Yankees Sign Masahiro Tanaka

[imb]

i cant picture any scenario that includes peter gammons having intelligible discussions with a japanese franchise. he's just saying what he's been told from people who have been told from other people.

[Clem Fandango]

i cant picture any scenario that includes peter gammons having intelligible discussions with a japanese franchise. he's just saying what he's been told from people who have been told from other people.

 

You just described every person who posts rumors, though.

[Tracer Bullet]

What is not posting him going to accomplish besides alienating your best player and costing yourself twenty million dollars?

 

You get to enjoy another year of one of the best players in Japan, and you can still get your 20 million next offseason. They may even hold out slim hope the rules get to change again.

 

Wasn't that the case before? I mean, why suggest that they were going to post him this year at all? Wasn't one of the options always "keep him another year and get millions next year"?

[Guest]

What is not posting him going to accomplish besides alienating your best player and costing yourself twenty million dollars?

 

You get to enjoy another year of one of the best players in Japan, and you can still get your 20 million next offseason. They may even hold out slim hope the rules get to change again.

 

Wasn't that the case before? I mean, why suggest that they were going to post him this year at all? Wasn't one of the options always "keep him another year and get millions next year"?

 

A couple reasons:

 

- There was always at least a little doubt that Tanaka would be posted, even before rumors of the posting system changing

- It'd be almost impossible for the rules to change from the previous format to be more advantageous to Rakuten. Though it's likely it'll stay with whatever this year's agreement is, at least there's nowhere to go but up.

- The stakes were higher before. If they keep Tanaka and he underperforms, or maybe misses part of the year to injury, under the old system that would cost Rakuten serious dollars. With the cap they're still very likely to get their 20 million, or at the very least they're risking a much, much smaller loss.

[SouthSideRyan]

What is not posting him going to accomplish besides alienating your best player and costing yourself twenty million dollars?

 

They get to keep their best player?

 

It keeps being hard to remember that other teams want to have good baseball players on their team.

 

Stockholm Syndrome

[Derwood]

i cant picture any scenario that includes peter gammons having intelligible discussions with a japanese franchise. he's just saying what he's been told from people who have been told from other people.

 

You just described every person who posts rumors, though.

 

he just described Twitter.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Seems like it's pretty much official now and we're out of the "Twitter reports six contradictory things" stage:

 

$20m max bid, all teams that bid max can negotiate with player, making any player clearly worth the max posting essentially a free agent. I can't imagine why all 30 teams wouldn't bid $20m, because there's no downside.

 

I guess this will be a good test of whether we're just sitting on massive piles of cash because we hate signing 29-31 year olds.

[Guest]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

[Guest]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

 

If Tanaka is as good as Garza (hopefully better) and Arrieta can manage what Feldman did, it's as good as last year's pre-firesale rotation.

 

The bullpen with all the interesting power arms should be much better. I'm OK with this.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

[rawaction]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

 

If Tanaka is as good as Garza (hopefully better) and Arrieta can manage what Feldman did, it's as good as last year's pre-firesale rotation.

 

The bullpen with all the interesting power arms should be much better. I'm OK with this.

 

I'd still trade Samardzija. That staff still isn't good enough in 2014 to make any legitimate noise. But a couple strong prospects and you could have a pretty good 2015 team and beyond with a TOR guy already in house, with maybe 2-3 more (Shark trade, Edwards, draft pick) developing into a TOR guy.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

 

I think the Mariners are kinda the dark horse in coming up with the best case scenario. If they're going to be more active on Tanaka than LA, then you want them to land Price or Cano. Otherwise, Price to the Dodgers and Cano to the Yankees(maybe Kuroda too for good measure) would be a big help.

[SouthSideRyan]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

 

If Tanaka is as good as Garza (hopefully better) and Arrieta can manage what Feldman did, it's as good as last year's pre-firesale rotation.

 

The bullpen with all the interesting power arms should be much better. I'm OK with this.

 

Arrieta isn't matching what Feldman did, but you would hope Edwin Jackson won't suck again.

[Guest]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

 

If Tanaka is as good as Garza (hopefully better) and Arrieta can manage what Feldman did, it's as good as last year's pre-firesale rotation.

 

The bullpen with all the interesting power arms should be much better. I'm OK with this.

 

Arrieta isn't matching what Feldman did, but you would hope Edwin Jackson won't suck again.

 

Yeah, you're probably right...but then I didn't think Feldman would do what Feldman did. Maybe Bosio can work some magic.

[A New Era]

@MLBBruceLevine

Chicago Cubs will be big time players for Tanaka once the posting agreement is in place. Japanese pitcher is projected as ML 1 or 2.

