The one and only Masahiro Tanaka posting and bidding thread

[connorp]

Jim Bowden offered Dan Haren as the best possible Tanaka comp. For what it's worth, between his age 25-31 seasons Dan Haren was the sixth best pitcher in baseball posting 32.6 WAR, which totally blew my mind.

 

Im not shocked. Haren was a known stud for a number of years. Tanaka will prob be worth his contract. Really hope he doesnt go to NY

[Anemic0ffense]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I tuned into sports radio in NY (because that's where I live), and around 4AM someone called in and gave a detailed scouting report of Tanaka (claims to have seen him pitch on a number of occasions)

 

I was somewhat surprised that he tops out at 89-90mph on the FB. Claims he usually hangs the slider. Where a Japanese hitter may whiff on that, it will likely end up in the seats in the MLB. Best pitch forkball (but we knew that already). Sees a harder transition to the states than Darvish experienced. Overall says he wouldn't sign him if he were the Yankees. Sees #3-4 ceiling here. Take it with a grain of salt, but I wasn't liking what I heard from this guy.

[ElNik2013]

Are the Jays getting a less expensive pitcher + a 2B and a Jeff Baker? Of course, this assumes that the Jays are seeking improvements at 2B and RH bat not to mention that the 2B FA market is barren at this point.

[LunchBox]

Im not shocked. Haren was a known stud for a number of years. Tanaka will prob be worth his contract. Really hope he doesnt go to NY

 

CC, Hallladay, Verlander, Lee, Felix, Haren. I probably would have guessed the first five and totally overlooked Haren as their peer.

[ElNik2013]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I tuned into sports radio in NY (because that's where I live), and around 4AM someone called in and gave a detailed scouting report of Tanaka (claims to have seen him pitch on a number of occasions)

 

I was somewhat surprised that he tops out at 89-90mph on the FB. Claims he usually hangs the slider. Where a Japanese hitter may whiff on that, it will likely end up in the seats in the MLB. Best pitch forkball (but we knew that already). Sees a harder transition to the states than Darvish experienced. Overall says he wouldn't sign him if he were the Yankees. Sees #3-4 ceiling here. Take it with a grain of salt, but I wasn't liking what I heard from this guy.

 

 

 

Here's a story on him from Blue Bird Banter:

 

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/12/26/5242932/masahiro-tanaka-the-pitcher

[Abomination]

Here's a story on him from Blue Bird Banter:

 

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/12/26/5242932/masahiro-tanaka-the-pitcher

 

Interesting linked article at the bottom of that one saying that Hayhurst and Morris won't be back next year.

[ElNik2013]

Forget Baker. Boras. It's f***ing stupid.

 

 

 

Well, there goes that possibility, lol. I really think these types of policies (like not dealing with Boras), are examples of the downside to corporate ownership. This policy, afik, was set by Beeston for personal reasons and the fact that ownership allows him to have this kind of power is at least problematic for the baseball operations. We could include releasing players for PR reasons as another example.

 

Anyway

[LunchBox]

Forget Baker. Boras. It's f***ing stupid.

 

I really hate that rule. I can understand not wanting to negotiate the worth of Choo, Ellsbury with him, but Scott f***ing Baker?

 

Apparently he represents Espinosa too, f*** my life.

[ElNik2013]

Interesting linked article at the bottom of that one saying that Hayhurst and Morris won't be back next year.

 

 

Thanks for that, I hadn't noticed since it was just posted. We'll see if that turns out to be the case, but these 2 guys seemed to criticize the team quite a bit. I think Hayhurst questioned the change of direction taken by the team or something to that effect.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Next thing you know, this thread needs to be renamed "Masahiro Tanaka and the Origins of the Universe".

 

If the Jays sign him, someone needs to make that a sign to bring to his first home appearance.

 

There's no way the Rogers Centre gestapo lets that sign happen. Anything besides "The Jays are the best" is not permitted.

[LunchBox]

There's no way the Rogers Centre gestapo lets that sign happen. Anything besides "The Jays are the best" is not permitted.

 

We just need to get six or seven guys together, print it on white t-shirts (hidden under jackets) and sit in the outfield stealing signs.

[Frenchsoup]

i just can't believe you have a president of your company who takes things so personally and lets emotions effect his decisions.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I tuned into sports radio in NY (because that's where I live), and around 4AM someone called in and gave a detailed scouting report of Tanaka (claims to have seen him pitch on a number of occasions)

 

I was somewhat surprised that he tops out at 89-90mph on the FB. Claims he usually hangs the slider. Where a Japanese hitter may whiff on that, it will likely end up in the seats in the MLB. Best pitch forkball (but we knew that already). Sees a harder transition to the states than Darvish experienced. Overall says he wouldn't sign him if he were the Yankees. Sees #3-4 ceiling here. Take it with a grain of salt, but I wasn't liking what I heard from this guy.

 

I guess all the guns in Japan are juiced beyond anything anyone's ever seen.

[GeorgiaPeach]

i just can't believe you have a president of your company who takes things so personally and lets emotions effect his decisions.

 

He also pretends to be the poor man's Illitch.

