The Official 'TANAKA' Thread

[tdawg87]

Why try to sign Tanaka when we could have Matt Garza?

 

My god this organization sucks.

[Homebrewer]

More BS to share.

 

TomLoxas @TomLoxas

Chicago Sports Insider, blogger for Chicago Now

http://chicagonow.com/loxas-factor

 

Says the Cubs offered Tanaka a $160M for 8 years.

another rumor I read today suggested it was 8 years $200M

[bloodbrother]

Signing Garza when next year's FA crop is way, way better would be pretty bad

 

If they aren't going to get Tanaka, which so far it looks like they aren't even really serious suitors for him, then they need to sign some cheap arm for this year. Would hate them to sign Garza to a long deal when next year's FA crop includes Scherzer, Bailey, Masterson, Shields, etc. Save the money for one of them next offseason + obviously extend Trout

Edited January 19, 2014 by bloodbrother

[Ohtaniland]

Welcome to opening day wherever he signs...

 

[jshep]

Given the information we have, I have concluded that Tanaka either will or won't sign with a major league team of your choosing.

[Stradling]

I think we know as much today about the Angels possible involvement as we did yesterday.

[mancini79]

Given the information we have, I have concluded that Tanaka either will or won't sign with a major league team of your choosing.

 

and the board will go ape sh%t regardless.

[Chimi]

For the people pissed we didn't make an offer, keep in mind this news story is from the same news source that said we were a finalist last week. I would take their stories with a grain of salt.

[mancini79]

For the people pissed we didn't make an offer, keep in mind this news story is from the same news source that said we were a finalist last week. I would take their stories with a grain of salt RICE.

Fixed

[Angelsjunky]

According to this article.

 

I've gotta say, if true its a bit of a relief. Too much risk for too many dollars. 

 

That said, we all know that Arte likes to work on the sly, so I don't think its definite until he signs with someone else.

[Second Base]

There will always be another Japanese pitching sensation. Nomo, Irabu, Masuzaka, Kuroda, Iwakuma, Darvish and now Tanaka. The media is acting like this is a unique opportunity and to a certain extent it is. Give it another 2-3 years and another can't miss import will arrive.

Tanaka is good, but if the Angels miss this train, there are a few alternates or they can just wait for the next one, which shouldn't be long at all.

[Halos of Anaheim]

Sure we are.

[Angelsjunky]

There will always be another Japanese pitching sensation. Nomo, Irabu, Masuzaka, Kuroda, Iwakuma, Darvish and now Tanaka. The media is acting like this is a unique opportunity and to a certain extent it is. Give it another 2-3 years and another can't miss import will arrive.

Tanaka is good, but if the Angels miss this train, there are a few alternates or they can just wait for the next one, which shouldn't be long at all.

 

I'd love to see the Angels find the next Kuroda or Iwakuma - less hyped but very good.

[wopphil]

I don't think Tanaka is happening. Like I said in another thread, where there is smoke there is fire, and here there is no smoke connecting the Angels to Tanaka. And if they were really serious about him, they would have least met him and made a pitch to him.

[gotbeer]

The trick isn't finding the next Bryce Harper.  It's finding the next Mike Trout.  

 

Tanaka is the next Bryce Harper.  A #1 pick.  The value is going to come when you scout the Asian leagues and find the #27 pick.  

[Erick McClendon]

The trick isn't finding the next Bryce Harper.  It's finding the next Mike Trout.  

 

Tanaka is the next Bryce Harper.  A #1 pick.  The value is going to come when you scout the Asian leagues and find the #27 pick.  

Tanaka is not the next Bryce Harper. Harper is a superstar. there is no reason to think Tanaka will be that good. he will be paid like one though..

[gotbeer]

Tanaka is not the next Bryce Harper. Harper is a superstar. there is no reason to think Tanaka will be that good. he will be paid like one though..

