Rakuten Golden Eagles president Yozo Tachibana is undecided on whether to post star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter). Tachibana adds that he is "disappointed" with baseball's new posting system, and says that he'll speak with Tanaka next week, according to the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin (also on Twitter). Rakuten assistant GM Aki Sasaki, meanwhile, adds that he is unsure whether the posting fee of $20MM "is fair value for this kind of trade," Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan tweets.
We should offer something like if you post him we’ll give you Alex Rodriguez
NOPE. You have no idea of this topic so better if you don’t speak. He is UNDER CONTRACT. Geez.
forgive me almighty PX. I assume that a worker in Japan can find work outside of their country. Just like in America if you are working for an American company you can quit and go work overseas. A job is a job. He pays back what is due him on his contract and goes does something else for 2 years.
So you are saying that Josh Hamilton can go find work in Japan, but then pay back what he owes to the Angels? It is called a contract for a reason, and it has to be bought out for it to end. The owner of the contract will have to find it worthwhile (compensation) to release the person from the contract if the person is a huge asset (which Tanaka is). It is just plain business.
Exactly. Post Tanaka next year for $20M, get the depreciation, and then Rakuten has a fair deal. Also, Tanaka makes TONS of yen for Rakuten in terms of fan attendance, sponsorship, etc. MLB needs to factor that in.
That is completely unrelated to what I asked
I think it’s more likely that he travelled into the future and said that he spoke to Tanaka next week.
But there is something to be gained from Tanaka waiting it out until he becomes truly a FA. Aside from keeping all the money since there won’t be a posting fee. The FA class next year at least as of now is got some very, very decent guys. Making spending upwards of $80 to $100 for an unproven Japanese player maybe just a little less appealing. Scheduled to be ree agents next winter:
Homer Bailey
Clayton Kershaw
Jon Lester
Justin Masterson
Max Scherzer
James Shields
Sure not all of them will be FA’s some will sign early, but definitely not all of them and the one’s that do hit the market could potentially hurt Tanaka’s value.
Or help it. LA will bend backwards to extend Kershaw this year and that will set the precedent for frontline SPs at something north of $25M AAV. That can only help Tanaka, even if they only consider him to be a 2 or 3. Considering that Nolasco just got $12M+ AAV for his 4 year deal, I don’t see how Tanaka will have any problems getting a min 6 yr/$15m AAV deal next season, even with if half the names on the list are still on the market by season’s end. Also, something else to factor in, Tanaka is the same age as Kershaw, which means he will be 27 and the only pitcher on your list under 30 other than Kershaw and Bailey, who will be 29 after next season.
Provided that Tanaka has an average year for himself, the only thing that will hurt his value is an injury, and that’s more likely to happen if he decides to play out his contract and throw another 200+ innings in the NPB just so he can become an unrestricted FA.
Nothing about the posting system is remotely close to “trading”. Selling, maybe???
That’s always true. But I wouldn’t think that he would fly all the way to the US to just say no. I mean what’s their to think about that you can’t back home?