Masahiro Tanaka

[kan_t]

For all those individuals who suggested that Tanaka should find a way to share his wealth with his former team, apparently MLB has concerns about this approach

MLB wary that Masahiro Tanaka might 'repay' Japanese team

I don't know how MLB could enforce it. The local government could set up a sporting fund. Tanaka could simply donate his money to the local government. Let the government fund the stadium or improve the baseball facility.

And how could MLB prove that the player donates his money because of being posted?

[fvkw]

Give him $100 mill. And everything's good! 16 to 20 mill a year! GOOD DEAL! Puts cheeks in the seats!

[melon]

When I first read the posts here of Tanaka repaying his old team part of his salary, I thought it was just a crazy conspiracy theory. But I guess it's really true. Wow.

[kan_t]

When I first read the posts here of Tanaka repaying his old team part of his salary, I thought it was just a crazy conspiracy theory. But I guess it's really true. Wow.

The culture is just different. Tanaka wants to donate because the team respects his will and he wants to give back to the team which helps to develop him in last 7 years, if the report is true. I doubt there is any agreement between Tanaka and the Eagles.

[melon]

Just curious.....did Ichiro, Matsui, Dice, Darvish, Uehara, etc...also donate? Is this common practice?

[Yankee Steve]

Just curious.....did Ichiro, Matsui, Dice, Darvish, Uehara, etc...also donate? Is this common practice?

That group represents a mixed bag of players... Some posted and some not. Additionally, the posting fees in place prior was much higher so the teams were being paid handsomely anyway. This is the first 1st instance of a team being "short changed".

[Yogi]

For what it's worth a nice blurb about Tanaka from http://bleedingyankeeblue.blogspot.com/

Casey McGehee knows Masahiro Tanaka. Don't forget, McGehee played ball in Japan after he was with the Yankees for a short time. Well, since his return and all this Tanaka-Mania, Casey McGehee has been interviewed... a lot, because he was Tanaka's teammate in Japan. Here's what he says about Tanaka's talent:

“You could see from day one he’s kind of a different animal... He’s unbelievably competitive. The jury is out on how many pitches he has, but he’s got at least three that are weapons, not just pitches he uses here and there. He can lean on any one of his fastball-slider-split at any time... His forkball is the best one I’ve seen. A lot of guys over there throw one. He’s the one guy that was able to manipulate it and have it do what he wanted. He could throw it for strikes. He could take speed off of it. He could throw it harder. He could bounce it. He was really special with that pitch."

"Whoever gets him…it’s going to be money well spent.”

[Jace]

The culture is just different. Tanaka wants to donate because the team respects his will and he wants to give back to the team which helps to develop him in last 7 years, if the report is true. I doubt there is any agreement between Tanaka and the Eagles.

I'm not disagreeing about the culture, but there are obvious normal business/profit motives for this setup too. Tanaka wants to get posted for better competition and a much higher salary, the team wants more compensation for a valuable asset, so the team only agrees to post him on the condition of receiving a kickback. Everyone makes money.

And as people have said, there are legitimate methods of doing this. Americans would do it too, haha.

[ppa79]

Sign him, he should help attendance and TV ratings. I know I'll be eager to see his starts.

[jeterrules]

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/1...odgers-yankees

A blog that has no favorite claims the Dodgers will sign him. they give there reasons etc.

[MrBurns]

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/1...odgers-yankees

A blog that has no favorite claims the Dodgers will sign him. they give there reasons etc.

Thought the blog was horrible. What reasons did he give that the dodgers would get him other than they have a lot of money. He doesn't go into any real detail. "The Dodgers don't need Tanaka. They're just gluttonous creeps". He mentions the yanks are probably not interested because of the cap. They are almost there anyway, so I think he is completely wrong on that aspect. He also failed to mention anything about resigning Kershaw. That should be relevant to signing tananka. They also already have 6 starters.

[Zimmer's Helmet]

If the Dodgers sign Tanaka, it could be a sign that they're not very confident they'll be able to extend Kershaw.

[grizy]

A lot of teams have interest... and a lot of those teams have the money.

