Cashman" "We view him(Tanaka) to be a really solid, consistent No. 3 starter"

[IIIII]

"There is definitely some unknown because of the transition. We scouted him extensively. Certainly, we look forward to adding him into the mix with the rest of our rotation. That's what we look at him as: A solid, potential No. 3 starter in the big leagues."

 

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10419250/gm-brian-cashman-new-york-yankees-projects-masahiro-tanaka-no-3-starter

 

Lol $155 million for a solid #3, alrigghttt 

[Mudville]

That is a lot of dinero for a #3. Still hoping A-Rod gets reinstated this season to blow the Yankees salary cap to hell.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

That is a lot of dinero for a #3. Still hoping A-Rod gets reinstated this season to blow the Yankees salary cap to hell.

That won't happen. A Rod just dropped his lawsuit.

[YouthofToday]

Market value for a #3 starter who is 26 years old. Just imagine what Trout could at age 27 after 2017. An AAV nearing $40 million is not outlandish.

[Brent Maguire]

Yeah they overpaid big time. Giving him the opt out made the deal worse too.

[HaloFan85]

In the current rotation he's definitely their #3, but I don't think that means they don't expect him to eventually become their #1.  I'm sure they're just saying that for CC's and Kuroda's sake.  Kuroda is 38 years old and CC might be at the beginning of his declining years.  I can definitely see Tanaka becoming their #1 by the 2016 or 2017 season.

[Splint7438]

I really liked what I saw of him on YouTube. Yeah I know it's you tube. But a lot of movement up Down and side to side. I know it was japan league but he had a closers ERA while throwing about a billion innings. I think he is going to be in the top 10% of the pitchers in MLB within two years or so. Having said that I think the yanks overpaid by about 65 mil. I base this on nothing other than touchy freely hunches. You know science

[gotbeer]

It'll be interesting to see how he performs.  But that's a lot of money for a #3.  Especially after your ace looked very hittable last season, and your other pitcher is approaching retirement.

[mrwicked]

That's just PR nonsense.

Basically trying to minimize expectations and save face if he was to tank.

"Well it's no big loss, he was just projected to be #3 at best case scenario anyway. Oh well."

Edited February 7, 2014 by mrwicked

[Splint7438]

Yankee dollars are just different than any others.

[nikkachez]

They're gonna love all these big contracts in a couple years (A-Rod, Tex, McCann, Ellsbury, Beltran, CC, and Tanaka) no more Jeter, no more Kuroda, I'm gonna love seeing this all unfold. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

In the current rotation he's definitely their #3, but I don't think that means they don't expect him to eventually become their #1.  I'm sure they're just saying that for CC's and Kuroda's sake.  Kuroda is 38 years old and CC might be at the beginning of his declining years.  I can definitely see Tanaka becoming their #1 by the 2016 or 2017 season.

 

Not only that, you don't want to create unrealistic expectations among the fan base.You don't want the fans booing him because he doesn't strike out 15 in his first start.

[KingJustinian]

Not only that, you don't want to create unrealistic expectations among the fan base.You don't want the fans booing him because he doesn't strike out 15 in his first start.

 

That's my thinking. Fans having unrealistic expectations affects the media and in turn can put a lot more pressure on Tanaka, which Cashman probably doesn't want.

[Sciosciapath]

Seems like a PR statement. I don't see a prob

[AngelsLakersFan]

JUst trying to minimize expectations for the New York fans.

 

I fully expect Tanaka to become the best pitcher on the Yankees by 2015, and one of the top pitchers in MLB as well.

[EDinTUSTIN]

That's just PR nonsense.

Basically trying to minimize expectations and save face if he was to tank.

"Well it's no big loss, he was just projected to be #3 at best case scenario anyway. Oh well."

If he flops paying him $155 million will hardly be saving face. That will speak louder than Cashman's words.

[EDinTUSTIN]

Yankee dollars are just different than any others.

Different than 240 million for 10 years for someone over 30 years old?

Edited February 8, 2014 by EDinTUSTIN

[YouthofToday]

Different than 240 million for 10 years for someone over 30 years old?

A "false" analogy.

[Mark68]

Not only that, you don't want to create unrealistic expectations among the fan base.You don't want the fans booing him because he doesn't strike out 15 in his first start.

Hell, they're Yankee fans. Nothing less than a World Series title will do. They think unrealistic is like what happened last year: no postseason.

[Splint7438]

The money that the Yankees take in is huge. It wouldn't surprise me if their profits were larger than what they pay out in salary. I remember reading an article at least ten years ago that said the YES network had three million subscribers at six bucks a month. I doubt those numbers have gone down. I really don't have a problem with a team spending profits to make their team better.

[Blarg]

That's my thinking. Fans having unrealistic expectations affects the media and in turn can put a lot more pressure on Tanaka, which Cashman probably doesn't want.

Maybe these jackasses should not have paid him like one of the top three pitchers in baseball. If the fans have expectations it is tied to their stupid pay any price for players business practice. If he gets booed for pitching league average maybe Cashman needs to accept those boos are at him more than the player.