 

I wouldn't consider a guy with a .817 and .854 OPS to be a superstar.  Maybe in his mind and the media brainwashing.  

[tdawg87]

I wouldn't consider a guy with a .817 and .854 OPS to be a superstar.  Maybe in his mind and the media brainwashing.  

 

You do realize how old he was when he put up those numbers, right?

[Blarg]

The trick isn't finding the next Bryce Harper.  It's finding the next Mike Trout.  

 

Tanaka is the next Bryce Harper.  A #1 pick.  The value is going to come when you scout the Asian leagues and find the #27 pick.  

 

Uh..., that would mean you missed the Mike Trout of Japan by 2 picks and ended up with Nick Franklin.

[Blarg]

That's racist.

[Angelsjunky]

I wouldn't consider a guy with a .817 and .854 OPS to be a superstar.  Maybe in his mind and the media brainwashing.  

 

Nothing like an opportunity to do some sabernerd research.

 

Top 10 Positions Players Through Age 20 - by fWAR

12.4 Mel Ott

10.7 Mike Trout

9.8 Ty Cobb

8.7 Al Kaline

8.6 Alex Rodriguez

8.3 Bryce Harper

8.1 Mickey Mantle

7.5 Manny Machado

7.5 Ken Griffey Jr

7.1 Ted Williams

 

Let's see...that list includes four of the very best players of all time (Cobb, A-Rod, Mantle, and Williams), three solid Hall of Famers (Ott, Kaline, Griffey), and three of the very best young players in the game today (Trout, Harper, Machado).

 

Don't like WAR? Well, you mentioned OPS so here's OPS, but with 500 minimum PA. I'll list 15 as Harper is #12:

 

Top 15 Positions Players Through Age 20 - by OPS

1.045 Ted Williams

.963 Mel Ott

.948 Jimmie Foxx

.940 Alex Rodriguez

.936 Frank Robinson

.911 Mike Trout

.874 Mickey Mantle

.865 Tony Conigliaro

.860 Vada Pinson

.854 Orlando Cepeda

.849 Jason Heyward

.834 Bryce Harper

.828 Willie Mays

.821 Al Kaline

.805 Ken Griffey Jr

 

Of the 11 non-active players, 8 are in the Hall of Fame, Griffey almost certainly will be, and then you have Pinson - a classic Hall of the Very Good player - and Conigliaro, a very talented player whose career was derailed by being hit in the face.

 

Right now Harper is already at least a borderline star if not a true star. But given the fact that he's only 21 and looking at the list above, chances are very good that he'll have a Hall of Fame career and be a legit superstar.

 

Now Mike Trout is already a superstar, the best player in the game. But it isn't fair to compare Harper to what has been the best start to a career in baseball history (at least according to WAR). I also wouldn't be surprised if Harper ends up being as good or better than Trout in some seasons. It might take him a few years to get there, but prepare for a string of 40+ HR, 1.000 OPS seasons, maybe 50 HR once or twice.

[Blarg]

Uh... thanks AJ but this is a Tanaka thread. How about Japanese transplants historical WAR value compared with the rest of MLB or even pitchers who are somewhat of the same age category and their comparative value?

[HaloMilliVanilli]

I didn't read the Harper comment as literal.  Only that he was the hyped #1 player drafted, and was paid accordingly.  However, with some diligence and a little luck maybe another player is available that can help the club that comes with less fanfare and better cost.

[Angelsjunky]

Uh... thanks AJ but this is a Tanaka thread. How about Japanese transplants historical WAR value compared with the rest of MLB or even pitchers who are somewhat of the same age category and their comparative value?

 

Yeah I know, I started it. I was replying to gotbeer's view on Harper, because quite a few folks tend to put Harper down as over-hyped simply because he hasn't been as good as Trout, which is like telling a woman she's ugly because she doesn't look like Emily Ratajkowski. Harper has been great for his age and is going to be an amazing player.

[wopphil]

Jeff Fletcher, any new info or thoughts on this?