# MLB Hotstove, or the 2024 Ohtani sweepstakes **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [November 2, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492 "2023-11-02T17:48:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/141 "2023-12-10T01:20:25Z")
It’s such an incomprehensibly large number, it makes it really hard to form any coherent opinion about it. On one hand, I’m sure the Dodgers will have absolutely no problem recouping a good portion of it via ticket sales, merch sales, TV contracts, etc. But I honestly have no idea how to calculate how much of an increase in any of that they’d need. Seems like a lot, no? On the other hand, it does offer a peek into how absurdly deep the pockets of the owners go for these big market teams. As for teasing the Dodgers about it down the line, I’m sure many will. I think the Mets get a unfair shake on Bobby Bonilla Day, since so many other teams have structured similar deals, and the Bonilla signing was an unmitigated success. Fun fact: Ken Griffey Jr. has the 4th highest salary on the 2024 Cincinnati Reds payroll. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/142 "2023-12-10T01:23:24Z")
The current state of MLB is a pyramid scheme and baseball fans are old. Will the younger generations keep it going? I doubt it. We’re approaching the tipping point in a sport where going to a single ballgame can set a family of four back a full weeks pay. It just sucks, and my team is among the worst offenders. None of this is the fault of Ohtani and his bonkers contract, of course. It’s just unsustainable. Now get off my sorry patch of grass. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/143 "2023-12-10T01:27:58Z")
I still have hope for the game, but I do worry you’re correct. In more optimistic news, did you see the season ticket promotion the Diamondbacks have? Season tickets for $299! Now, they’ll be upper level seats, but that’s a great deal if you live in the area ($3.60/ticket). ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/144 "2023-12-10T01:33:52Z")
Wow, that’s pretty amazing. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/145 "2023-12-10T01:45:07Z")
well heres one take on it > **[Why Shohei Ohtani will be worth every penny of $700 million contract for Los...](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2023/12/09/shohei-ohtani-la-dodgers-contract-record/71865853007/)** > > Ohtani is officially a Dodger, signing a staggering 10-year, $700 million contract Saturday, making him the the richest athlete in American sports history. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/146 "2023-12-10T02:08:00Z")
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Dodger Stadium is one of the bigger parks to hit in. That is, its dimensions can be detrimental to power hitters, as opposed to, say, the short porch in Yankee Stadium. Right off, does anyone have a comparison between Dodger Stadium and Anaheim? What kind of statistical difference could we expect to see? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/147 "2023-12-10T02:24:14Z")
Here’s [Baseball Savant’s park factors](https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/statcast-park-factors) that average out 2021-2023. LAA’s park is only slightly more hitter-friendly than league average, and LAD’s is only slightly more pitcher-friendly. Dodger Stadium appears from those numbers to be extremely homer friendly, which certainly wasn’t the impression I had of it. I do believe that the pitcher-friendly reputation it’s earned is a result of its larger foul territory, which adds a significant number of outs that would land in the stands of other parks. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/148 "2023-12-10T02:30:34Z")
The article says Ohtani will be the richest athlete in U.S. sports history, but on a salary-per-year basis, wouldn’t he be the richest in the world as well? I believe even Messi was not being paid $70 million per year by Barcelona FC, back in the day. (Although, at one point, al-Hilal offered Messi a 3-year, $1.6 billion contract that would blown everything out of the water) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/149 "2023-12-10T02:44:13Z")
Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns a base $75 million per year with Saudi club Al Nassr ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/150 "2023-12-10T02:44:33Z")
Ah, I see. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/151 "2023-12-10T03:41:18Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/152 "2023-12-10T06:30:39Z")
hahaha… tho all those places that said he was going to the Blue Jays look silly now, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/153 "2023-12-10T13:32:09Z")
To a degree they do. So many people in Toronto were convinced he was coming here. My guess is that the Blue Jays are thrilled. From their POV, the fans believe the team was in it until the very end plus they don’t have to pay someone $50+ million a year. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/154 "2023-12-10T20:48:51Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > It’s such an incomprehensibly large number, it makes it really hard to form any coherent opinion about it. On one hand, I’m sure the Dodgers will have absolutely no problem recouping a good portion of it via ticket sales, merch sales, TV contracts, etc. But I honestly have no idea how to calculate how much of an increase in any of that they’d need. Seems like a lot, no? > > On the other hand, it does offer a peek into how absurdly deep the pockets of the owners go for these big market teams. > > As for teasing the Dodgers about it down the line, I’m sure many will. I think the Mets get an unfair shake on Bobby Bonilla Day, since so many other teams have structured similar deals, and the Bonilla signing was an unmitigated success. > > Fun fact: Ken Griffey Jr. has the 4th highest salary on the 2024 Cincinnati Reds payroll. Signing Bonilla was a mitigated success. The basis for the structured deal was that the Wilpons were going to make more money off the interest on the deferred money than they paid out in the long run. And they were making more money right up until Madoff got arrested. I don’t pretend to understand caponomics. I’ve heard that the Ohtani deal is hughly structured in order to leave room on the payroll the next few years. Seems like kicking the problem down the road to me. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/155 "2023-12-11T00:59:13Z")
How was it a success? He played for the Mets for 3.5 years (including the strike-shortened season.) The Mets missed the playoffs each year he was there. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/156 "2023-12-11T02:08:39Z")
It opened their payroll to pay for Mike Hampton, who pitched pretty well in 2000 during their World Series run, and when Hampton left, they got 2 compensatory picks, one of which was David Wright. Yea, it’s several levels removed from “Bonilla was amazing and earned every penny he’ll ever make and then some”, but much of baseball is a game of dominoes - and Mets fans are generally happy to have their team write that check every year. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/157 "2023-12-11T19:50:35Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t wish him ill but I’m betting he’ll never be the player he was the last few seasons again. Coming off an injury can be tough and so many are never what they once were. My prediction is his future pitching value will not be much, but he might have a season or two where he’s actually a BETTER hitter. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/158 "2023-12-11T19:52:36Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Will the younger generations keep it going? I doubt it. We’re approaching the tipping point in a sport where going to a single ballgame can set a family of four back a full weeks pay. If fans start dying off and are not being replaced, ticket prices will go down. The reason ticket prices are high is there’s lots of people willing to pay it. It’s a self-correcting problem. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/159 "2023-12-11T21:46:02Z")
Yeah, @BlankSlate’s remark reminded me of the Yogi Berra-ism “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492/160 "2023-12-11T22:25:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > My prediction is his future pitching value will not be much, but he might have a season or two where he’s actually a BETTER hitter. That is possible but it’s also possible that the pitchers’ union figures out how to pitch to him and his hitting stats take a tumble. If I had to be which skill, pitching or hitting, will be the first to go I think pitching. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-hotstove-or-the-2024-ohtani-sweepstakes/992492.md?page=9)