Farhan Zaidi Says Giants Offered Shohei Ohtani Largest Contract Ever, Believes Dodgers Won Due to Geography
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking contract over the weekend, but they obviously weren’t alone in the pursuit. Ohtani had tons of serious suitors, and one of those came from inside the division.
In a conference call on Tuesday, San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi confirmed that the team made a record-breaking offer to Ohtani in free agency. He also said he assumes the Giants weren’t the only team to do that, and that they revised their deal upwards as the process went on. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported these comments on Tuesday.
Ultimately, Ohtani decided to sign with the Dodgers, a reason that Zaidi believes was due to geography.
While it’s fair to assume that geography and remaining in Los Angeles likely had something to due with Ohtani’s decision, it’s a bit unfair to say that’s the reason the Dodgers ended up winning out.
It’s been more and more apparent that Ohtani has wanted to sign with the Dodgers for some time, and since they met his record-breaking contract demand, they were able to consummate a deal.
The Giants have struggled over the last few years in attracting top-level free agents.
The Giants were in on Aaron Judge last season, but ultimately lost that battle to the New York Yankees.
They had Carlos Correa, but after a failed physical and an inability to rework a contract, lost him to the Minnesota Twins.
This offseason, they have again been in on all the top free agents, but thus far, have just come away with Jung Hoo Lee from Korea, per reports.
Zaidi can blame geography all he wants, but Ohtani clearly wanted to be a Dodger — and clearly, the Giants’ competitive offer wasn’t enough to convince him otherwise. Slusser even reported that Zaidi said the Giants agreed to everything that Ohtani ultimately finalized with the Dodgers.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t believe a word Zaidi says.
Nor do I. He’s just jelly 🙂
The Dodgers signed Ohtani because they have been to the playoffs in consecutive seasons
Exactly!!
The Dodgers signed Ohtani because they have been to the playoffs annually in consecutive seasons. C’mon Farhan, really?
Very few living in Newport Beach want to leave. We’ll see how he feels when he experiences that commute.
He’ll buy another place nearer to the stadium
Or he’ll just buy Dodger Stadium and build his penthouse suite there!
Do you really believe he’ll be driving himself? If I was in the limo I’d ask for a lap swim pool, just to keep my arm in shape of course.?
Farhan, You cannot make an offer equal to The Dodgers BECAUSE THE GIANTS ARE NOT THE DODGERS.
Did I say that too loudly?
Yeah, only based on geography. It’s not because our team is way better and has won like 500 games the last 5 years. Giants are a mess and are several players away from contention. What a joke, Giants!
I bet you the giants will win another world series before your dodgers will. Lol. When your team wins. I’m going to be like everyone else and say. You had to buy yourself a world series ! But I’m sure ohtani will regret it in about 5 years from now waiting on the first championship.
Cry baby, cry.
Oh yeah the dodgers are real good, at least when the Giants go to the world series they win the dodgers haha got swept by the Diamondbacks
Yeah right..
Fuk..the guy bay
You’re an idiot
Who doesn’t want to be a dodger….
Me, I’m a Yankee for life
So who cares
L,A is top dog
Fuk..the spankees
Well put, Ma!
Seriously…thats a typical arrogant comment coming from a fan of a team that’s won once in 20 years. Top 5 in payroll always…sucks to be you
Shohei Ohtani moving to the Dodgers means he doesn’t have to move house.
Well lets Hope it’s Not a $700M Mistake.
U mean a two million…and for that money there is no way he is not worth it
No, it’s 700mil – No matter how you slice it
Pitchers with 2 TJ surgeries do not come back as dominant, exception being the Rangers ace. Look at former ace Walker Buehler who can not get close to his former effective velo
Dodgers need arms
Martinez is supesmith is a drag on production
Well put, Ma!
100 win season and swept by the 84 win diamondbacks. I love it. Win more during the season that really should help. Lol
So..LA is top dog¡
Fuck the spankees!@
So what but they lost in the big dance..if not the Dodgers
Representing the West I’d rather c the debacks…
But My Dodgers always win the West..Kings of the West coast
U loser..yeah we all know L,A is always the team to beat..HATER
HAHAHA ?
Or he’ll just buy Dodger Stadium and build his penthouse suite there!
Mets fan here. From my perspective, geography could have been a major deal breaker in all this.
All of us Eastern folks should’ve figured out that geography as an impossible issue to resolve. Guessing that Steve Cohen and crew figured that out and didn’t even make an offer.And seems like the Giants also couldn’t successfully address it either.
In Mets case, if geography wasn’t such a factor,Cohen could have made an offer that would’ve left everyone else in the dust.
Ohtani and the Dodgers were conniving all along… fake media reports, deferral money, cap strategy, tax savings, disrespect to Angel fans, using other teams for leverage, etc. Hope all 29 teams beat the Dodgers.
Why is it NO ONE has mentioned that Dave Roberts is half Japanese & is fluent in Japanese (I believe)? If I was Shohei I would consider that a huge plus????
Shohei saw DeSanti’s poop map of San Francisco, and justifiably got turned off.