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DALLAS — The sweepstakes to land Japanese hard-throwing right-hander Roki Sasaki are underway. The posting process for Sasaki to make the move to Major League Baseball began Tuesday, and his agent, Joel Wolfe, estimated that three or four teams already had submitted initial presentations to pitch their organization to the phenom. Among them? The Chicago Cubs. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer confirmed Wednesday that the Cubs sent theirs to Sasaki’s agency as the organization looks to land another Japanese star alongside Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, two of the franchise’s best and highest-paid players. “I know we’re very appealing to Japanese players,” Hoyer said Wednesday at the winter meetings. “Obviously Shota and Seiya have had really good experiences.” Wolfe is not sure yet what Sasaki will want to prioritize when picking his team. Money is one consideration that is not expected to factor heavily into his decision. Teams are limited in what they can financially offer Sasaki. Because he is an international amateur free agent, the money must come from an organization’s international bonus pool. The 2025 signing period begins Jan. 15; Sasaki’s posting window runs until 4 p.m. Jan. 23. “There were some accusations, allegations — all of them false — made about predetermined deals, things like that,” Wolfe said Tuesday. “However, MLB rightly wanted to make sure that this was going to be a fair and level playing field for everyone, so they did their due diligence and interviewed numerous parties ahead of time to make sure that that was the case. They wanted to make sure that Roki would most likely, while he would have the opportunity to sign in ’24, give himself the best opportunity to get the best deal for him and for Chiba, and that Chiba would also have that opportunity. So, it made sense to post at this time so that he could go into the ’25 pool when the teams have much more substantial international bonus money.” Teams’ pools range from $7.55 million — the Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners among them — to $5.14 million — the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. The Cubs have $6.26 million along with 11 other teams. Once the 2025 signing period opens, teams can trade for international pool money, in $250,000 increments, up to 60% of their initial total. Although Wolfe didn’t pinpoint many specifics of what Sasaki will value when weighing his options, he did note the pitcher has paid attention to teams’ success both this year and recent history and kept an eye on what his World Baseball Classic teammates have done. Sasaki, 23, has talked with a lot of players, including foreign players who have been on his Nippon Professional Baseball team, Chiba Lotte, and asks a lot of questions about weather, comfortability and pitching development. Wolfe plans to meet with Sasaki in person over the next couple of days and map out a schedule to meet with teams “hopefully” beginning next week. He does not know how many teams will get a meeting with Sasaki. The right-hander plans to return to Japan before Christmas and possibly stay one to two weeks. Before returning to the States, Wolfe expects they would discuss whether Sasaki at that point travels to see some cities or returns to have more in-person meetings. “We’re going to leave it open-ended depending on how the first round of meetings go, how many meetings he actually has, how many total meetings he plans to have,” Wolfe said. “But we didn’t give teams a hard deadline to submit (presentations) because we want them to be able to put the time in to do it right. Obviously some teams were already working on these things, some of them for months, I believe.” Joel Wolfe, agent for Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, speaks with reporters at the Major League Baseball winter meetings on Dec. 10, 2024, in Dallas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP) Signing Sasaki would be a coup for a Cubs organization that has invested time and resources to making inroads in Japan, evident by their signings of Suzuki and Imanaga. Sasaki who dealt with shoulder inflammation/soreness in 2024, posted a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 111 innings (18 games) for Chiba Lotte. He could have set himself up for a massive payday like Yoshinobu Yamamoto got from the Dodgers last offseason if he waited two more years to be posted. Related Articles Chicago Cubs | 2025 MLB draft order is set: White Sox get the No. 10 pick and Cubs land at No. 17 Chicago Cubs | Column: Dizzying sports week includes Dick Allen’s journey, a CFP grievance and Melody Rogers on Abe Gibron Chicago Cubs | Seiya Suzuki would consider waiving his no-trade clause if the Chicago Cubs want to move the outfielder Chicago Cubs | Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, 65, says his cancer has relapsed and spread to other organs Chicago Cubs | Mike Tauchman goes from North Side to South Side after agreeing to contract with White Sox Wolfe called it a difficult question to answer as to why Sasaki wanted to be posted now. “Some of it is Japanese culture, some of it is