Tanaka asks to go to Majors, Rakutan asks him to stay.

[Scott34]

dylanohernandez 8:47pm via Web

Tanaka met with Rakuten president. Tanaka said he wants to pitch in majors, Rakuten asked him to stay, according to reports. No resolution.

 

[Scott34]

This is just stupid, go get Suk Min Yoon.

[jshep]

At this rate, Tanaka will end up pitching another season there before they make up their freaking minds.

[Halos of Anaheim]

We aren't getting the dude. He's going to NY, we stand no chance. They saved so much money from the Cano deal, they will over-pay our offer by atleast 15-20m through the entirety of the contract. Plus it's the Yankees, he will want to play there either way.

 

Move on guys.

[gotbeer]

In another 2 hours, he will be posted.

 

Then 2 hours after that, he won't be.

[Tavon Brown]

As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.
 

[Taylor]

Why does he want to come to America so badly? Has he even heard about Obamacare?

[tomsred]

He wants to go to Disneyland, drink American beer, chase American women, and make millions so he can own a Ferrari.  Then he'll screw over whoever signs him.

[Ohtaniland]

He wants to go to Disneyland, drink American beer, chase American women, and make millions so he can own a Ferrari.  Then he'll screw over whoever signs him.

 

Lol, that seems to be the common script with a lot of pro athletes.

[rick99gtp]

Sum Ting Wong

[SoWhat]

Interview with Tanaka from earlier

http://baseballjapanworld.blogspot.com/2013/12/masahiro-tanaka-q-after-meeting-with.html?m=1

[Tavon Brown]

 

This is pretty much what happened in the meeting today.

[Blarg]

This is just stupid, go get Suk Min Yoon.

 

Yoon dealt with a shoulder injury in 2013, about which not much is known publicly.  Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency tells me the injury "seemed serious."  Yoon made 11 starts with a 4.16 ERA, as well as 19 relief appearances with a 3.60 mark.  Yoon's coaches asked him to close for the Kia Tigers in their time of need in August, prompting his move to the bullpen.  At any rate, Yoon's 172 1/3 innings in 2011 was a career-high, so 30 big league starts would be a new level for him.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/10/free-agent-profile-suk-min-yoon.html

 

 

Pass.

[Scott34]

Even with the injury concern, he's a better investment than Garza or any other FA available. 10-15M for Yoon is a really solid signing even if he ends up in the bullpen. He's already resumed throwing and is back to the low 90s.

[tdawg87]

The Angels need a starter for the middle of the rotation though, not a could-be reliever if he is healthy.

[Angel Oracle]

Might as well then just go with Santiago, Richards, and Skaggs in the 3-5 spots. 

It's still significantly better than Vargas, Blanton, and Hanson in those spots; although none of them has exceeded 160 innings in a season yet.

 

And if so, then Dipoto was stupid for not re-upping Williams in the utility/#5 spot, unless Shoemaker is ready to produce similar results to Williams? 

 

It would then point though to Pujols and Hamilton hitting like they are SUPPOSED TO.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[sneaky_flute]

I don't really understand the fascination with this dude. He's going to be a #3 who will get paid way too much. 

[Tavon Brown]

I don't really understand the fascination with this dude. He's going to be a #3 who will get paid way too much. 

To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.

 

[Scott34]

The Angels need a starter for the middle of the rotation though, not a could-be reliever if he is healthy.

 

His stuff is that of a 3.  If he's healthy, I could see him putting up a 110-120 ERA+ as a starter.  So are you saying Garza doesn't have warts either?  Because he wasn't good in the AL last year and has serious injury concerns also.  Oh and Yoon will be at LEAST 50M cheaper.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Scott34

[tdawg87]

Garza has concerns but so does Tanaka. At least Garza has a history of MLB success. Tanaka doesn't. Yoon has the health concerns AND the questionable ability to pitch in the MLB. I respect your views and insight so for all I know he could be great but from my standpoint I don't see it at all.

[Scott34]

Garza has concerns but so does Tanaka. At least Garza has a history of MLB success. Tanaka doesn't. Yoon has the health concerns AND the questionable ability to pitch in the MLB. I respect your views and insight so for all I know he could be great but from my standpoint I don't see it at all.

 

I get you.  It is totally a risk but there's 0% it ends up a GMJ/Wells/Pujols/all the bad contracts.  The potential reward is worth 10-15M I think.

[Ohtaniland]

Might as well then just go with Santiago, Richards, and Skaggs in the 3-5 spots.

It's still significantly better than Vargas, Blanton, and Hanson in those spots; although none of them has exceeded 160 innings in a season yet.

And if so, then Dipoto was stupid for not re-upping Williams in the utility/#5 spot, unless Shoemaker is ready to produce similar results to Williams?

I think that the plan is to go with Weaver, Wilson and the #3,#4,#5 spots will be done by committee from a pool of Skaggs, Richards, Santiago, Blanton and Shoemaker.

[Angel Oracle]

I'm okay with that Claude, as long as Blanton doesn't come within 10 miles of making a start.

Love the avatar, and Blanton was the rock in the Halos' 2012 Christmas stocking.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[Hubs]

If the Yankees want to avoid the luxury tax, they're not signing Tanaka, if he gets posted. Not with the new rules. If they had forked over a $50+Million posting fee and he had signed a similar contract to Darvish and Matsuzaka (not being racist, but they are the only players who have this financial arrangement with the high posting fee to compare to) then they'd have gotten a 6 year, 60 million, 10M AAV contract to count against the CBT.

 

Now, with the posting fee capped at $20 M, they still will fork out the same kind of contract, except it's going to be 6 years and 90-100M, which is a $15-17M AAV.

 

Even with the savings from Cano, they still have a payroll north of $172M for 2014, plus the benefits that get factored in, plus at least five  arbitration contracts at $15M, plus league minimum guys plus 40 man roster guys plus what it costs for Tanaka and they are over the cap.

 

Their AAV payroll is not that far off from the real payroll, unlike the Angels.

 

A-Rod counts +1.5 M, Vernon Wells counts -.6 M, Texieira counts -.625 M, Sabathia counts +1.4 M, Ellsbury counts +.7, Soriano counts for -2M and Brendan Ryan counts +.5. That overall is about 1M greater. 

 

AT 173M, plus 14.8M for the five arbitration guys, plus 7 minimum contracts and fifteen minor league contracts around 100k a piece, that's around $5m plus the $10M they'd get for the benefits and they're already over the CBT. Adding Tanaka would mean that they'd be essentially paying double the $17M AAV, which doesn't seem like a good fit to me. The only way they get in on Tanaka is if they are able to void A-Rod's 27.5 M salary which I don't think they'll be able to do.

 

They signed Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, and Jacoby Ellsbury to 10M+ contracts, which ate up all their room.

[Tyler]

Thank you for typing all that. No way I have the patience to do that.

 

It'll be between the Cubs and AL West teams.