Offseason Rumors

[Fro]

I would basically handle the Tanaka thing like recruiting a star HS prospect to go to college to play basketball/football at this point. The "in-home" visit needs to be stellar to sell this guy on why he should be a Cub.

[rawaction]

I would basically handle the Tanaka thing like recruiting a star HS prospect to go to college to play basketball/football at this point. The "in-home" visit needs to be stellar to sell this guy on why he should be a Cub.

 

Hope they got some fake boobed groupies ready to show him their dugouts.

[Cubswin11]

A few questions:

 

-When they say posting complete on Jan 24th is that the last day a team can submit a bid up to $20 mil and then contract negotiations go from there?

 

-Is it known if Tanaka will be visiting teams in the US or will he be staying in Japan and teams/FO will be going there to pitch him?

[davell]

Actually, there is no formal posting that everyone meets. Just negotiate and if Tanaka wants to sign with you, you fork over 20 mill to Rakuten.

[Cubswin11]

Actually, there is no formal posting that everyone meets. Just negotiate and if Tanaka wants to sign with you, you fork over 20 mill to Rakuten.

So the 24th date is the last day to get him to agree to sign with you?

[davell]

Actually, there is no formal posting that everyone meets. Just negotiate and if Tanaka wants to sign with you, you fork over 20 mill to Rakuten.

So the 24th date is the last day to get him to agree to sign with you?

Yeah, that's when he needs to have signed.

[Guest]

I would imagine that overwhelmingly important things to him will be dollars and years. Anything else wouldn't matter.

[Clem Fandango]

Is it presumed the Cubs won't want to offer anything more than 5 years, as per their M.O.? Or will they make an exception for Tanaka?

[mul21]

Is it presumed the Cubs won't want to offer anything more than 5 years, as per their M.O.? Or will they make an exception for Tanaka?

 

I'm not convinced that will be a factor. He may not want more than 5 years so he's a FA again before he turns 30.

[Clem Fandango]

Is it presumed the Cubs won't want to offer anything more than 5 years, as per their M.O.? Or will they make an exception for Tanaka?

 

I'm not convinced that will be a factor. He may not want more than 5 years so he's a FA again before he turns 30.

 

That's what I'm thinking, but if he does in fact want more years, and the Cubs are concerned about going over 5 years, perhaps they'd be willing to offer something like 7 with an opt out clause after his age 30 season?

[Guest]

If anything it will be like Cespedes, where the Cubs want more years than the player wants. Tanaka is 10 weeks younger than Mike Olt, they won't be shy about contract length.

[davell]

Could work the opposite though: I could also see him wanting 8-10 years.

[Clem Fandango]

But hasn't this FO always been in the "Never give a pitcher more than 5 years no matter how good he is" camp?

[Guest]

But hasn't this FO always been in the "Never give a pitcher more than 5 years no matter how good he is" camp?

 

Maybe implicitly, but that's because even the youngest FA SP hit the market at least 3 years older than Tanaka is now. They wouldn't have been haggling over giving Darvish the 6th year if they had won the bidding for him.

[Cubswin11]

If anything it will be like Cespedes, where the Cubs want more years than the player wants. Tanaka is 10 weeks younger than Mike Olt, they won't be shy about contract length.

AND has two working eyes, give him 20 years

[neely crenshaw]

with many japanese stars playing for big name teams means a lot..don't know if the cubs fall into that bracket over there.

The thing I worry about is that he is going to get the money from someone.

Being a success is very important to their culture. Does it hurt the cubs that for at least a couple years he might pitch great but not have great stats because of a poor team. I know in the scheme of things there are much better stats than W-L but does a guy go back home and talk about how good his ERA was?

[Sammy Sofa]

with many japanese stars playing for big name teams means a lot..don't know if the cubs fall into that bracket over there.

The thing I worry about is that he is going to get the money from someone.

Being a success is very important to their culture. Does it hurt the cubs that for at least a couple years he might pitch great but not have great stats because of a poor team. I know in the scheme of things there are much better stats than W-L but does a guy go back home and talk about how good his ERA was?

 

I feel like this post just walked up to me and slapped me in the middle of a crowded room and then kicked me in the nuts before I could even react.

[d_money]

I wonder if he'd reach out to Fukudome for his thoughts on Chicago in general and the organization (even though there's been a regime change).

[Cubswin11]

I wonder if he'd reach out to Fukudome for his thoughts on Chicago in general and the organization (even though there's been a regime change).

http://oddculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/horrykow.jpg

[d_money]

I wonder if he'd reach out to Fukudome for his thoughts on Chicago in general and the organization (even though there's been a regime change).

http://oddculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/horrykow.jpg

Lol

[Little Slide Rooter]

Literal Translation:

 

with many japanese stars playing for big name teams means a lot

 

Japanese stars prefer big market teams.

 

..don't know if the cubs fall into that bracket over there.

 

Arguably the third biggest U.S. city might not be a big enough market

 

The thing I worry about is that he is going to get the money from someone.

 

THE CARDINALS!!!

 

Being a success is very important to their culture.

 

The Japanese desire success unlike lazy Americans and our cooked fish and large breasted women.

 

Does it hurt the cubs that for at least a couple years he might pitch great but not have great stats because of a poor team.

 

Should the Cubs bother spending big on a potential ace if his W/L does not reflect his peripherals and the Cubs might be bad anyway?

 

I know in the scheme of things there are much better stats than W-L but does a guy go back home and talk about how good his ERA was?

 

We don't care about W/L as stat for pitchers, but in other countries, it equals bragging rights.

[Cubswin11]

Is there a date during the season that FA who have draft picks assigned to them lose that designations if they aren't signed? I'm just asking because I was trying to think of a market for Nelson Cruz today and can't find one, especially with the draft pick tied to him. Figured that if there is a date that players lose the pick being tied to him during the year if he'd be better off waiting until then.

[jumbo]

Is there a date during the season that FA who have draft picks assigned to them lose that designations if they aren't signed? I'm just asking because I was trying to think of a market for Nelson Cruz today and can't find one, especially with the draft pick tied to him. Figured that if there is a date that players lose the pick being tied to him during the year if he'd be better off waiting until then.

Too lazy to look it up, but I was thinking it was May 1. Late enough to lose a big part of the season.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Is there a date during the season that FA who have draft picks assigned to them lose that designations if they aren't signed? I'm just asking because I was trying to think of a market for Nelson Cruz today and can't find one, especially with the draft pick tied to him. Figured that if there is a date that players lose the pick being tied to him during the year if he'd be better off waiting until then.

 

Isn't it the day after the draft, which I believe is June 5th this season?

[davell]

Is there a date during the season that FA who have draft picks assigned to them lose that designations if they aren't signed? I'm just asking because I was trying to think of a market for Nelson Cruz today and can't find one, especially with the draft pick tied to him. Figured that if there is a date that players lose the pick being tied to him during the year if he'd be better off waiting until then.

 

Isn't it the day after the draft, which I believe is June 5th this season?

Correct.(unsure about day of draft though)