Scouting note on Tanaka from Wayne Graczyk from the Japan Times & Japanball

[Chuck]

now I'm gonna be disappointed if we don't get him.

Don't be. There's also a chance we all could be wrong like so many so called experts were wrong on Matsuzaka, Ishii and Irabu.

That said, the more I've learned about Tanaka over the past several days the more I like the chances that he'll be a Weaver/Wilson type at worst, or a Wainwright/Darvish-lite type at best.

[Angel Oracle]

I had forgotten about Scherzer being a FA after 2014. He would be 30 to start a new contract in 2015. But he hasn't pitched a ton of MLB innings (just over 1000 so far) or made a ton of pitches.

2014 was a bit of an anomaly for him. Usually a 1.20s WHIP and mid/upper 3.00s ERA guy, he suddenly goes sub 1.00 WHIP and sub 3.00 ERA in 2014. Anomaly? Or he simply finally found the solution to being an ace?

And of course, Boras looms.

[Chuck]

I had forgotten about Scherzer being a FA after 2014. He would be 30 to start a new contract in 2015. But he hasn't pitched a ton of MLB innings (just over 1000 so far) or made a ton of pitches.

2014 was a bit of an anomaly for him. Usually a 1.20s WHIP and mid/upper 3.00s ERA guy, he suddenly goes sub 1.00 WHIP and sub 3.00 ERA in 2014. Anomaly? Or he simply finally found the solution to being an ace?

And of course, Boras looms.

 

 

I don't think it's wise to cease from making your team better today in hopes of signing a player in the future.

[Brent Maguire]

Scherzer is going to get a huge pay day next offseason if Detroit doesn't re sign him. I'd stay away from that considering his age and the fact that he's probably more like a #2 rather than the ace he pitched like last year.

[Docwaukee]

I don't think it's wise to cease from making your team better today in hopes of signing someone a season later.

agree.  I think a lot of guys are going to get locked up from now and until free agency by their existing clubs.  That so called strong free agent pool for 2015 is going to start weakening soon.  Plus, long term free agent contracts to pitchers in 2015 are going to be even worse than this year.  A string of mike hampton, denny neagle, darren dreifort, chan ho park contracts are coming and may have already happened or are about to happen.  Hell, Tanaka could be one of them. 

 

To me, there are two nuclear scenarios for tanaka:

 

1.  He goes the Hamilton route and just doesn't perform.  The thing about Hamilton was that it seemed his suitor's were limited and apparently for good reason.  Many folks are in on Tanaka which would make it very odd for him to totally fail and make some many teams and therefore so many eyes on this guy just wrong

 

2.  He goes the Pujols route and his arm falls off.  Pujols hasn't performed mainly due to injury.  He had a bunch of people after him when he was a free agent including his former team wanting to keep him.  Even if that happens, you aren't in a horrible position as guys return from injury all the time and with Tanaka only being 25, he could still put together some nice seasons upon return while insurance pays him during any potential rehab. 

 

I think #2 is a more realistic concern than #1.  It's worth a shot here imo

[Chuck]

According to David Waldstein of the New York Times, Masahiro Tanaka's wife prefers to be on the west coast.

 

And so the Dodgers are being floated as the favorite to sign the 25-year-old right-hander. But this is a common storyline in major league free agency and the player almost always signs with the team that simply makes the best financial offer. The Yankees, Cubs, Angels, Mariners and Diamondbacks are among the other clubs with heavy interest in Tanaka, who went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 2013 for Japan's Rakuten Golden Eagles.

[rick99gtp]

Hopefully the fact that we scouted him years ago will benefit us.  (For those of us that want Tanaka)  But, I do wonder if what his wife has said is true, about prefering to play on the west coast, will drive up the price for the Yankees...??

[Docwaukee]

interesting dynamic.  If it's true that he is essentially picking between the Dogs and Halos then I wonder what he is going to use to differentiate.

 

If it's mostly about the money for him, then I would imagine the Dodgers have the edge. 

Both are good pitching parks. 

Both would have strong Asian fan support

Tanaka would be the or at least one of the centerpieces of the rotation in Anaheim whereas he would be a bit down the list on the Dodgers. 

Both have good chances to win with the edge right now for the Dodgers. 

Fans are probably a bit more mellow in the OC

[Mark68]

interesting dynamic.  If it's true that he is essentially picking between the Dogs and Halos then I wonder what he is going to use to differentiate.

 

If it's mostly about the money for him, then I would imagine the Dodgers have the edge. 

Both are good pitching parks. 

Both would have strong Asian fan support

Tanaka would be the or at least one of the centerpieces of the rotation in Anaheim whereas he would be a bit down the list on the Dodgers. 

Both have good chances to win with the edge right now for the Dodgers. 

Fans are probably a bit more mellow in the OC

And don't forget, the OC has Disneyland. LA has....the La Brea Tar Pits? Oh yeah, and Hollywood.

[Inside Pitch]

interesting dynamic.  If it's true that he is essentially picking between the Dogs and Halos then I wonder what he is going to use to differentiate.

 

If it's mostly about the money for him, then I would imagine the Dodgers have the edge. 

Both are good pitching parks. 

Both would have strong Asian fan support

Tanaka would be the or at least one of the centerpieces of the rotation in Anaheim whereas he would be a bit down the list on the Dodgers. 

Both have good chances to win with the edge right now for the Dodgers. 

Fans are probably a bit more mellow in the OC

 

Well, his team in Japan played in the DH league...hopefully he doesn't like hitting all that much.  The Angels play in the AL West where he would have regular match-ups with Darvish for bragging rights back home -- those two things seem to be about it as far as selling points..  The AL would also let him face the Yanks and Boston on a regular basis -- so, if he's really as into "competition" as some have written that may appeal to him.  Of course, all of this also applies to the Mariners.

 

The other factors are pretty much the way you paint them.

Edited January 14, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[Jimmag]

We cannot give him MATSUILAND however this can be turned into TANAKATOWN!