Tanaka may return to Japan

[Guest]

According to reports out of Japan relayed by Ken Belson of the New York Times, the Rakuten Golden Eagles will not post ace right-hander Masahiro Tanaka this offseason. They will instead keep him for 2014 and make him the highest paid player in Nippon Professional Baseball history, with a salary of $8 million or so.

Now, just to be clear, Rakuten has not officially announced anything and it's possible this is just a big game of telephone. That can happen when you have reports citing other reports (in another language, no less). One GM went so far as to call the report "bizarre," according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. "Not sure I buy it," the GM added.

MLB and NPB negotiated a new posting system this winter that limits the money sent to the player's former team to $20 million, less than half and maybe only one-quarter of what Rakuten was expecting for Tanaka under the old system. By keeping him for another year, the team could make another revenue-generating title run (the Golden Eagles won the Japan Series a few weeks ago) before posting him next winter. They risk Tanaka getting hurt, in which case he may be un-post-able next year.

If Rakuten does indeed keep Tanaka for 2014, the market for free agent hurlers Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana should heat up. The Yankees, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Dodgers and Angels were among the teams connected to Tanaka, some more seriously than others.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...asahiro-tanaka

Teams are waiting for his team to decide what they are going to do, sucks for Garza, Jimenez and Santana, though I would expect Santana could go soon to a team not willing to wait this out.

[Mogriffjr]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10192385/masahiro-tanaka-rakuten-posted-made-available-major-league-baseball-teams

Japan's Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles have decided to post highly touted pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, making him available to all Major League Baseball clubs, Asian newspaper Sponichi reported Tuesday.

Rakuten, which had stated last week that it would not let the right-hander leave, is expected to make an announcement Wednesday in Japan, according to Sponichi.

[Guest]

And Garza and Jimenez will continue to wait things out it seems.

I still can't believe those two are going to get big money, especially Garza. Dude is beyond overrated.

[MVPete]

Someone on the radio pointed out that the Yankees have Kuroda and Ichiro on the roster, and maybe that is another selling point for them other than being the biggest sports team in North America.

[Slateman]

Yankees or Dodgers. Both are in need of starting pitching.

[MVPete]

Yankees or Dodgers. Both are in need of starting pitching.

The Dodgers need starting pitching? Or are you telling yourself that so ultimately when he does sign we can turn our head at the fact that these guys will spend so much more money than the next group of teams.

[Guest]

Someone on the radio pointed out that the Yankees have Kuroda and Ichiro on the roster, and maybe that is another selling point for them other than being the biggest sports team in North America.

They are figuring to go all-in on Tanaka. They desperately need that starter, and they can spend for it. The dark horse are the Rangers. After getting Fielder and Choo, they are out of disposable income. If they could move, say, Derek Holland, they could get the funds together to put an offer together for Tanaka. He can pitch with Darvish and be out of the major city limelight that would occur in LA or NY.

[Slateman]

The Dodgers need starting pitching? Or are you telling yourself that so ultimately when he does sign we can turn our head at the fact that these guys will spend so much more money than the next group of teams.

Dan Haren and Josh Beckett.