 

 

Indulging in the fantasy briefly:

 

Samardzija/Tanaka/Jackson/Wood/Arrieta

 

Strop/Wright/whomever

 

That's a really not-upsetting pitching staff

 

And the Bats are coming.

[Guest]

 

I'd still trade Samardzija. That staff still isn't good enough in 2014 to make any legitimate noise. But a couple strong prospects and you could have a pretty good 2015 team and beyond with a TOR guy already in house, with maybe 2-3 more (Shark trade, Edwards, draft pick) developing into a TOR guy.

 

I'm really only in favor of trading Samardzija if it brings back Bradley or a similarly high end prospect.

 

It's hard to say so without really knowing what Samardzija's demands are in an extension, but assuming they aren't outrageous, I'd much rather extend him otherwise.

[rawaction]

 

I'd still trade Samardzija. That staff still isn't good enough in 2014 to make any legitimate noise. But a couple strong prospects and you could have a pretty good 2015 team and beyond with a TOR guy already in house, with maybe 2-3 more (Shark trade, Edwards, draft pick) developing into a TOR guy.

 

I'm really only in favor of trading Samardzija if it brings back Bradley or a similarly high end prospect.

 

It's hard to say so without really knowing what Samardzija's demands are in an extension, but assuming they aren't outrageous, I'd much rather extend him otherwise.

 

Yeah, I was operating under the assumption that the Cubs could trade Shark and get a pretty high end prospect.

[Guest]

Marlin Bystro Confirmation:

 

Bruce is right on with this one....The Cubs are going to be in heavy. Hopefully not just for the participation trophy.

[Guest]

I can't imagine that NPB would approve the new system and then just stop posting players, but I guess it's possible they could sit on Tanaka another year. It wouldn't change their return any.

 

I do wonder if this makes it more likely Maeda is posted now. Before it was up in the air because he may have been overshadowed by Tanaka, but if they'll get their 20 million either way, they could do it this year. Would make a nice consolation prize if the Astros snapped up Tanaka.

I was thinking Maeda was more of a back end type? I can't imagine the team getting 20 mill or nothing, when posting guys. Either way though, I've not been under the impression Maeda would fetch that even in the old system.

 

Yes, per Ben Badler, Maeda is a back end starter. He also had some arm problems this past NPB season. I had a paragraph scouting report on him from Badler in the OP of this thread.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

 

Ben Badler[/url]"]For a team like the Yankees that has reportedly been trying to stay underneath the luxury tax, Tanaka would have represented an ideal solution to upgrade their rotation. Now, if Rakuten does decide to post Tanaka, he might become a less palatable option for the Yankees.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

 

Ben Badler[/url]"]For a team like the Yankees that has reportedly been trying to stay underneath the luxury tax, Tanaka would have represented an ideal solution to upgrade their rotation. Now, if Rakuten does decide to post Tanaka, he might become a less palatable option for the Yankees.

 

Maybe...but they're still spending lots of money and trying to improve the team and he's the best SP available.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

 

Ben Badler[/url]"]For a team like the Yankees that has reportedly been trying to stay underneath the luxury tax, Tanaka would have represented an ideal solution to upgrade their rotation. Now, if Rakuten does decide to post Tanaka, he might become a less palatable option for the Yankees.

 

Maybe...but they're still spending lots of money and trying to improve the team and he's the best SP available.

 

After McCann and Ellsbury, they're pretty much at the luxury tax for 10 players, assuming A-Rod counts. If A-Rod is suspended, then they have maybe a little room after filling out their roster, but they can't sign Tanaka and avoid the luxury tax.

[Guest]

So do we hope the Yankees re-sign Cano now?

 

I know the Dodgers are always looking to swing the big financial dicks, but will they throw as much as we might fear at another SP when they already have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley, and Beckett?

 

It's possible that our want/need might not overcome the gap with the Dodgers wherewithal, but it's relevant to consider.

 

Ben Badler[/url]"]For a team like the Yankees that has reportedly been trying to stay underneath the luxury tax, Tanaka would have represented an ideal solution to upgrade their rotation. Now, if Rakuten does decide to post Tanaka, he might become a less palatable option for the Yankees.

 

Maybe...but they're still spending lots of money and trying to improve the team and he's the best SP available.

 

After McCann and Ellsbury, they're pretty much at the luxury tax for 10 players, assuming A-Rod counts. If A-Rod is suspended, then they have maybe a little room after filling out their roster, but they can't sign Tanaka and avoid the luxury tax.

 

I realize this. I don't think it's set in stone that they're done and that they are dead set on avoiding the luxury tax.

 

I don't think they're out on Cano.

[Tryptamine]

Correct me if I"m wrong, but I thought the Yankees were at the point in luxury tax where either draft picks or draft budget was going to start being affected?