JBPBA Eyeing Court Battle

This is obviously a step in the right direction, but this is also Japan. I wouldn't expect any immediate resolution to all the player problems. The owners have long held the iron hand over NPB and will not willing to relinquish any powers easily.

They have shown it from the onset in their dealings with MLB from the heavy handed tactics used in forcing Masanori Murakami (the first NPB player in MLB) back to Japan. They have continued to block players and the expansion of the leagues in Japan under the guise of the so-called protection of "Nippon Yakyu" (Japanese Baseball). The NPB players have had, to date, little recourse but to concede to all demanded of them if they wished to keep playing the game.

IM not so HO, the Matsuzaka posting issue with his high cost will bring pressure on NPB from the MLB. Had Matsuzaka been an immediate star on the field (not just in the media) it would have been a great aid in justifying the position of NPB. However, Dice K, having just a fair, to a bit over an average start and getting heavily shelled in several of his starts, can only help to build the opposite position with the MLB camp. That is of course, the high cost NPB is demanding and/or creating through demanding bidding wars through the posting system for players. The immediate question being asked more and more is, will these players be able to produce to their cost? These are supposedly established pro players who should be more of asset when they arrive in the MLB and not ones that you have to shuttle back and forth to the minor leagues for seasoning. If you look at the track record and survivability rate of NPB players who have gone to the MLB so far, it is not good and can only support the MLB's position. Ichiro's super abilities have carried the NPB stance of protection of their "super stars" and moved the process into this price war. I think that unless they can get a few more producing super stars going to the States, the bargaining price wars will soon be over for the NPB players.

It will be interesting to watch!

I'm a little confused as to what exactly you're saying here and hope perhaps you could clarify. You say:

They have continued to block players and the expansion of the leagues in Japan under the guise of the so-called protection of "Nippon Yakyu" (Japanese Baseball). The NPB players have had, to date, little recourse but to concede to all demanded of them if they wished to keep playing the game.

I agree that NPB as an organization has certainly been limiting player rights and player movement, often times unfairly so. But do you really think at least some of it is not valid protectionism? How else are they going to keep some of the big names onshore, and not just be 100% a glorified MLB minor league?

Anyway, you then go on to say:

IM not so HO, the Matsuzaka posting issue with his high cost will bring pressure on NPB from the MLB. Had Matsuzaka been an immediate star on the field (not just in the media) it would have been a great aid in justifying the position of NPB. However, Dice K, having just a fair, to a bit over an average start and getting heavily shelled in several of his starts, can only help to build the opposite position with the MLB camp. That is of course, the high cost NPB is demanding and/or creating through demanding bidding wars through the posting system for players. The immediate question being asked more and more is, will these players be able to produce to their cost? These are supposedly established pro players who should be more of asset when they arrive in the MLB and not ones that you have to shuttle back and forth to the minor leagues for seasoning. If you look at the track record and survivability rate of NPB players who have gone to the MLB so far, it is not good and can only support the MLB's position. Ichiro's super abilities have carried the NPB stance of protection of their "super stars" and moved the process into this price war. I think that unless they can get a few more producing super stars going to the States, the bargaining price wars will soon be over for the NPB players.

A few comments on this:

• First, it seems contradictory to your initial statement that protectionist NPB policies have limited player movement, and is saying instead that the entire NPB stance/approach to MLB is that NPB stars are for sale to the highest bidder(?)


• Next, do you think that Matsuzaka's season (or those of either H/K Matsui, Iwamura, Okajima, Takashi Saito, etc), has really been so middling to the point that MLB teams won't bid up for Fukudome, Uehara, or whoever the next big name to come over is? Yes, not all of those guys went via the posting system, but they're still all +VORP guys that any MLB team will pay for. I think you severely underestimate the amounts of money that MLB teams are willing to pony up for top tier talent; talent which at the same time boosts their name and potential incremental revenue streams. Who else has been shipped to the minors this year, besides Igawa? Kuwata wasn't posted and he latched on with the Pirates specifically because that was one of the few teams he might make the bigs with, so he's not really relevant to this discussion. Kazuo Matsui struggled for a bit in the past but seems to have regained his form this year. I'm not sure whose track record/survivability you're talking about, but almost every MLB team that has signed a Japanese player has received above-average performance, and certainly increased exposure, from having that player on roster.


• Lastly I'm not sure why your O is not so H; IMHO, I agree with very little of it. I'm sure there are winds of change blowing, but your vision of how it will all shake out just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

As for the topic in the thread title, any idea what player issues are involved in the lawsuits? Is mandatory service time included? Thanks.