just Roki Sasaki — there are no absolutes in baseball, and through Roki’s eyes, there are no absolutes in life,” Wolfe explained. “He does not take anything for granted. It is not an absolute lock, as some people in baseball have assumed that two years from now, he’s going to get a Yamamoto contract. Baseball just doesn’t work that way. If you look at the epidemic of injuries, it’s not just here. They have the same potential issues. He could have Tommy John surgery. He’s had two shoulder injuries; he’s had oblique injuries. Things may not go the way they want. “The other thing is, it’s always been his dream to come to the major leagues since he was in high school. He’s grown up idolizing players like Yu Darvish and (Masahiro) Tanaka and (Daisuke) Matsuzaka. This is something he has always wanted to do, and when he went to WBC and he was around some of these major-league players, it really rubbed off on him that he became sure that this is what I want to do as soon as possible.” Wolfe assumes the Padres will be a team Sasaki seriously considers because of Darvish’s presence. The Dodgers have long been speculated to be among the front-runners too. The restrictions of being signed within an international bonus pool help even the playing field, and Wolfe indicated Sasaki will “absolutely” consider all market sizes. “I think that there’s an argument to be made that a small- or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing coming from Japan,” Wolfe said. “Given what he’s been through and not having an enjoyable experience with media, it might be. It might be. I’m not saying it will be, but I don’t know how he’s going to view it.” Playing on the West Coast, closer to Japan, versus elsewhere hasn’t been brought up, Wolfe said, and seems unlikely to be a factor. He estimated at least half of major-league teams scouted Sasaki this year. Hoyer and the Cubs are among those who have gotten in-person looks. “The success of Seiya, the success of Shota, hopefully, has shown the other players around the NPB that Chicago is a destination that really thrives in that type of environment, and we’re excited to showcase that and use those guys to showcase that,” general manager Carter Hawkins said. Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga reacts after striking out the last batter of the seventh inning during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Sept. 4, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) The Cubs possess an advantage of understanding what goes into helping Japanese players make the transition on and off the field when coming to the majors. On the baseball side, there are adjustments to the strike zone and how to attack big-league hitters. Having access to more analytical information and data than in the NPB means knowing how to best convey and utilize that for Japanese players, something Imanaga appreciated during his rookie season in learning how to meld it with trusting the feel for his pitches. “What we’re most proud of, though, is the foundational things from an environment perspective,” Hawkins said. Adapting culturally sometimes can be tougher than getting used to a new league. Hawkins credited major-league video coordinator and Pacific Rim liaison Nao Masamoto and his wife for helping assimilate the families of Japanese players over the years. Shingo Murata, part of their research and development department, has been vital in helping interpret some of the intricacies of the language that the Cubs use on the baseball side with their coaching staff and directly to the player. Other infrastructure, including nutrition and strength and conditioning, have helped ensure Japanese players are getting what they need in every facet. The Cubs have developed a general blueprint for attracting Japanese players to their organization the previous three years with their successful pitches to Suzuki and Imanaga. That doesn’t mean they run it back the same each time they make a presentation. The Cubs have learned from each experience, and it is expected to help guide their approach with Sasaki. “At the end of the day, you realize that these guys are competitive baseball players that want to be better at baseball,” Hawkins said. “And so yes, I’m most proud of the things that we’ve done off the field because they’re just less obvious. But in terms of what’s most important, it’s how do we help these players be the best versions of themselves? That’s what we’ve learned, that’s where the focus has to be. “Making sure that we’re focusing on ways to enhance and optimize their game, that’s something that we’ve definitely learned, and then definitely made sure we don’t sell ourselves short that way.”NoneMaverick McNealy and Vince Whaley share the lead in an RSM Classic that is wide open
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In the meantime, the medical community must come together to reaffirm its commitment to ethical practices and to hold each other accountable for maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. The trust and confidence of the public in healthcare professionals are paramount, and it is incumbent upon all of us to uphold the values of integrity, honesty, and ethical behavior in our work.
