The one and only Masahiro Tanaka posting and bidding thread

[Abomination]

It's surprising there hasn't been more rumors about Tanaka so far. This thing feels like it's going to drag on the full length at this point.

[DuckDuckGose]

Isn't his agent still on vacation?

 

EDIT: Apparently he was supposed to be back on Monday.

[Angrioter]

Isn't his agent still on vacation?

 

EDIT: Apparently he was supposed to be back on Monday.

 

Casey Close is floating his hands and scratching his balls until next monday..

Tanaka will meet with the Cubs and White Sox the friday.

[leaffie]

Has anyone even heard a whisper of him meeting with the Jays?

[G-Snarls]

So are teams actively negotiating with Tanaka now?? Or is the posting decision still to be made? Seems very secretive all of a sudden.

[Key22]

Here's a question... Is there any actual reason to like Tanaka? It seems like most people on the board have him as the bar none best pitcher available but I'm not sure why exactly. We all know how great Darvish is and with the benefit of a lot of hindsight, it's clear that not signing him was an opportunity was wasted but that's water under the bridge. Signing Tanaka won't fix that and maybe this is just me being pessimistic but I wonder if signing him might actually be compounding the mistakes. I mean what do we even know about him? He has nice stats but the scouting reports and the statistical profile all indicate that he's not in the Darvish tier. Do we even know that he's better than Garza or Jimenez or even (gasp) Santana? The only thing we know for sure is that he'll probably cost more.

 

It seems like the main selling point for Tanaka is that you can wish cast on him. We know about the limitations of the other free agents. Just because we're less familiar with Tanaka's limitations doesn't mean he necessary has less of them and he certainly has cost going against him. It's kind of like how it's way easier to like prospects when they are really young then when they are in AAA and they have less projection (there's even one idiot poster on this board who votes for Miguel Castro in every single Blue Jays prospect pool).

 

Well it's kind of about looking at other teams - If the Jays send say 5 scouts and the all come back and say 1-2 starter - and 15 other teams make a big bid then there is arguably a lot of consensus in and out of the organization about the player. Fastball is 92-98mph and apparently has the best splitter in the world and he has excellent control. a 4-1 K/BB ratio and he's 25 - 6'2 205.

 

I think there is pretty large consensus around the game that he is likely better than Garza (injury prone), Santana (mediocre and wants $20million a year) and Jiminez (wants at least $14m a year).

 

The latter two to come to Toronto it will take at least a 5 year $15m per year signing. If Tanaka is much better (which is what the "experts" are saying then $17 and 7 for a guy a lot younger makes more sense to me.

 

I don;t really care if we don;t get him but if NYY, Bos, BAL, TB gets him - then teams that are already much better than us get a lot stronger while we sign a second string catcher as our front line catcher.

 

And using Darvish as a reference isn't a terrible idea - Tanaka doesn't need to be THAT good to still be worth it. Darvish - 209 IP 277 strikeouts 1.07 WHIP. The guy is an ace.

 

Let's not miss the boat again because it may not be a team in another division that gets him - it might be Boston or NYY.

 

And let's say NYY gets Tanaka. And let's say Tanaka is indeed much better than the big 3 free agents. We are already behind NYY after their upgrades. So we counter and sign Garza. Great. We still improved a lot LESS than they improved. Therefore we're worse before pitch one of the season.

 

In order to win you have to upgrade more than teams you're trying to catch. That simple.

 

And everyone on here blathering about Stroman - the guy is 5'9 and the odds are extremely slim this guy is going to hold up for 200 innings a year as a mainstream top of the rotation starting pitcher - the guy he gets compared to is Tom Gordon - (hardly an ace). It's teams like us who play the ole "lightning in a bottle" or hope to beat the odds maybe he can be called up in August kind of guys.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Key22

[DuckDuckGose]

So are teams actively negotiating with Tanaka now?? Or is the posting decision still to be made? Seems very secretive all of a sudden.

 

I've been looking for an MLB-tied source to confirm but to the best of my knowledge the negotiation window started at 8am Dec 24th and is open for 30 days. The posting fee has been set at $20M and I believe if a team is negotiating with Tanaka they have accepted the posting fee.

[G-Snarls]

I've been looking for an MLB-tied source to confirm but to the best of my knowledge the negotiation window started at 8am Dec 24th and is open for 30 days. The posting fee has been set at $20M and I believe if a team is negotiating with Tanaka they have accepted the posting fee.

 

Sounds right. It's just suddenly so quiet. I guess teams REALLY don't want anything leaked and I can totally understand why.

