The Official 'TANAKA' Thread

[Homebrewer]

Tanaka threads > Garza threads.

Tanaka has more @ngelswin love than Garza.

 

Watch...

Tanaka will want to pitch for the Yanks.

Gammons, after reading all of this, will warn Garza that he won't get any love in Anaheim, and he will go to the D'backs (where he probably belongs anyhow)

 

Better start discussing/deciding who we really want from the third tier..

[eligrba]

It is fun to be a fan of a team that is in the running for Tanaka, but I hope the focus is on the improvement of the future as much as on the immediate needs.  Thinking about having Tanaka on the Angels makes me feel warm all over, but I would feel the same knowing that Trout has signed a meaningful extension making him an Angel for a long, long time.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

 

This is the Tanaka we're signing.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

• Tanaka's workload is a serious concern, writes Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated. Before even beginning his age-25 season, Tanaka has thrown 1,315 innings, a workload completely unlike those of most young big-league pitchers, at least in the last few decades. "Everyone is acting like it's a no-brainer all-in just because he's 25," said an executive for an MLB team. "He's still a pitcher and he's still got serious miles on him. [Tanaka is a] very attractive player nonetheless but a real risk ... as with basically all pitchers."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20131227/masahiro-tanaka-major-league-baseball-value/?eref=sihp

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

http://insidethezona.com/2013/12/masahiro-tanaka-posted-bet-arizona/

 

 

• Inside The Zona handicaps everyones odds on Masahiro Tanaka.

[Brent Maguire]

The workload may be the reason why his fastball velocity has dipped a bit.

If I remember correctly, he used to be able to hit 96 on the gun. Now, he's more in the 89-91 range.

[tomsred]

Watch...

Tanaka will want to pitch for the Yanks.

Gammons, after reading all of this, will warn Garza that he won't get any love in Anaheim, and he will go to the D'backs (where he probably belongs anyhow)

 

Better start discussing/deciding who we really want from the third tier..

I think you are right about canvassing the third tier list.  However, it will be interesting to see where he does land.  Arizona is not a pitcher friendly park, isn't the speculation that Trumbo could easily hit 40 HR's there?  Pitching in Boston or New York, while it might net him the most cash, may be the biggest cultural change for him.  Baseball in Japan is pretty pristine, you can't spit, chew or even eat sunflower seeds there.  Ever wonder what the Boston and New York fans might do to him verbally, or how they would treat him.

 

He will have to adjust to facing the power hitters in MLB baseball, they're a little few and far between in Japan.  In some ways I could see him attracted to Seattle, it's a pitcher's park, the climate could be closer to Japan, and the Asian population would embrace him there like they did with Itchiro.  I guess we would have some chance based on the fact that our park is pitcher friendly, has a marine layer, and has a large Asian population.  We are West Coast, and also closer to Japan than the East Coast and Midwestern teams.  An American league team would also seem to have a small edge because he wouldn't have to hit.  I would say the Dodgers may be out because they already have an over abundance of pitching, and have yet to pay Kershaw.

 

My top guesses for Tanaka's landing would be:

 

1.  Seattle (it makes a lot of sense).

2.  New York Yankees  (they will make him filthy rich, and they really need pitching).

3.  Boston  (for the same reason above).

4.  Texas  (Darvish and Tanaka could be lights out).

5.  Angels (because we are sneaky).

6.  Dodgers (because they sign everyone these days).

[Brent Maguire]

I'd take out the Rangers and Dodgers and put the Cubs and Astros in the mix.

 

Houston could be competitive in 2016 so they would have their ace locked up during a time when they are going to start making some noise. 

 

Cubs may be even closer and a lot of reports have said they will go all in on Tanaka. 

[Halo49]

A lot of fans were saying the same type of thing after Pujols signed with the Angels. Does that really make a difference (don't use the tv contract as an example, because  that's not true. The tv contract was a done deal before Pujols signed with the Angels)?

Really and you know for a fact the Pujols signing had nothing to due with the dollar amount the Angels received from the T.V. deal? Even if you don't use that example the Japanese adverting dollars will be there with Tanaka. The guy is a rock star in Japan! Artie might not be a great baseball man but he is a great businessman. If signing Tanaka makes financial sense he will do what he has to do to get a deal done. 

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Really and you know for a fact the Pujols signing had nothing to due with the dollar amount the Angels received from the T.V. deal? Even if you don't use that example the Japanese adverting dollars will be there with Tanaka. The guy is a rock star in Japan! Artie might not be a great baseball man but he is a great businessman. If signing Tanaka makes financial sense he will do what he has to do to get a deal done. 

Yes, the Angels beat writer confirmed that his signing didn't increase the amount of  Angels tv contract at all. 

[Stradling]

We should ask Jeff Fletcher that question.

[Halos of Anaheim]

Yes, the Angels beat writer confirmed that his signing didn't increase the amount of  Angels tv contract at all. 

I don't believe that.

[Tyler]

All we need to do is send Tanaka's agent a Mike Trout highlight film called 'You're with him or against him'.

[Angel Oracle]

On the subject of Garza, he did put up a decent/solid road ERA of 4.27 in 2010 while pitching a lot in AL East parks, all extremely hitting friendly places.

That road ERA was probably comparable to a lot of solid AL East pitchers.

If he could put up a 4.00 road ERA and 3.50 home ERA, that would just about be worthy of 4 years/$60-65 million.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[Inside Pitch]

On the subject of Garza, he did put up a decent/solid road ERA of 4.27 in 2010 while pitching a lot in AL East parks, all extremely hitting friendly places.