It’s become commonplace for presidents and politicians to consort with musicians, but that was not the case in the Seventies, when the two worlds barely collided. Starting with his run for governor of Georgia in the Sixties and continuing through his presidential campaign the following decade, Jimmy Carter proudly and openly associated with rock-era musicians. Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon played at his inauguration in 1977, and not surprisingly, he was friendly with the leading Southern rock bands of the time (some of whom came from his own home state). Carter also tapped into the financial clout of rock & roll: When fans bought tickets to Carter benefits that featured the Allman Brothers Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, and others, his campaign was able to claim the sales amounted to small donations (and thereby matched federal funds). In a previously unpublished interview conducted in February 2023, just over a year before he died , former Allmans singer-guitarist-songwriter Dickey Betts talked with RS about his memories of Carter. Carter died on Sunday, Dec. 29, at the age of 100. He was quite a guide to us. When he was running for governor [in 1966], he ran against Lester Maddox, who was the biggest bigot in the country. We were embarrassed to say we were from Georgia. When Jimmy became governor [in 1970], he totally changed the attitude in Georgia. All of a sudden, Georgia became the Peach State again. Jimmy had a unique way. He was friends with our manager, Phil Walden, and Phil told us about him. He came by the studio a few times. That’s where we met him. He was listening to recordings we were doing for Brothers and Sisters . He showed up and had a good time with us and we had dinner together. We weren’t used to that sort of thing at all, but we thought, “This guy’s all right.” He probably had his favorite songs but he never brought it up. He did say he liked “Ramblin’ Man.” He said it was a real working-man’s song. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time We became close to him, and he asked us if we’d help with his campaign [with benefit concerts]. We’d met governors and things like that, but they never really included us. Jimmy was a friend to rock music, so a lot of the guys helped him out a great deal. At the time, the government said it would match money you raised on your own [for a campaign]. He didn’t take money from the Allman Brothers. The [fans who bought tickets] knew the show was going to a good cause. I’ve got a letter on the wall here that says, “Thanks for your advice.” [ Laughs ] It makes me really proud to have Jimmy Carter write a letter like that to me. He was a very nice and intelligent man. He took the trouble to go to Gregg [Allman]’s funeral. And he really cared for the American people. You can see that the way he did more after he was president than while he was in office, with Habitat for Humanity and the work he did that helped the American people out quite a bit. People don’t realize how great and meaningful somebody is until they pass away. I don’t know much about politics, but he said, “If I set a good example, everyone would do good.” It ain’t that way at all in Washington. They’re vicious people. Bill Clinton followed his model, but he could fight back and outsmart ‘em. I remember going to a jazz concert at the White House [1978]. Of course, I got there and I left my damn ID at home. The Marines said, “Oh, go ahead in.” They knew me very well and knew I wasn’t going to do any harm. Jimmy was walking around the premises and someone said, “Go over and talk to him,” but I didn’t want to bother him. Then I went to use the men’s room in the White House, and as I was coming out, I ran into Jimmy with a group of people and he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Dickey Betts, one of the best songwriters around nowadays.” That just floored me.In conclusion, the recent release of loans exceeding a trillion yuan to support small and micro enterprises, coupled with the establishment of a coordination mechanism to accelerate the implementation and effectiveness of the loans, represents a significant milestone in our collective endeavor to foster economic growth, resilience, and inclusivity. By working together and staying committed to our goals, we can build a more prosperous and sustainable future for all. Let us seize this moment and make the most of this opportunity to create positive change and lasting impact.
