 2 games series that MLB is calling the Seoul Series and not because we are in the midst of Lent.
Of course, the big news is that today marks the Dodger debut of Ohtani the Japanese dude who has played for the Angels the last 5 years and was the AL MVP in two of those years.
However, the Padres also have their own Far East connections with Korean hometown fella Ha-Seong Kim playing shortstop for them and their starting pitcher today Yu Darvish who is also Japanese. In tomorrow’s second game of the Seoul Series, the Dodgers will start another Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Starting to see a trend here?
Ohtani’s humongous Dodger contract of $700m over 10 years has some interesting payout features in that during those 10 years he will receive only $2M annually. (Just to put that in perspective, the Orioles are still paying Chris Davis $3.5M/yr. deferred money and will continue to do so until 2034. Spare me.)
Ohtani deferred $680m of his payout until the end of his contract in 2034. At that time he will start to receive $68m/yr until 2043. The State of California isn’t too happy about this deal because they won’t reap any taxes off the deferred $680 until 2035; plus, in the event Ohtani relocates to another state, they will get nada (click here.) (I write this as my day before me includes a visit to our tax lady Gina to sign and submit our taxes. Believe me, I’d much rather be watching baseball.)
Here is a little bit of Ohtani trivia for you:
Another Ohtani trivia question for you – What position does he play when he is not pitching? Gonna make you go to the Google machine for the trick answer.
Got to play this here even if I’ve done so several times in the past. Unlike the rest of us, it never gets old.