Sun Dec 10, 2023 4:15 pm
He’s an otherworldly athlete who, current injury aside, is still improving. Seems a decent bet that his skills will erode more slowly than a typical player…maybe not on the level of LeBron James (jumping sports here), but still, easily an all-star level player for another five-plus years.
There’s tremendous economic value for the Dodgers, having Ohtani wear the uni. He’s extremely popular, and not only in Japan. Of course, they need to be right about his longevity because if/when he stops playing at an elite level, the name value will diminish a touch. And this doesn’t mean he won’t be an albatross for them at the back end of the deal, and a hamstring on their finances for at least a decade after. One need only look at Miguel Cabrera to envision a worst case scenario from a competitive perspective.