The Background of the Posting System's Creation
The posting system is a player transfer mechanism agreed upon between NPB and MLB in 1998. Behind its creation was the issue of Hideo Nomo's MLB transfer in 1995. Nomo left the Kintetsu Buffaloes through voluntary retirement due to contract disputes and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers of MLB. This 'loophole' transfer brought no compensation to the NPB team. The posting system was designed as a mechanism for NPB teams to receive fair compensation when players who had not acquired FA rights transferred to MLB. The introduction of the system formally opened the path for players to pursue MLB careers while also protecting NPB teams' interests.
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The Merits and Demerits of the Bidding Era
The initial posting system operated on a mechanism where MLB teams submitted bid amounts, with the highest bidder gaining exclusive negotiation rights. In Daisuke Matsuzaka's 2006 posting, the Boston Red Sox submitted a record bid of approximately 51.11 million dollars (about 6 billion yen), making worldwide headlines. However, this bidding system had problems. The escalation of bid amounts compressed the budget available for player salary negotiations, resulting in cases where the players' own contract terms became disadvantageous. Additionally, the non-disclosure of bid amounts created opacity, undermining trust in the system. Similar issues were raised during Yu Darvish's posting in 2012.
Transition to the New System and Improvements
In 2013, the posting system was significantly revised. The bidding system was abolished and replaced with a release fee linked to the player's total MLB contract value. Under the new system, 20% of the total contract value (capped at 20 million dollars) is paid to the NPB team. This revision allowed players to negotiate with multiple MLB teams, enabling them to secure more favorable contract terms. In Shohei Ohtani's 2017 posting, negotiations with multiple teams were conducted under the new system, resulting in his transfer to the Los Angeles Angels. While the new system is praised for expanding player options, dissatisfaction from NPB teams regarding the release fee cap remains.
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Remaining Challenges and Future Prospects
Several challenges remain with the current posting system. First, posting applications are left to team discretion, meaning players cannot pursue MLB careers if their teams do not approve, regardless of the player's wishes. Second, the 20 million dollar release fee cap has been criticized as inadequate relative to the market value of top-tier players. Third, player movement between NPB and MLB is one-directional, with insufficient institutional frameworks for transfers from MLB to NPB. In Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 2023 posting, a massive 12-year, 325 million dollar contract was reached, reigniting debate over the release fee cap issue. Continuous improvement of the system is needed to balance the expansion of player rights with the protection of team interests.