The snowball

[Torridd]

Once Tanaka is signed with whomever, when do you think the other available pitchers will start to be signed? If we don't get him, as are the odds, this becomes very important.

 

I'm eager to read what you guys think.

[tdawg87]

Pretty much right after. Pitchers and catchers report in a little over a month, so most of them will want to be signed as soon as possible to prepare. I'm guessing Garza and the like would have signed in December if not for Tanaka.

[gotbeer]

I think it'll start pretty soon.  Teams should have an idea of if they are in or out of the sweepstakes pretty soon.  And once they know they are out, they will try and pounce on the other pitchers.  I think it'll take one pitcher signing, not necessarily Tanaka, to start the frenzy.  

 

A funny thought is, Jerome might be the one to start the frenzy.  

[Torridd]

I think it'll start pretty soon.  Teams should have an idea of if they are in or out of the sweepstakes pretty soon.  And once they know they are out, they will try and pounce on the other pitchers.  I think it'll take one pitcher signing, not necessarily Tanaka, to start the frenzy.  

 

A funny thought is, Jerome might be the one to start the frenzy.  

But shouldn't they know by now if they're in or out? Or do you mean those teams who put in the 20 mil just to talk to him?

[HaloCory22]

Even if teams know if they're in or out on Tanaka, other pitchers won't start signing until Tanaka does and sets up the market value. The only other pitcher besides Tanaka who could start this would be Garza perhaps.

[gotbeer]

But shouldn't they know by now if they're in or out? Or do you mean those teams who put in the 20 mil just to talk to him?

 

Those who put in the $20 million just to talk to him.  They should know what he's asking by now.  That could scare away a lot of teams, so they will start looking elsewhere.  

 

And the problem with waiting it out, is you may not have a seat when the song ends.  Lohse is the prime example.  Pitchers and Catchers report in a little over a  month.  Most teams are for the most part fully assembled.

[Tank]

if i were the gm, this would have been settled two months ago. we'd have both tanaka and garza, and we wouldn't have had to pay the posting fee.

 

 

yes, i'm that capable.

[Second Base]

If I were Gaza/Ubaldo/Santana's agents, I'd be shopping my pitcher right now while the Tanaka negotiations are happening.  After Tanaka signs, you give the market too much of a chance to develop and may lose some serious cash because responsible teams will have their roster set by then.  

 

If you shop the second tier of pitchers right now, you look for some team that knows they won't get Tanaka to try and stun the world with a reasonable contract.