Let's Sing About Masahiro Tanaka

[Edgy MD]

He's a still-young star Japanese pitcher looking to transfer to MLB and now that the new posting agreement is in effect (less lucrative for the posting club), Rakuten isn't so sure they want to let him go.

[fimg=250]http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/547/226/hi-res-163368525-pitcher-masahiro-tanaka-of-japan-pitches-during-the_crop_north.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://sitracking.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/tanaka.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://www.wcbsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/111113-Tanaka.jpg[/fimg]

The guy went 22-0 with a 1.23 ERA last year, so people probably are actually singing about him. Derek Jeter seems to talk like the Yankees have some sort of right of first refusal with him.

[seawolf17]

(Tanaka, not Tanakaka.)

I hear the kid's got marbles.

[Ceetar]

Can we call him Tiger?


Anyway, I think people just cherry picked the Yankees because they could pay the stupid posting fee if it was like $60 million, but at $20m there will be a bidding war, no doubt.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Masahiro Tanakaka is the thing they say
When you want a pitching ace today
That's the guy we're posting and we'll send to you
For the price of ten Dice Ks
Here in Rakuten where the Eagles fly
He won the Japanese version of the Cy
Masahiro Tanakaka is the thing we say
Bidding starts at $20 million today

[Edgy MD]

seawolf17 wrote: (Tanaka, not Tanakaka.)

I hiccupped.

[Edgy MD]

Jeter aside, it's hard not to see this guy as the mysterious missing piece of the Yankees' offseason plan. And iherefore, certainly something to root against. Or at least root for the bidding to make it painful for the Yanks.

Wearing the belt high like that is not going to protect him from Hideki Irabu comparisons.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He's interesting, but, y'know, not something to go-go-go-go-go nuts over.

iczNuQ_ZTAU#t=46

[Frayed Knot]

May not be posted after all this winter according to various Japanese news outlets.

[Edgy MD]

News in the last hour says he will indeed be posted. Merry Christmas, America.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: News in the last hour says he will indeed be posted. Merry Christmas, America.

The local New York sportscaster* who announced the posting on NBC last night was practically orgasmic, speculating that the Yanks would get him.

Later

* not the regular guy, didn't get his name.

[Frayed Knot]

New transfer rules for NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) players to MLB:

- NPB can notify MLB of a player it wishes to be 'Posted' any time between November 1 and February 1
- any MLB team wishing to meet the posting price can do so at a posting price that can be set at any level not exceeding $20 million dollars. Obviously with this guy it'll be for the max amount but future posting may be at lesser levels for lesser players.
- all teams willing to meet the posting price can negotiate with the player, but only the one who eventually signs him to a deal owes the NPB team the fee. Also the player and/or his rep are not required to meet with each MLB team who met the posting price
- Once posted, there is a 30-day window for negotiations and for an agreement to be reached - in this case that means a January 24th at 5 PM (EDT?) deadline.
- If no contract is agreed to the player's rights revert back to his NPB team and he can not be posted again until next November 1st


IOW, the fees are now capped and salary will be determined by more of an open market rather than via the old system which pretty much operated the other way around. The obvious intent here is that more of signing team's money winds up with the player while being less of a windfall to his old team.

Various reports list the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Braves, Rangers and Diamondbacks as current frontrunners, with one adding the the Cubs "will not be out-bid" for Tanaka but that convincing him to come to Chicago might be difficult.

[seawolf17]

Come on, Mets. Go for it.

[Ceetar]

There is really no harm whatsoever in bidding for him now. Maybe he's in your price range, or maybe just adding another team that's "interested" in him raises his demands and makes others have to shell out a little more, which while not worth a ton, is certainly worth simply saying "Sure, I'll talk to you."

[Edgy MD]

It'd be nice.

But historically, it's hard to say how many top-dollar postees this side of Ichiro have been worth it.

Pitchers are fragile, their success is ephemeral, and Japanese pitchers come with whatever mileage they come with.

[Centerfield]

Edgy MD wrote: It'd be nice. But historically, it's hard to say how many top-dollar postees this side of Ichiro have been worth it. Pitchers are fragile, their success is ephemeral, and Japanese pitchers come with whatever mileage they come with.

That hurts man. I mean, do you not remember the last four starts that closed out my season? I'm just sayin' is all.

[Frayed Knot]

Centerfield wrote: That hurts man. I mean, do you not remember the last four starts that closed out my season? I'm just sayin' is all.

We also remember the 50 wins (33 of them in the first two seasons) that the Red Sox got from you for their $100+ million.
Years three-thru-six of the deal looked more like 17-22; 5.53; 1.54 WHiP on a total of 55 starts/296 IPs


Matsuzaka was 26 when he signed with Boston, Tanaka just turned 25
And while it's not totally fair to compare Japanese pitchers strictly to other Japanese pitchers as if they all come off the same assembly line (it's like in the NBA where white players only get compared to other white players and black to black) the pitchers from there do tend to hit FA young but only because they come up younger and also tend to be worked hard (even if somewhat less often) from a young age.

[Edgy MD]

Not that I don't love the idea of a pitcher who doesn't lose. I do.

[Centerfield]

All kidding aside, I wonder what effect Matsuzaka's bad contract will have on Tanaka. At the time, Matsuzaka was supposed to be every bit at good as this guy, and it was evident as soon as he came over (even while winning) that there were a lot of holes in Dice-K's game.

[Edgy MD]

I guess, with the new posting rules, the Masuzaka contract has already had an effect on Lt. Tanaka.

[Frayed Knot]

On the flip side, I think the stRangers have every reason to be happy with Darvish to this point.

[metsmarathon]

and then there's yu darvish, y'know...

oe. yeah, what he said there.

[ashie62]

He has MFYs written all over him... Dodgers might give it run though...