[DuckDuckGose]

The whole FA market is unusually quiet. I've read a lot of articles stating that the entire pitching market is waiting for Tanaka to sign. You'd think there would be a few teams really pressing to get things done. I guess player agents are anticipating huge competition among whoever loses out on his services. At least some of the big name bats signed so we had something to talk about but I can't wait for AA to finally make a move.

[DuckDuckGose]

I'm thinking he'll get around $14M AAV on a 4yr deal with some option years on the end. I could see him being enticed by a front-loaded deal as well that pays him like a star now, gets him is AAV and doesn't lock up too much payroll as he progresses further in to his declining years.

[raBBit]

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Tanaka's camp could meet with as many as a dozen by Friday. According to Heyman, the Dodgers, Angels, Cubs, White Sox, Yankees and Diamondbacks all have meetings set. The Blue Jays have also had multiple conversations with Tanaka's camp already, he adds, but it's unclear if they have a face-to-face meeting set in Los Angeles. Heyman reports that Tanaka began meetings yesterday and could meet with five to six teams per day.

 

I imagine at least half the teams will put forth an offer.

[Sammy225]

Really it is where he wants to play and I don't know where I heard this but I sounds like he preferred the west coast.

[raBBit]

Really it is where he wants to play and I don't know where I heard this but I sounds like he preferred the west coast.

 

Yeah, if that's the case it's probably the Dodgers or Mariners. Yankees will definitely be involved. Both Chicago teams are said to be heavily interested. Kevin Towers says the Diamonbacks have him as the number 1 priority but I really don't see that happening.

[G-Snarls]

Some news tidbits

 

He's in North America meeting with teams:

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/report-jays-among-teams-talking-to-tanaka/

[G-Snarls]

BEN NICHOLSON-SMITH

 

JANUARY 9, 2014, 11:15 AM

 

Masahiro Tanaka is in the United States to meet with interested teams, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported Thursday. The Japanese right-hander will meet with as many as 12 teams in the Los Angeles area by Friday.

 

The Toronto Blue Jays are among the many teams that have had multiple discussions with Tanaka’s representatives at Excel Sports Management, according to Heyman. However, it’s not clear if the Blue Jays have an in-person meeting planned. Many of the organization’s top team executives were in Toronto Wednesday at the club’s rookie camp.

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks are believed to have meetings planned, Heyman writes. Teams will have access to a medical report on the 25-year-old Tanaka.

 

Any team can bid for Tanaka as long as the club is prepared to pay a $20 million release fee to his former team, Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles. Most observers view Tanaka as the top available arm and expect him to obtain more than $100 million on a long-term contract when he does sign.

 

Agent Casey Close is meeting with teams today and may meet with as many as five or six teams per day, Heyman reports.

[raBBit]

BEN NICHOLSON-SMITH

 

JANUARY 9, 2014, 11:15 AM

 

Masahiro Tanaka is in the United States to meet with interested teams, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported Thursday. The Japanese right-hander will meet with as many as 12 teams in the Los Angeles area by Friday.

 

The Toronto Blue Jays are among the many teams that have had multiple discussions with Tanaka’s representatives at Excel Sports Management, according to Heyman. However, it’s not clear if the Blue Jays have an in-person meeting planned. Many of the organization’s top team executives were in Toronto Wednesday at the club’s rookie camp.

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks are believed to have meetings planned, Heyman writes. Teams will have access to a medical report on the 25-year-old Tanaka.

 

Any team can bid for Tanaka as long as the club is prepared to pay a $20 million release fee to his former team, Japan’s Rakuten Golden Eagles. Most observers view Tanaka as the top available arm and expect him to obtain more than $100 million on a long-term contract when he does sign.

 

Agent Casey Close is meeting with teams today and may meet with as many as five or six teams per day, Heyman reports.

 

It's worth nothing that the Jays will probably go out to see Tanaka rather than Tanaka coming to Toronto. I know that Kenny Williams is out in LA and Kevin Towers was working to plan a meeting outside of Arizona.

[G-Snarls]

It's worth nothing that the Jays will probably go out to see Tanaka rather than Tanaka coming to Toronto. I know that Kenny Williams is out in LA and Kevin Towers was working to plan a meeting outside of Arizona.