[connorp]

Its back on topic so i will be too

 

BTS and Dinger started it all dropping the J-Bomb:)

[P2F]

I sentence you all to 100 recitals of "I know enough to know that I really don't know much at all" (derived from the Socratic paradox, I know that I know nothing).

 

And go.

[GD]

We have to be the only baseball message board that debate the merits of religion and wRC+. Awesome.

[Anemic0ffense]

I guess all the guns in Japan are juiced beyond anything anyone's ever seen.

 

People have also said low 90's. I mean velocity isn't everything, but when you have a FB described as "flat", you better have something better than a 90mph one. We're due for a dud international signing in America. Perhaps it'll be Tanaka.

[Abomination]

The only role I played in starting all of this was calling David Robertson a top-5 reliever.

 

I hope you learned your lesson

[ElNik2013]

i just can't believe you have a president of your company who takes things so personally and lets emotions effect his decisions.

 

 

This is one of the downsides of corporate ownership or any ownership that is not involved with how the team is run for that matter. Here's a story about the Cardinals' Chairman and CEO and how their success starts with him:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/chairman-and-ceo-bill-dewitt-jrs-visionary-thinking-transformed-cardinals?ymd=20131025&content_id=63344130&vkey=news_mlb

[connorp]

I could say I think Transformers are real and the AllSpark created all life and this claim wouldn't be any different than any other religion. Some people just need to believe some things are true, but religion goes to far when it affects others and is discriminatory.

 

I will bring this up to you as I concede youre a much sharper guy than me.. I went to school for my MBA but can call a spade a spade and guys like you and nox are much sharper cookies.

 

But Ive been over there. The subject is fascinating to me but im a definite agnostic. But know there are people over there..some ive met.. That are sharpee cookies than you guys. Ive met some of them and talked at length with them. Some of these are guys with PhDs from some of the most prestigous schools in the world.

 

They have faith, or in some cases, reserved faith..but they dedicate their lives to taking the facts in the dirt and historical documentation to try to separate fiction from what may be fact. And no doubt much of the Bible can be a crock if taken literally

 

So i guess from my own experience of meeting some of these deep characters, i take offense when its assumed anyone seeking out truth in religion is akin to hunting the Lochness monster. Pretty sure they dont have degrees in that at accredited U's

[Abomination]

So i guess from my own experience of meeting some of these deep characters, i take offense when its assumed anyone seeking out truth in religion is akin to hunting the Lochness monster. Pretty sure they dont have degrees in that at accredited U's

 

I bet there's probably a university or two with at least one course on hunting it. It's astonishing what some high end universities get away with offering these days

[connorp]

The only role I played in starting all of this was calling David Robertson a top-5 reliever.

 

Thats like getting in a fight in hs and saying: "he pushed me first" ..both yo' asses would be suspended:)

[connorp]

Ha. Youre definitely prob right Abom:)

 

Very true

 

But my general point stands

[GeorgiaPeach]

People have also said low 90's. I mean velocity isn't everything, but when you have a FB described as "flat", you better have something better than a 90mph one. We're due for a dud international signing in America. Perhaps it'll be Tanaka.

 

I was seeing more MPH on Youtube videos of him.

[Atothe]

Its been reported by multiply places that he can touch 95 when he has to, I don't know why someone would say or write that he tops out at 88-90 mph.

[flafson]

Its been reported by multiply places that he can touch 95 when he has to, I don't know why someone would say or write that he tops out at 88-90 mph.

 

He can actually touch 97 from what i've seen.

It is scary that he seem to have a lot of mileage at an early age but then again, in the past they used to throw a lot more and were just fine.

[G-Snarls]

We have to be the only baseball message board that debate the merits of religion and wRC+. Awesome.

 

All in the same thread too!

[Angrioter]

MLB Asks Rakuten To Assure No Tanaka Side Deal

Major League Baseball has asked the Rakuten Golden Eagles to submit in writing an assurance that the club does not have a side deal with Masahiro Tanaka, Bill Shaikin and Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times report. Rakuten has not yet responded to MLB's letter.

 

Late last week, Shaikin and Hernandez reported that MLB would make sure that Tanaka was not donating to Rakuten. A donation would violate MLB's deal with NPB, which stipulates that Japanese teams not receive any money beyond a player's posting fee, which has a $20MM limit.

 

Rakuten's president, Yozo Tachibana, had reportedly said that Tanaka would "cooperate and donate . . . starting with improving the environment for the players and to make sure it’s the kind of stadium that can be loved by [local] fans." Rakuten has considered adding a dome.

 

Japanese cheaters lol

[jays4life19]

I really hate that rule. I can understand not wanting to negotiate the worth of Choo, Ellsbury with him, but Scott f***ing Baker?

 

Apparently he represents Espinosa too, f*** my life.

 

I don't understand the love for Espinosa on this board. The only appeal he has is as a very buy low option. Problem is if that were the case he would have already been traded. Washington won't just simply let him go for nothing. This is a guy who's projected at 0.2 war by steamers. He was wRC+ 23 in a small sample at the major league level and then was JP Arencibia bad at AAA with the bat.

 

Why give up anything of value to land him? If the Nats want to give him away for nothing of value? Sure...why not? Shouldn't give up anything of value for him though.