Dipoto: Mariners have spent past year preparing for Ohtani

The Seattle Mariners may not be the early favorite to sign Shohei Ohtani, but that isn't stopping general manager Jerry Dipoto from putting together an aggressive presentation for the two-way Japanese star.

"We understand this is a one-time buying opportunity and you have to be prepared," Dipoto said, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com. "To me, the worst thing we can be is sitting on the sideline being too conservative, sitting on our hands when an opportunity to change the history of the organization comes along. Because this is what this might be."

Major League Baseball, the Players Association, and Nippon Professional Baseball reportedly agreed on a new posting system Tuesday night that will allow Ohtani to sign with the MLB club of his choosing sometime next month.

Because of his age, Ohtani, 23, is subject to international bonus limits, meaning he'll be forced to sign a minor-league deal that includes a signing bonus. The Texas Rangers can offer Ohtani the biggest signing bonus ($3.535M), while the New York Yankees, who are considered the favorite to land Ohtani, can offer the second-most money.

While Seattle can only offer a $1.55-million signing bonus, it's believed money won't be the driving factor in Ohtani's decision. Because of that, Dipoto plans on using a number of other elements as part of the pitch.

"We have spent most of the past year preparing for this moment," Dipoto said. "Whether it's written presentations, something aesthetic for him to touch and feel ... we've put together a film on the merits of Seattle and the Mariners. And we're hopeful at some point we get to sit down in the same room."

MLB owners will vote to ratify the new posting system Dec. 1. Should that be approved - as it's expected to be - Ohtani will have a 21-day window to agree to a deal. In addition to the signing bonus, the winning MLB club must also give Ohtani's Japanese team, Nippon, $20 million.