Tanaka is gonna cost a fortune

[Scott34]

Deal Kendrick. That's 10M. Tanaka gets something in the 12-14 range. You can deal Trumbo as well and sign some BP arms.

[tennischmp]

There should be no reason not to sign Tanaka.

[Scott34]

Maeda is interesting.  I could see him as a #4 if all goes well, but the risk is there.

 

If he isn't too costly, he's a solid alternative to Tanaka.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Personally, I'd move all in here. We need to be players for pitching. Arte has given no reasons to think that money is a problem, so I won't doubt him there. Make a solid run at tanaka, please.

[tdawg87]

The posting fee doesn't count towards payroll. And while it is a lot of money to bid on just for the right to negotiate, it could be worth it if they can negotiate a 5/60 deal or even cheaper. I would take Tanaka for that contract.

[tennischmp]

If Arte was willing to spent 125 million on Hamilton, he should have no problem spending that much on Tanaka, a player the team needs more than they needed Hamilton.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

How much does Tanana cost?

[Troll Daddy]

Pirates took a gamble on Liriano ... they re-invented his mechanics and 'presto chango' his ERA drop over 2 runs.

 

Oh didn't mean to get off the subject. Tanaka would be great ... 'pay the man his money'

[tennischmp]

Pirates took a gamble on Liriano ... they re-invented his mechanics and 'presto chango' his ERA drop over 2 runs.

We have Butcher, Pirates don't

[Ohtaniland]

Who's Tanaka's agent?

[Tyler]

Kawasaki?

[Angel Oracle]

How much does Tanana cost?

Well, because he's age 60, probably $10,000.

[RenoHalo]

How much does Tanana cost?

 

 

Well, because he's age 60, probably $10,000.

It would be worth it just to see that fantastic moustache again....mmmm.

[NachoPop]

This team needs to start winning NOW. Theres too much investe to not. I hope they go after him. They obviously dont mind taking risks and they are sure due for one of them to come off!

[kevinb]

I hope the Rangers or Dodgers have the high bid and then he sucks.

So like Yu

[Corona]

If we outbid everyone he'll probably come here and suck ass, the best we can hope is that some random ass team with no affect on our team lands him like the Pirates.

[Tyler]

Yeah, he'll probably end up with the Cubs.

[Lou]

 

I would hate to see a Darvish, Tanaka combo in Arlington, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

They were so close this year, and the year before, and the year before and the year before...................................

 

they may see this as the final push.

 

 

Fixed

[Lou]

If we outbid everyone he'll probably come here and suck ass,and then AO will give him a cool nickname like TaKnockItOff!!! Just Knock It Off!!!

 

the best we can hope is that some random ass team with no affect on our team lands him like the Pirates.

 

Fixed this one,too

[Stradling]

So like Yu

No, exactly the opposite of Yu. Yu is good, I hope if Tanaka goes to either of those teams he sucks, you know, like bad.

[Stradling]

For the price I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on a guy like Tanaka. If pitchers that go from the National league to the American League can really struggle how tough is it to project what a guy in Japan will do? It's not like he is facing major league hitting every game. If I'm not mistaken they don't have five man rotations there, it's more like seven man rotations. You also don't know the impact of culture shock. For every Darvish, there's an Irabu, Dice-K of Kei Igawa. I admittedly know nothing about him other than what I read here, but I'm sure he is far from a sure thing. The one thing I do know is there's never been a guy come over from japan that hasn't come with a ton of hype, and yet only a few have succeeded. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Arte open up his check book for the guy, if for no other reason than to expand the Angel brand into Japan.

[Ohtaniland]

For the price I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on a guy like Tanaka. If pitchers that go from the National league to the American League can really struggle how tough is it to project what a guy in Japan will do? It's not like he is facing major league hitting every game. If I'm not mistaken they don't have five man rotations there, it's more like seven man rotations. You also don't know the impact of culture shock. For every Darvish, there's an Irabu, Dice-K of Kei Igawa. I admittedly know nothing about him other than what I read here, but I'm sure he is far from a sure thing. The one thing I do know is there's never been a guy come over from japan that hasn't come with a ton of hype, and yet only a few have succeeded. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Arte open up his check book for the guy, if for no other reason than to expand the Angel brand into Japan.

