Yankees Sign Masahiro Tanaka

[Boris]

For those who like pitchFX and are wondering if Tanaka will be a bust, here's an interesting article from ESPN on the subject...

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/43300/a-pitchfx-look-at-masahiro-tanaka

 

According to the Baseball Prospectus Leaderboards, there are some real big names with similar stuff. In 2013, no starter touched that amount of vertical movement on their four-seam fastball. Clayton Kershaw gets the closest with 12.18 inches of "rising action," but the lefty only had 0.93 inches of horizontal movement, where Tanaka showed nearly 4 inches in the WBC. The slider, which is regarded as Tanaka's best out pitch, is probably closest to Zack Greinke's in terms of velocity and movement. In 2013, Grenke averaged 85.5 mph on the pitch, 3.87 inches of horizontal break, and 0.66 inches of vertical break. Finally, the changeup/splitter matches best with Yu Darvish, who averaged 88.8 mph on the pitch, with -6.03 inches of horizontal movement and 4.09 inches of vertical movement.

 

Just because these pitchers compare well doesn't mean that Tanaka will have the same success. As I mentioned earlier, we are working with a very small sample size of pitches taken from four years ago. This is at least a look into why Tanaka is so successful though.

 

 

There is no reason to not get this guy. Sign him. Buy him. I wanna ride this horse.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

For those who like pitchFX and are wondering if Tanaka will be a bust, here's an interesting article from ESPN on the subject...

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/43300/a-pitchfx-look-at-masahiro-tanaka

 

According to the Baseball Prospectus Leaderboards, there are some real big names with similar stuff. In 2013, no starter touched that amount of vertical movement on their four-seam fastball. Clayton Kershaw gets the closest with 12.18 inches of "rising action," but the lefty only had 0.93 inches of horizontal movement, where Tanaka showed nearly 4 inches in the WBC. The slider, which is regarded as Tanaka's best out pitch, is probably closest to Zack Greinke's in terms of velocity and movement. In 2013, Grenke averaged 85.5 mph on the pitch, 3.87 inches of horizontal break, and 0.66 inches of vertical break. Finally, the changeup/splitter matches best with Yu Darvish, who averaged 88.8 mph on the pitch, with -6.03 inches of horizontal movement and 4.09 inches of vertical movement.

 

Just because these pitchers compare well doesn't mean that Tanaka will have the same success. As I mentioned earlier, we are working with a very small sample size of pitches taken from four years ago. This is at least a look into why Tanaka is so successful though.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xbKoW9s.gif

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm showing nearly four inches after reading that.

 

Play your cards right and I'll show all five.

[Guest]

we're getting him. i'm not too worried about it.

[CubsWin]

we're getting him. i'm not too worried about it.

Please let 17 Seconds secretly be Masahiro Tanaka. Please.

[Cubswin11]

we're getting him. i'm not too worried about it.

Please let 17 Seconds secretly be Masahiro Tanaka. Please.

No he just heard him signing Go Cubs Go at an airport bar

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not counting on it, just based on how these guys have been operating so far, but the fact is they can easily afford Tanaka, so I am also not discounting their ability to sign him.

[Guest]

I'm not counting on it, just based on how these guys have been operating so far, but the fact is they can easily afford Tanaka, so I am also not discounting their ability to sign him.

 

I kinda feel the same...the behavior til now has me skeptical but at the same time, the talk until now has been along the lines that this is exactly who they would break the bank for.

 

We'll see.

[Guest]

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they and certainly won't be out-bid.

 

:(

[Hairyducked Idiot]

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they and certainly won't be out-bid.

 

:(

 

I've pretty much abandoned any hope for him at this point.

[Rob]

Coming from Bob Nightengale, that actually makes me feel better about our chances.

[Clem Fandango]

Too bad the pitchers they would likely have to trade to make room for him aren't decent trade targets.

[Guest]

Don't the Dodgers already have like seven starters? [expletive] them.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

So that would leave the Dodgers with Kershaw, Greinke, Tanaka, Ryu, Billingsley, Haren, Beckett?

[SouthSideRyan]

So that would leave the Dodgers with Kershaw, Greinke, Tanaka, Ryu, Billingsley, Haren, Beckett?

 

Billingsley is out til at least June with TJS and Josh Beckett sucks

[davell]

He didn't even come to Chicago because of the weather, to begin his trip. This has to make us and the Yankees, as well, wonder if weather IS an issue. But even if its not and this actually comes down to money? The Guggenheim group can outbid us and the Steinbrenners put together, if they really wanted to.

[fromthestretch]

Don't the Dodgers already have like seven starters? [expletive] them.

 

By my count they have Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, and Beckett, with Beckett being a bit of a wildcard coming off surgery. Billingsley is slated to be by sometime around mid-season. They also have Matt Magill, who made six starts for them last year but has struggled with command. Zach Lee will probably start at AAA.

 

If they sign Tanaka, I imagine Beckett is the odd man out. He's only under contract through 2014 anyway. Haren is only on a one-year deal, although there is a vesting option for 2015 if he gets to 180 IP, which he hasn't done since 2011. It's highly possible Haren won't be back in 2015.

[Boris]

[expletive] THE WORLD

[Bobson Dugnutt]

So that would leave the Dodgers with Kershaw, Greinke, Tanaka, Ryu, Billingsley, Haren, Beckett?

 

Billingsley is out til at least June with TJS and Josh Beckett sucks

 

Ah, ok, I wasn't sure what the timeline was for Billingsley's return. Still, that's a really impressive five-man rotation.

[Fro]

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they and certainly won't be out-bid.

 

:(

 

Well, Theo needs to call their bluff and make them pay a ridiclous price.

 

Keep in mind they get hit by the luxury tax as well at this point.

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/next-moves-cubs-after-jumping-tanaka-sweepstakes

 

The Cubs are prepared to make a nine-figure investment in Tanaka, according to a source familiar with the team’s thinking. A 25-year-old Japanese ace would fit into the long-range business/baseball plans at a renovated Wrigley Field and a future TV network. But multiple officials have predicted the money is going to get “silly” and another desperate, free-spending team will blow them away with more years and dollars.

 

A $20 million “release fee” will be tacked onto the final bill, a free-agent tax paid to Tanaka’s Japanese club as part of the new posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they and certainly won't be out-bid.

 

:(

 

Well, Theo needs to call their bluff and make them pay a ridiclous price.

 

Keep in mind they get hit by the luxury tax as well at this point.

 

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/next-moves-cubs-after-jumping-tanaka-sweepstakes

 

The Cubs are prepared to make a nine-figure investment in Tanaka, according to a source familiar with the team’s thinking. A 25-year-old Japanese ace would fit into the long-range business/baseball plans at a renovated Wrigley Field and a future TV network. But multiple officials have predicted the money is going to get “silly” and another desperate, free-spending team will blow them away with more years and dollars.

 

A $20 million “release fee” will be tacked onto the final bill, a free-agent tax paid to Tanaka’s Japanese club as part of the new posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball.

 

Is there a more desperate team than the Cubs?

[davell]

https://twitter.com/TheBlogfines/status/421745468586983424/photo/1

[Bull]

https://twitter.com/TheBlogfines/status/421745468586983424/photo/1

One way or the other, he's got it right.

[MWV]

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they and certainly won't be out-bid.

1 pm today.

 

@BNightengale: The #Dodgers, while confirming their interest in Tanaka, say they won't spend wildly on him, particularly with Kershaw about to hit FA

2:40 pm today.

[Guest]

My magic 8 ball said, "signs point to it", when I asked it if the Cubs would get Tanaka.