[THEBOSS84]

If the Dodgers sign Tanaka, it could be a sign that they're not very confident they'll be able to extend Kershaw.

Or it could be a sign that the first $300M payroll is on the horizon.

[jeterrules]

And the 1 advantage those teams have is they are way under the 189M cap. Sure the Yankees could go last it but the more they go past the more it costs so they will be priced right out of the Tanaka bidding once it gets insane. At least we will not have to wait to long only like 28 days to go. Some team will sign him most likely mid Jan.

[kan_t]

We really don't know what's the Yankees budget is if they decide to go over $189M.

[longtimeyankeefan]

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/1...odgers-yankees

A blog that has no favorite claims the Dodgers will sign him. they give there reasons etc.

For a blog that claims no favorites, it seemed pretty biased to me:

The Yankees were going to be the only competition, but that was when it seemed like it would take an $80 million posting fee that wouldn't count toward the luxury-tax threshold. Now a big salary would ding the Yankees, and they don't seem too interested in that.

Really, the Yankees are not interested in Tanaka because a larger portion of his posting/signing costs would count against the luxury tax? I had not read that fact - guess we have to accept it as gospel (sign of the cross here) because it was printed.

[Zimmer's Helmet]

Or it could be a sign that the first $300M payroll is on the horizon.

That too - just seems like they need hitting more than pitching at this point.

They didn't make a run at Cano, so I find it odd that they'd be in on Tanaka unless they know something the rest of us don't.

[BeantownYankee]

Thought the blog was horrible. What reasons did he give that the dodgers would get him other than they have a lot of money. He doesn't go into any real detail. "The Dodgers don't need Tanaka. They're just gluttonous creeps". He mentions the yanks are probably not interested because of the cap. They are almost there anyway, so I think he is completely wrong on that aspect. He also failed to mention anything about resigning Kershaw. That should be relevant to signing tananka. They also already have 6 starters.

The Blog sounds like something jeterrules would write...

[kan_t]

For a blog that claims no favorites, it seemed pretty biased to me:



Really, the Yankees are not interested in Tanaka because a larger portion of his posting/signing costs would count against the luxury tax? I had not read that fact - guess we have to accept it as gospel (sign of the cross here) because it was printed.

It's funny that the blogger thinks the Yankees seem not too interested, yet the Yankees have been reported to be the first team to contact Tanaka's agent.

[Gob Rules]

I ain't even worried.

What number would he wear?

[YankeeFan1421]

I don't know how MLB could enforce it. The local government could set up a sporting fund. Tanaka could simply donate his money to the local government. Let the government fund the stadium or improve the baseball facility.

And how could MLB prove that the player donates his money because of being posted?

Trying to figure out why MLB would really care what the player does with his own money?

the best I can come up with is that MLB would be concerned that future players may not be as eager to come to the US if Tanka sets a precedent that money would be sent back anyway...I guess that's a possible explanation, but still doesn't seem like that big of an issue...

[21stAmendment]

Him going to the Cubs makes too much sense for it not to happen. A lot of payroll room, zero high upside pitching in system, Theo isn't afraid to go big, particularly with a Japaneese arm. It's like Theo has been lying in the weeds until Tanaka was posted. Smart money is on the Cubs.

Yankees on the other hand are going to feel the pain of developing zero pitching until they finally do.

[teknetic]

http://www.baseballnation.com/2013/1...odgers-yankees

A blog that has no favorite claims the Dodgers will sign him. they give there reasons etc.

The only reason listed for the Dodgers being the favorites is that they have money to spend. Groundbreaking stuff.

[longtimeyankeefan]

Him going to the Cubs makes too much sense for it not to happen. A lot of payroll room, zero high upside pitching in system, Theo isn't afraid to go big, particularly with a Japaneese arm. It's like Theo has been lying in the weeds until Tanaka was posted. Smart money is on the Cubs.

Yankees on the other hand are going to feel the pain of developing zero pitching until they finally do.

If Tanaka signs with the Yankees, he still won't have been developed by the Yankees, so I guess that reason in itself is enough to suggest we should not even try to sign him, since it would blunt the implementation of the plan to develop pitching.