The Cubs can shift to Plan B after prized Japanese free agent Shohei Ohtani elected Friday to play for the Angels.
"Shohei is humbled and flattered by all the time and effort that so many teams put into their presentations and sincerely thanks them for their professionalism," Nez Balelo, co-head of CAA Sports, announced in a statement. "In the end, he felt a strong connection with the Angels and believes they can best help him reach his goals in Major League Baseball."
The Cubs and other teams saw Ohtani, 23, as a potential impact starting pitcher with the opportunity to hit. With the Angels, he joins All-Star sluggers Mike Trout and Albert Pujols with the option of performing designated hitter duties _ not available with the Cubs, who play in the National League.
"I want to thank the clubs and everyone else for respecting our intent to make this very important process as private as possible," Balelo said. "We were resolved to having a fair, methodical process. Teams clearly put in a lot of work, and we are grateful for that. The past few weeks also further demonstrated Shohei's incredible thoughtfulness, attention to detail and determination to make an informed decision.
"He read every page of every presentation and listened to every word in each meeting, and he was so impressed that it was not an easy choice. While there has been much speculation about what would drive Shohei's decision, what mattered to him most wasn't market size, time zone or league but that he felt a true bond with the Angels. He sees this as the best environment to develop and reach the next level and attain his career goals. More than ever, I believe this is not only a special talent but a man of special character, and like everyone else I'm excited to see him in Major League Baseball."
The Cubs will proceed with their mission of acquiring starting and relief pitching. They signed starter Tyler Chatwood on Thursday to a three-year, $38 million contract.
The Cubs, Dodgers, Giants and Padres were limited to offering Ohtani $300,000 in international bonus money. The Angels' allotment of $2.315 million, however, was only third-highest behind the Mariners and Rangers.