The Onion's rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones' conspiracy theory platform, which is now poised to remain in his control for at least the near future. What's next for Infowars and Sandy Hook families' long-sought efforts to hold Jones accountable over calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax was unclear, after a federal judge in Houston late Tuesday rejected The Onion's winning bid for the site . U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said he did not want another auction but offered no roadmap over how to proceed. One possibility includes ultimately allowing Sandy Hook families — who comprise most of Jones' creditors — to return to state courts in Connecticut and Texas to collect on the nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuit judgments that Jones was ordered to pay them. “Our hope is that when this process ends, and it will end, and it will end sooner rather than later, is that all assets that Alex Jones has available are paid to the families, and that includes Infowars, and that as a result of that process Alex Jones is deprived of the ownership and control of the platform that he’s used to hurt so many people,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, said in a phone interview Wednesday. The families, meanwhile, were preparing the mark the 12th anniversary of the Dec. 14 shooting. Why was The Onion bid rejected? The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case , which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay the $1.5 billion. Jones was sued for repeatedly saying on his show that the 2012 massacre of 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Lopez said there was a lack of transparency in the bidding process and too much confusion about The Onion's bid. He also said the amount of money offered in the only two bids was too low and there needed to be more effort to try to raise as much money possible from the selling of Infowars' assets. The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, submitted a $1.75 million cash offer with plans to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody . The bid also included a deal with many of the Sandy Hook families for them to forgo $750,000 of their auction proceeds and give it to other creditors. Lopez called it a complex arrangement that led to different interpretations of the bid's actual value as well as last-minute changes to a proposed sale order. The other bidder was First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements and planned to let Jones stay on the Infowars platforms. It offered $3.5 million in cash and later, with Jones, alleged fraud and collusion in the bidding process. Lopez rejected the allegations, saying that while mistakes were made there was no wrongdoing. Christopher Murray, the trustee who oversaw the auction, said he picked The Onion and its deal with the Sandy Hook families because it would have provided more money to Jones' other creditors. What happens next? The next steps remained unclear Wednesday. The judge directed Murray to come up with a new plan to move forward. Murray and representatives of The Onion did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The judge said there was a possibility there could be a trial in 2025 to settle Jones' bankruptcy. He said Murray could try to sell the equity in Infowars' parent company. He also said Murray could abandon the efforts, which could allow the Sandy Hook families to return to the state courts where they won their lawsuits against Jones and begin collection proceedings against him. The judge said he wanted to hear back from Murray and others involved in the bankruptcy within 30 days on a plan to move forward. Mattei, who represented the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said everyone is waiting to see what plan the trustee comes up with. Jones, meanwhile, continued to allege fraud and collusion on his show Wednesday and threatened legal action over what he called an attempted “rigged auction.” On the social media platform X, he called the judge's ruling a “Major Victory For Freedom Of The Press & Due Process." “I don’t want to have to go after these people, lawsuit-wise, but we have to because if you don’t then you’re aiding and abetting and they do it to other people. They made some big mistakes," he said. Sandy Hook families to mark shooting anniversary It's a solemn and heartbreaking week for relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12th anniversary is Saturday, and some of the victims' relatives were traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence on Wednesday evening. The families usually mark the anniversary out of the public eye. Many of the families said their lawsuits against Jones bought back the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones, as well as the trauma of being harassed and threatened by believers of Jones' hoax conspiracy. Relatives said they have been confronted in public by hoax believers and received death and rape threats. Robbie Parker, whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was killed, testified at the Connecticut lawsuit trial in 2022 that the decade of abuse his family suffered made them move across the country to Washington state, and even there he was accosted in person. The families have not received any money from Jones since winning the trials. Jones has been appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments, and has since conceded that the shooting did happen. Last week, a Connecticut appeals court upheld most of the judgment in that state but reduced it by $150 million. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston contributed to this report.
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