“I’m really looking forward to the moment with the Dodgers. “I want to win the World Series.”
Finally, the ‘700 Million Dollar Man’ Shohei Ohtani stood in public wearing a Dodgers uniform. Ohtani attended the press conference held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA on the 15th (Korean time) and expressed his feelings about starting a great journey with the Dodgers.
On the 10th, American media reported that Ohtani and the Dodgers had agreed to a huge 10-year contract worth a total of $700 million (905.1 billion won). It wasn’t a problem that he couldn’t be on the mound as a pitcher next year due to the aftermath of elbow surgery. Even before Ohtani entered the free agent market, there was a prevailing view that he would sign a record-breaking contract worth up to $500 million, and after the opening, as the race to recruit Ohtani intensified, there was even a rumor of $600 million, but $700 million was quite a shocking amount. It was the highest amount of all time, not only in the American Major League but also in professional sports.
Ohtani said, “Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend the induction ceremony. I am grateful to the Dodgers, owner Mark Walter, president Andrew Friedman, and manager Dave Roberts for giving me the opportunity to play here. I am also grateful to the Angels team I have been with for the past six years. The memories of the past six years will be unforgettable. Also, I would like to thank everyone who helped me during the transfer process. “I’m really looking forward to the moment with the Dodgers,” he said.
The coverage of the induction ceremony was hot. It was surprising that reporters lined up in front of Dodger Stadium to cover Ohtani ahead of the induction ceremony. American sports media outlet The Athletic vividly conveyed the excitement by publishing a photo of reporters standing in line and writing, “Media line 80 minutes before Otani’s induction ceremony.”
Otani expressed his gratitude by saying, “I heard only the media would be attending today (15th), but I was surprised that so many people came.”
Friedman, President of Dodgers Baseball Division, said, “I am excited to introduce Ohtani to Dodgers fans around the world. Ohtani did not hide his excitement about becoming a superstar, praising him as a “great player not only on the field but also off the field.”
Walter Dodgers owner personally gave Ohtani a uniform with number 17 engraved on it, and President Friedman even stood side by side and took a commemorative photo. A question and answer session with reporters followed.
Regarding why he chose the Dodgers, Ohtani said, “I met and talked to several teams, and I liked all the teams I met and talked to. I had to choose a team, and that was the Dodgers. Since the Stove League is currently in progress, it would be rude to mention other teams. “The decisive reason for choosing the Dodgers was that when we met, the team’s leaders said that they considered winning the World Series once in the past 10 years as a failure,” he said.
He continued, “I want to win the World Series. “I hope that when people look back on the championship, they will say that I was a key member and a big part of the championship team,” he added.
Questions about elbow surgery, which is key to whether the pitcher will return, also continued. Ohtani underwent elbow surgery performed by Dr. Neil Elatrace last September, but some said it was not a traditional Tommy John surgery. At the time, Dr. Elatrace said, “After careful consideration with Otani, the final conclusion was to solve the problem first, reinforce healthy ligaments, and at the same time add tissue to extend the life of the elbow.”
Regarding this, Ohtani confirmed that it was “completely different” from the Tommy John surgery he first underwent in 2018. He said, “I recently started swinging lightly, and I’m working on getting my body in shape so I can run on opening day.” He added, “He will be able to appear as a designated hitter in the opening game.”스포츠토토
Otani’s $700 million contract included unique detailed terms and conditions, causing another surprise. Of the $700 million, $680 million will be paid after the fact. Ohtani will live on an annual salary of $20 million for the next 10 years of the contract, and will receive the remaining $680 million in installments from 2034 to 2043, when the 10-year contract ends. He expressed his hope that his price would not become an obstacle in the Dodgers’ ability to build a championship team.