When Matsui was here all of the Japanese press circus came with him and that became an issue which wore on some peoples nerves. That's another reason why I give Tanaka a 0% chance of coming here. In my Matsuiland days I was told by one of Matsui's handlers that although he was liked by his teammates they couldn't wait for his entourage to leave. It was a huge distraction and difficult to accommodate on a daily basis.

[gotbeer]

For the price I'm not sure I could pull the trigger on a guy like Tanaka. If pitchers that go from the National league to the American League can really struggle how tough is it to project what a guy in Japan will do? It's not like he is facing major league hitting every game. If I'm not mistaken they don't have five man rotations there, it's more like seven man rotations. You also don't know the impact of culture shock. For every Darvish, there's an Irabu, Dice-K of Kei Igawa. I admittedly know nothing about him other than what I read here, but I'm sure he is far from a sure thing. The one thing I do know is there's never been a guy come over from japan that hasn't come with a ton of hype, and yet only a few have succeeded. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Arte open up his check book for the guy, if for no other reason than to expand the Angel brand into Japan.

 

In most years, I would agree with you.  But looking at the big picture this year.  There just isn't any pitcher available that will help us.  Every team knows this.  Because every team will be looking for Starting Pitching.  

 

The best pitcher available in free agency is Garza.  A 3.82 ERA, 1.24 WHIP guy with a career of 3.84, 1.28.  And the Rangers gave up one of their best prospects to rent him for half a season.  Everyone should just think about that just a bit.  The Rangers traded one of their best prospects to rent him for half a season, and he's maybe a #3 type pitcher.  

 

So why does everyone think a young #1 or #2 starting pitcher would command so little?  Teams who have those types of players available will ask for the moon, because they are just way too valuable for any team, and they can use them just as much.  Heck teams will ask the moon for #3/#4 pitchers, like Trumbo and Bourjos both.  The only pitchers that may be available are the injury history types.  And the Angels do so, so well in those types of trades.  With the Angels luck, they will trade Trumbo for a Halladay type, if not for Halladay.  And not the Toronto Halladay.  

 

That's the pickle the Angels are in right now.  

 

They have to roll the Dice, and hopefully not come up with DiceK.  They have to make a big push with the Japanese pitchers, because there just isn't anyone else available.  

 

And BTW, even if we get Tanaka, it will not expand the brand in Japan.  Japanese are very fickle.  They will follow Tanaka, but will have no clue who Trout is.  There are two, maybe three teams in the Japanese eyes, the Dodgers, Yankees, and maybe the Mariners just because it was owned by a Japanese.  Other than that, they just follow players.  It's like if a Japanese comes to the US, they will go to Gucci, and Prada, and buy whatever those stores have, regardless of if they need it.  But they will never go to Target or Walmart unless they have what they absolutely need.  

[Docwaukee]

I don't feel like a Japanese player coming here is like a player going from the NL to the AL.  The current major leaguers who change leagues are more of a known quantity.  The really good pitchers don't seem to struggle as much as the ones who were ok or mediocre in the NL to begin with. 

 

By all accounts, this guy has nasty stuff.  His peripherals are excellent and he's had an avg. era below 1.5 for the last three years at ages 22-24.  The process by which a foreign players comes to play here is also much more mature than it used to be.  I am sure they have learned how to make the trasition easier, and I am sure they are more adept at what to look for in terms of stuff that will translate to success in mlb.  The list of currently active mlb pitchers from Japan and the most recent expatriates have done very well. 

 

Darvish' numbers were perhaps a shade better than Tanaka and now Yu is among the best in baseball.  Not saying that means everything, but if I had to bet, I would put my money into Tanaka way before I would Garza. 

[Angel Oracle]

Times have changed since Dicey-K came over here almost 7 years ago.

It is easier now, apparently, to adjust now that quite a few have made the adjustment coming over here.

Tanaka's peripherals are crazy good. We need good pitching with solid control.

Plus he would come here as the #3 starter, not a ton in the way of expectations.

Edited October 12, 2013 by Angel Oracle