That road ERA was probably comparable to a lot of solid AL East pitchers.

If he could put up a 4.00 road ERA and 3.50 home ERA, that would just about be worthy of 4 years/$60-65 million.

 

If four years ago had any bearing on next season, and his arm wasn't a time bomb, 4 years 60-65 million wouldn't be awful,

[Angel Oracle]

I did some more research on Garza, and the durability issue may be a little bit of a stretch.

While he did miss some 22 starts across 2012-2013, all of them were from mid-July 2012 through mid-May 2013, when he made zero starts. Otherwise, he made pretty much every scheduled start in those 2 seasons.

It wasn't a litany of injuries, but a stretch across two separate seasons.

Also, the road ERA/road WHIP in 2013 were nothing to sneeze at:

3.68/1.15.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[Brent Maguire]

AO, it's hard to dismiss that stretch where he didn't start any games though. 

 

That was a pretty big injury and being on the wrong side of 30 isn't going to help him get any healthier. I'm not doubting that he will be a decent #3 guy next year but I don't think he'll be very good the following years. 

[Stradling]

AO, it would be like you trying to ignore Hamilton's second half demise in 2012.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Stradling

[Inside Pitch]

I did some more research on Garza, and the durability issue may be a little bit of a stretch.

While he did miss some 22 starts across 2012-2013, all of them were from mid-July 2012 through mid-May 2013, when he made zero starts. Otherwise, he made pretty much every scheduled start in those 2 seasons.

It wasn't a litany of injuries, but a stretch across two separate seasons.

Also, the road ERA/road WHIP in 2013 were nothing to sneeze at:

3.68/1.15.

 

The problem with disregarding his recent inability to pitch is that it's recent -- and he's not getting any younger.  Pitchers don't typically get healthier after 30.

 

Garza didnt pitch poorly at home either -- then again, TBIA played very closely to nuetral last year for pitchers at 101 -- you're likely looking at his numbers overall last year and that would include his time in the NL -- which pretty much makes the numbers look better.   Garza isn't a bad pitcher, just one that's being vastly overrated.  Paul Byrd was a career 105 ERA guy in the AL -- nobody ever talked about a 4-5 year deal for him.

 

Anyway -- here are his career numbers in ballparks -- most of which really don't matter anymore given he's been in the NL for most of the last two years.  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=garzama01&year=Career&t=p#site_extra  He's actually pitched better in Arlington than Anaheim.   Dude has been amazing in Toronto.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Inside Pitch

[NrM]

AO, it would be like you trying to ignore Hamilton's second half demise in 2012.

 

Well Arte and crew sure did.

[Docwaukee]

I feel like the halos have ignored some serious red flags in regards to certain players just prior to giving them monster contracts.

 

Granted, Garza doesn't stand to get a monster deal, but he does stand to benefit above a usual free agent contract because of the lack of pitching available, and the escalating money being given this off season in particular. 

 

As we know, any free agent contract is paying a guy what he did in the past for other teams. 

 

Here are the red flags for Garza:

-Age 30.  As we know, players typically decline after the age of 30.

-Recent injury.  Garza had a stress fracture or stress reaction in his elbow.  Of course I have not seen the medicals, but typically, the constant repetition of pitching a certain way causes edema or swelling in the bone at the point of attachment of a ligament or tendon.  At this point of attachment, with undue stress, one of two things will happen.  You either get a stress reaction/fracture, or the tendon or ligament tears.  This does not seem like an isolated incident if he continues to throw the same way and risk for re-injury is real.

-Switch to the AL.  He's 3 years removed from his decent sample size of having reasonable success in the AL.  His small sample of being in the AL last year demonstrated not so great results which mostly came on the road as opposed to what you'd expect with him pitching in Arlington.  His peripherals were also solid and his BABIP was a bit high relative to his career.  He's also maintained his velocity so the results were most likely an aberration.  This is probably the thing I'm least concerned about.

-Potential makeup and/or clubhouse issues.  Seems to get rattled and prone to having his emotions work against him.  Could be douchey.  Word from a Chicago friend that knows a bunch of cubs players mentioned that it's not that he's a bad guy, but just a constant rah-rah type.  Very intense and always on.  Apparently this was well received early on, but it got old after awhile in that he wasn't very good at picking his spots and the constant over the top intensity wore on people. 

 

Some pluses for Garza:

-Good velocity after injury.  The stuff is there right now and the team will certainly benefit from having him in 2014.

-Intense guy that could bring passion to the clubhouse.

-Even though he's moving to the AL, he's gonna be in a pitchers park and even though his career gb/fb ratio is kinda all over the place, he seems to be more of a fly ball pitcher. 

-The halos have a big need for a pitcher of his caliber assuming he's healthy

 

Overall, the previous injury and his age are my biggest concern.  Couple that with what may be a significant overpay and I am inclined to pass.  He's got a decent chance of being worth 15-18mil over the first two years of whatever deal he get though. 

[YESWECAN]

Does he like to bat and therefore does he have a preference for AL or NL?

[henry]

Thank god we've got another Tanaka topic so we can address this issue.

Edited December 29, 2013 by henry

[Docwaukee]

Thank god we've got another Tanaka topic so we can address this issue.

but this one has three Q's in the title.

[Ray McKigney]

He has openly acknowledged that he's a switch hitter.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Ray McKigney