 

Hopefully AA and Beeston are off to California as we speak

[Ehjays]

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Tanaka's camp could meet with as many as a dozen by Friday. According to Heyman, the Dodgers, Angels, Cubs, White Sox, Yankees and Diamondbacks all have meetings set. The Blue Jays have also had multiple conversations with Tanaka's camp already, he adds, but it's unclear if they have a face-to-face meeting set in Los Angeles. Heyman reports that Tanaka began meetings yesterday and could meet with five to six teams per day.

 

I imagine at least half the teams will put forth an offer.

 

Glad to hear we're involved.

[G-Snarls]

Glad to hear we're involved.

 

I really do think AA/Beeston/Rogers are seriously interested in signing him. AA has been pinching pennies this off season. I just don't think Tanaka will want to come here for the same $ that NYY or a west coast team might pay. And no way the Jays are willing to go Mariners-style in outbidding those teams.

[Ehjays]

Really it is where he wants to play and I don't know where I heard this but I sounds like he preferred the west coast.

 

he may prefer it, but money talks

[Ehjays]

maybe AA is pinching pennies for this guy

[G-Snarls]

maybe AA is pinching pennies for this guy

 

I think he just might be...

 

But I still don't see him choosing Toronto and I don't see AA outbidding the teams he'd rather play for by 20-30%

 

Would love to be wrong but...

[Sammy225]

I think he just might be...

 

But I still don't see him choosing Toronto and I don't see AA outbidding the teams he'd rather play for by 20-30%

 

Would love to be wrong but...

 

Don't underestimate the power of a Kawasaki lol. He is probably the guy we sent down to have a meeting with him lol

[G-Snarls]

Don't underestimate the power of a Kawasaki lol. He is probably the guy we sent down to have a meeting with him lol

 

Sign with the Jays or Kawasaki will hurt you!

[KingKat]

maybe AA is pinching pennies for this guy

 

I have been skeptical that this would happen but I'm starting to come around. If Rogers is worried about the marketability of the team then Tanaka makes sense as a much more buzz-worthy move than any other signing. It's a bit of a desperation play but it definitely would help the team on the field as well. It's pretty much the only move that can create something like a comparable splash to the one they made last year. In strict baseball terms, I really hate the stars and scrubs approach where you sign a big name and leave one of your biggest holes (2B) practically unaddressed but after what we saw last year, it's not really realistic to expect a more balanced approach. Inneficiency be damned, I'll take any reason for optimism at this point. I'll get on this bandwagon.

[Sammy225]

Sign with the Jays or Kawasaki will hurt you!

 

More or less lol.... He is very Wirey.

[G-Snarls]

I have been skeptical that this would happen but I'm starting to come around. If Rogers is worried about the marketability of the team then Tanaka makes sense as a much more buzz-worthy move than any other signing. It's a bit of a desperation play but it definitely would help the team on the field as well. It's pretty much the only move that can create something like a comparable splash to the one they made last year. In strict baseball terms, I really hate the stars and scrubs approach where you sign a big name and leave one of your biggest holes (2B) practically unaddressed but after what we saw last year, it's not really realistic to expect a more balanced approach. Inneficiency be damned, I'll take any reason for optimism at this point. I'll get on this bandwagon.

 

If you sign Tanaka ($$$) you can still trade for Franklin or Espinosa and make the team better without necessarily costing any more money

[KingKat]

If you sign Tanaka ($$$) you can still trade for Franklin or Espinosa and make the team better without necessarily costing any more money

 

Nice to have something to get optimistic about. I hate that every team you criticize this team, some idiot thinks you're against positivity. Except for maybe the most extreme troll, everyone here would love to see the team win. It's just that different people have different thresholds for optimism. The Kawasaki signing was a good move too independantly of any role he could play in recruiting Tanaka. It at least assured the team of a certain floor at the 2B position if Goins doesn't work out.

[Abomination]

If you sign Tanaka ($$$) you can still trade for Franklin or Espinosa and make the team better without necessarily costing any more money

 

AA may in fact be waiting for something like that. If he can't sign a FA pitcher, he needs the prospects to trade for one (what I'm thinking is his line of thinking). If he can sign a FA pitcher or two, he can trade for the 2nd baseman.

[Sammy225]

Nice to have something to get optimistic about. I hate that every team you criticize this team, some idiot thinks you're against positivity. Except for maybe the most extreme troll, everyone here would love to see the team win. It's just that different people have different thresholds for optimism. The Kawasaki signing was a good move too independantly of any role he could play in recruiting Tanaka. It at least assured the team of a certain floor at the 2B position if Goins doesn't work out.

 

I got optimistic about Darvish and last season lol. I will never get excited about anything in the offseason again.