Berardino: Tonkin's Rights Sold to Japanese Team

[Seth Stohs]

According to the below tweet from Mike Berardino, the Twins have been able to sell the rights to right-handed pitcher Michael Tonkin to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Tonkin will get a two-year, $2.1 million deal with another $0.5 million in incentives. 

 

 

 

[Squirrel]

When that happens, is the player usually on board with it?

[spinowner]

I think Tonkin will dominate over there, just like in AAA. He's the classic example of a AAAA pitcher. Major league batters can hit a straight 96 fastball. AAA batters can't. He can't get his fastball to move enough to succeed in the majors.

[Thrylos]

 

When that happens, is the player usually on board with it?

 

Yes.  The Twins tried to do something like that with Vargas last off-season, but he did not sign.  Tonkin will negotiate and sign the contact.  The Twins will sell the rights for that negotiation for $500K or so usually

[Squirrel]

Yes.  The Twins tried to do something like that with Vargas last off-season, but he did not sign.  Tonkin will negotiate and sign the contact.  The Twins will sell the rights for that negotiation for $500K or so usually

I never really know how that works. Thanks.

[nicksaviking]

When that happens, is the player usually on board with it?

Not the less intelligent ones:

 

[Squirrel]

Not the less intelligent ones:

Okay, that’s just mean!

[ashbury]

Okay, that’s just mean!

They play hardball in that league.

[Riverbrian]

I was hoping he would sign with my favorite team... The Orix Buffaloes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Kidding... I don't have a favorite Japanese Team. 

 

 

[Otwins]

How many on the 40 man roster now?

[PATwinsfan]

33 I believe.

[Winston Smith]

 

When that happens, is the player usually on board with it?

Well he doubled his pay so it can't hurt that bad.

[Squirrel]

Well he doubled his pay so it can't hurt that bad.

Yeah, well ... I guess I wouldn’t move there, not even for that amount. But I didn’t know how it worked.

[darin617]

I gotta admit I am so happy that the Twins are cutting players that do not have any future here. No reason to waste roster spots. The new regime is looking better every day.

 

Now just add a few veterans to this nice mix of talent & the Twins will be back in the playoffs in 2018!

[Winston Smith]

 

Yeah, well ... I guess I wouldn’t move there, not even for that amount. But I didn’t know how it worked.

You wouldn't move to Japan for a couple years for $2 mill? Really only two half years.

[USAFChief]

How many on the 40 man roster now?

its doubtful anyone here follows the Fighters closely enough to answer that, but you just never know.

[Squirrel]

You wouldn't move to Japan for a couple years for $2 mill? Really only two half years.

Nope.

[USAFChief]

Nope.

Have you been? Spent 6.5 years on the edge of a Tokyo. Fantastic place, and i wasn’t making quite that kind of money.

[Blake]

 

Nope.

I'm guessing "TokyoTownTwinsFan" doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

[Squirrel]

Have you been? Spent 6.5 years on the edge of a Tokyo. Fantastic place, and i wasn’t making quite that kind of money.

Yes, twice. Once for pleasure, once for work.

[Rosterman]

I think the Twins retain the rights for him to be re-rostered if he is cut from the team at any time during the run of the contract...then have to decide to re-add to 40-man or jsut cut ties. After the two seasons, Tonkin is free. Of course, if the Twins never want him abck, he is also free. So, in a sense, you stash a player with a foreign team but still retain some rights.

 

[Mike Sixel]

I think this is great for Tonkin and the Twins

[snepp]

Give me 2M for a couple partial years, I'm on the next flight out.

 

 

F Rochester *or insert other team's AAA location here*.

[beckmt]

Good luch to Tonkin in Japan, expect he will do well there .  Only slightly possible we will see him back.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Yeah, well ... I guess I wouldn’t move there, not even for that amount. But I didn’t know how it worked.

id move to Japan for 2 years if i received a guaranteed 2 mil to do it. 2 mil is life changing money for me.

 

If I were a MLB player, it depends on how realistic I thought my chances were that I could get at least a mil in MLB contract. 2 mil isn’t exactly life changing for an MLB veteran.

 

My recollection is the players rights aren’t usually sold unless the player has already agreed.

[Blackjack]

 

When that happens, is the player usually on board with it?

 

I was wondering about that too!!! He'd almost have to be agreeable to it...

[ashbury]

I was wondering about that too!!! He'd almost have to be agreeable to it...

The MLBPA can not have let such a scenario slip through the cracks during past negotiations. It's not even worth time to check that such deals must be to everyone's satisfaction.

[rdehring]

Gets the 40-man roster down to 33.  Gives them room to add 6 players while retaining an open spot for the Rule 5 draft.  Or will they add 7 and make another move if they want to participate in the Rule 5 draft?

 

Several other candidates to be removed when they sign a couple free agents.  Thinking of Boshers, Enns and what to do with Phil Hughes?  Or will they strengthen the club via the trade route?  

 

Will they add Seth's top 4 plus 2, or 3, of the next group of 4?  Will still be some difficult decisions while leaving a few good players exposed to the draft.

[Platoon]

its doubtful anyone here follows the Fighters closely enough to answer that, but you just never know.

I wish they allowed double likes. I have a cracked rib, and this one hurt like hell!

[Platoon]

Yeah, well ... I guess I wouldn’t move there, not even for that amount. But I didn’t know how it worked.

A woman who used to babysit our kids in her teens has been over there several times in year long stretches. She teaches at an American school there and loves the country.