- Shohei Ohtani agreed to sign with the Dodgers in free agency last week
- But the Giants were one of many teams trying to sign the superstar
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Giants legend and co-owner Buster Posey believes San Francisco's reputation for crime and drugs hindered the team's recruiting efforts for Shohei Ohtani.
The Japanese superstar agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers last week, although the vast majority of that contract will be postponed until 2034.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told reporters Tuesday that the team offered the exact same terms. But Posey — who was part of the team group that pitched Ohtani at the signing — believes the negotiations were influenced by San Francisco itself.
“One thing that I think is remarkable, something that unfortunately keeps coming up again and again among players and even the players' wives, is that there is a bit of unease about the city itself, in terms of the state of the city, the crime and the drugs.” , he says. told The Athletics.
“Whether all that is completely fair or not, perception is reality,” he said. “It's a frustrating cycle, I think, and not just in baseball. Baseball is secondary to life and the important things in life. But as far as the pursuit of free agents goes, I've seen it definitely impact things.”
Shohei Ohtani chose to sign with the Dodgers after a lengthy free agency process
And Giants legend Buster Posey thinks San Francisco's reputation for crime has hurt the Giants
Homeless people are seen in the Mission District of San Francisco, California, United States
Although Ohtani himself didn't bring up the subject, Posey said, the ex-catcher claimed there was “some reservation with the state of the city right now” from the 29-year-old's camp.
According to website HomeSnacksSan Francisco's violent crime rate is 88.2 percent higher than the national average.
However, reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle in April indicated that the city's violent crime rate is lower than Dallas, Seattle and New York.
Nevertheless, that may not have mattered as Zaidi said there was a “preference” for Ohtani to remain in Southern California after starting his career with the Angels.
Ohtani will reportedly defer payments on the $680 million portion of his contract after it expires – meaning he will receive an average annual salary of just $2 million per year.
The nature of the deal has been criticized by many, including Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo