Aaron McBride | December 13, 2024

Dear Mr. Monfort and team,

The Chiba Lotte Marines have posted Roki Sasaki. You know this though. You were one of the first three teams that reached out to Sasaki’s camp. Thank you for opening that line of communication first. Below is a letter to help create a presentation to Sasaki’s camp in the upcoming weeks!

What we know about Roki Sasaki

During the Winter Meetings, Joel Wolfe mentioned that a smaller market team (with nice media members) could be beneficial to Sasaki’s future success. He’s been through a lot with Japanese media and there is a strong feeling that he simply doesn’t want to deal with a big American market on top of the flood of Japanese coverage set to follow The Monster of the Reiwa Era. Knowing a few media members in the Rockies’ world, I can confidently say that he would be treated well and with nothing but respect.

We understand to sign Sasaki, the Rockies, and every other MLB team, can only use their international bonus pool money to entice the flamethrower to join their squad. As you know, the Rockies are allotted $6,908,000 to spend on international free agents. It took a $2.1 million signing bonus to bring Ohtani to the Angels. Because Sasaki is under the age of 25 and does not have 6 full seasons of professional baseball under his belt, he would need to sign a Minor League contract just like any other international free agent. This puts Sasaki under team control for up to 6 cheap years (Ohtani made $42 million over his 6 years with the Angels). Sure the Rockies would have to pay 20% of whatever the signing bonus may be to the Marines, but that’s a small price to pay for a talent like Sasaki.

What makes the Colorado Rockies a good fit for Sasaki?

First off, the nicknames. Rockie Sasaki, Roki “the Rockie” Sasaki, Roki SaRockie. I’m sure you can come up with a few more. Those would slap on a giveaway shirt.

Secondly, he’s been paying attention to the teams and their success in the league. Some would take that as he wants to join a winner. Let’s flip that. Let him be the franchise-changing player. Sasaki can be the guy that turns a franchise that lost 100 games in back-to-back seasons to a playoff-caliber squad. He can be the face of a young rotation that takes us to the promise land.

Sasaki alongside Chase Dollander would be a sight to behold and must watch baseball. Throw in the southpaw pair of Sean Sullivan and Carson Palmquist and there’s an immediately promising starting core. Adding Sasaki to that up and coming class of starters would solidify the Rockies rotation for years to come. That’s worth emptying the pool. You’ll make whatever you spend back in record time simply from jersey sales in the first week.

Next, he already has big moment experience. He’s thrown a perfect game with 19-strikeouts and pitched, rather dominated, on the biggest stage during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He’s never had an ERA over 2.35 and has struck out 129 or more in each of the past three seasons. Elite.

Lastly, Spilly spent time in Japan and can be a guy who bridges the gap from Japan to Colorado. Per Jeff Francis, Spilly was an integral part of keeping the locker room together in 2007. He can share his experience in Japan, coupled with his experience with the Rockies, and now “in the booth” giving Sasaki another reliable person to go to when he needs some advice. The Rockies have an existing history with Japanese players, predominantly Kazuo Matsui who played a year and a half during a bright spot in Rockies history, though enriching the Rockies exposure to Japanese players could go a long way. There is also a report that Sasaki does not need to play with another Japanese player.

The last last thing, we have a sick graphic ready to go, thanks Mac.

If you need more convincing, please email us back or come on the pod and we can discuss.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

The boys at Blake Street Banter, and every other Rockies fan

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