American athletes going overseas

[justanewguy]

The problem with Japanese Baseball and stars going there in the their prime is threefold - one the Japanese won't pay the kind of money it would take to draw Americans...

I can't help but feel that it's very possible. All the Japanese stars in America were overpaid when you figure in the expenses they paid for negotiation rights, but it was a marketing decision, and a brilliant one at that. To be landing top-tier Americans (or any Latin players) though, it'd definitely take a huge restructure of their philosophies and system. But they could definitely afford second-tier players. All Stars possibly, but not superstars at the moment.

...two, Japanese baseball is thought of as an inferior game to the Major Leagues

But it's pretty close, and I've always heard and read experts describing it as being well above American AAA but still below the Bigs. Still, the reason their game is inferior to ours is because we're the ones landing the Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Venezuelans, etc... they are primarily only playing with their own.

and three, with limits on the number of Gaijin each team can carry, they are very wary of just signing anyone, especially to huge contracts. Superstars and Prima Donnas disrupt team concept and unity. With aging players, the Japanese have them over a barrel as they really have no place else to go.

Good points, all, and no disputing any of that. These are some of the issues in place.

Basketball is different as teams around the world are better and players from other countries are just as good as their American counterparts. Euro teams with big bucks are willing to pay top dollar for current stars and are willing to put up with their diva-like attitudes.

Big culture difference between Europe and Japan.

Definitely, and if the Japanese had more ruthless attitudes in how they run their leagues and teams, I think they'd certainly be able to make a push to acquire higher caliber westerners. While I doubt we're going to see any huge American or Latin baseball stars going to Japan anytime soon (or ever, probably), I don't think it would be far-fetched to see more and more players like Gabe Kepler taking on higher profile jobs for contending Japanese teams instead of being just the xth best player on a mediocre American team, constantly living in fear of being traded around like currency.

[JeepGuy63]

You also have to take into account that the Japanese are also getting players from Korea and South and Central America on their own. They just don't have the same pull as MLB because they are not opening and/or sponsoring baseball camps/schools in South/Central America.

I think some of the companies that own teams have the money to sign big stars but it becomes a cultural thing and takes away from the team concept. Will it happen? Maybe some day but not in the foreseeable future.

[justanewguy]

You also have to take into account that the Japanese are also getting players from Korea and South and Central America on their own. They just don't have the same pull as MLB because they are not opening and/or sponsoring baseball camps/schools in South/Central America.

I think some of the companies that own teams have the money to sign big stars but it becomes a cultural thing and takes away from the team concept. Will it happen? Maybe some day but not in the foreseeable future.

Alfonso Soriano is the prime example.

I agree with you almost 100% though. Like I said in my first post, it would be contingent upon the Japanese teams being able to put the same kind of deals on the table that European basketball teams do, which isn't likely. Like Ohms said, any major influx of American players into Japan would probably be built upon a cooperative agreement.

I see more non-superstar (but good) players making the move as nearly inevitable. We love their players, they love our players, and both countries' fans have a very deep passion for the game. Some kind of exchange program? That could work very well for everyone involved. But I don't imagine we can keep taking on some of their big names the way we have been, at an escalating pace, without a little bit of give at some point, outside of money.

[JeepGuy63]

I see more non-superstar (but good) players making the move as nearly inevitable. We love their players, they love our players, and both countries' fans have a very deep passion for the game. Some kind of exchange program? That could work very well for everyone involved. But I don't imagine we can keep taking on some of their big names the way we have been, at an escalating pace, without a little bit of give at some point, outside of money.

A number of Americans do go over there to play each year, the difference being a limit to how many of the "Foreign Devils" each team can have. It used to be just two, now I think it is three.

Whereas here, the Japanese can send as many as they want, there is no limit based on nationality.

An exchange program could only work if the two leagues were considered equals which I don't think is the case.

[justanewguy]

A number of Americans do go over there to play each year, the difference being a limit to how many of the "Foreign Devils" each team can have. It used to be just two, now I think it is three.

The point I'm making though, is players in or near their prime (not Mr. Baseball type stuff), and players that are better than just Gabe Kapler. Like I said, something along the lines of a Josh Childress. Maybe the American equivalent of an Ishii, Fukudome, or Kuroda.