- Theoretical ability to add payroll for Japanese players is undeniably helpful. If we're on a strict American budget but can flex for Japanese players out of our special "Land Of The Rising Sun" fund, then Nakajima is basically a free acquisition.
I wonder how that works, corporate-wise, to keep Nakajima on the line while you massage the numbers upstairs.
You go get your 2011 payroll okay'ed ... wink at Nakaji ... and then come back with a $100MM plan and go "oh yeah, we'd love to fit Nakajima in too!" ... do they tell you to take it out of the $100MM, or do you have to spend that before broaching the NPB subject...
Depends on the mood the boss is in, in my experience, which is usually based on his own external hassles and fights ... with the M's, who knows...
Of course in this case there is a posting process, which certainly is not payroll, and probably at that time you could ask for the SS salary to be factored in the post cost...
....................
Nakajima is definitely an option - he's just not a slam dunk. Many, many things can go wrong with him. That said, Jack's not getting a year 4 if he loses 95+ again. He's GOT to fix the offense and do it without money AND while breaking in the new kids he plans to build the roster around.
Zduriencik, you would think, would indeed be pulling out all the stops -- perhaps including Bobby Valentine .... perhaps your V-Mart type move... and how does he fix SS if *not* Nakajima?