We'll keep track of the day's updates on Masahiro Tanaka right here:
- ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that it was amazing how many owners at the quarterly owners meetings in Arizona were convinced that the Cubs were preparing to blow away the rest of the field with their offer to sign Tanaka.
Earlier Updates
- The Angels are telling other clubs that they are "not seriously involved" in Tanaka negotiations, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney.
- The Cubs are "pushing hard" for Tanaka, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on Twitter. The Angels "remain involved" on the 25-year-old righty, says Rosenthal, along with other teams that have been prominently linked to the Japanese ace (such as the Yankees and Dodgers).
- We have heard previously that the Cubs were prepared to make a major offer to Tanaka. Indeed, as club president Theo Epstein has said previously, he "wish[es] there was a free agent market for young players." Tanaka is about as close as things get to such a market.
- The involvement of the two Chicago organizations in the Tanaka sweepstakes is an indication of his broad market appeal. (The White Sox are one of a few teams confirmed to have met with Tanaka, though some cold water has since been thrown on their interest.) Both clubs have substantial resources, but neither has qualified for the postseason since 2008 and neither looks primed to break up that trend in 2014. Nevertheless, both teams have made substantial free agent commitments over the last two years to relatively youthful players (Edwin Jackson for the Cubs and Jose Dariel Abreu for the White Sox).
Cubs just give up he doesn’t want to play for you guys.
It’s all about what he truly wants. If he wants to be closer to home, to the west coast he goes. But money talks. Do you think he will be bothered by another 5 hours on a plane and leave millions on the table? Heck, he may see the direction they are going to know that if there young guys pay off, they will have a great team on the field in another season or two.
It’s not because of that. It’s becausethe report that said he favors la or ny.
Favors, not limiting
Just because he favors, doesn’t mean he ends up there. I think Cubs can offer the most money and will offer the most money. Again, just boils down to what he really wants.
Just because it’s on a report doesn’t mean that’s the case. Tanaka will go wherever he feels is right for him.
Just because it’s on a report doesn’t mean that’s the case. Tanaka will go wherever he feels is right for him.
I’m not sure what report you’re referring to, but the one I read said it was his wife that would prefer LA or NY because she’s actress or performer, not Tanaka himself.
I mean I know I am a Cubs fan and all, but bringing a WS to Chicago would be legendary. That will most likely be one of the Cubs selling points.
his wife wants to be near the Entertainment industry. Other than that, we really don’t know anything.
It goes beyond just being closer to Japan. It’s been reported that he prefers a city where his family will be comfortable since they don’t speak English. I read that to mean a large Japanese population. I don’t know how large the Japanese speaking population is in Chicago, but it’s quite substantial here in LA and its suburbs, possibly largest in the US. I know for most of us it seems difficult to imagine not being comfortable anywhere in the country for $20m a year… But things like going out and about and connecting with the neighbors, making new friends, shopping, dining, finding foods and other cultural elements that are familiar are things that might be difficult for a Japanese person in many parts of the country. Wherever he goes I wish him well.
Why should they give up?
They should put their best offer forward, if he doesn’t choose them then oh well.
I hope you’re not in sales.
I hope you’re not in sales.
Why would you type that?
Are you kidding me?
The Cubs arguably have 4 of the top 30 prospects in the game. And a top 3 farm system with a major market payroll and a new TV deal being discussed.
Many lists including as many as 8 Cubs in the top 100. With the #4 draft pick and another season of acquiring talent at the deadline.
By 2016, the Cubs are going to be a very good team. On a consistent basis.
The Cubs can absolutely overpay- And Tanaka can grow with the system, and ease his way into league.
The Dodgers and Angels both have a ton of horrible contracts. They’ll decline in 2 years. The Yankees are too old. They’ll decline in 2 years.
Tanaka to the Cubs makes a lot more sense than people want to come to terms with.
You can put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig. Doesn’t matter…they are still the Cubs.
Tanaka isn’t making the jump to mlb to play for a team that doesn’t have a chance of winning. Prospects are just that, prospects.
Almost forget the best rebuke to your arguement. The Houston Astros.
the Dodgers will decline in 2 years? Hanley, Kemp, Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Puig, Jansen all have great years ahead of them…A-Gon still got some left in him too. It’s not like they are stuck with 10 year contracts..and they are rebuilding their farm, and getting a lot of talent internationally.
one of the things i read about tanaka said he wants to go where he can win a world series so right now that aint happening in chicago-look for him either in dodger blue or yankee pinstripes
Obviously Tanaka will get paid but I’d be interesting to know what his main factors are when making the decision. At 25 he could just make a huge “cash grab” (Cubs?) with this contract & not worry as much about winning, location, etc then in five years worry about “playing for a winner”.
Hopefully in five years the Cubs are a winning team.
Or in two.
or .500 would be an achievement.
His wife is in Entertainment and has some interest in LA, possibly NY. That is one factor we know of
I’d be surprised if the Cubs got him, but not that surprised. Cubs need some good press as bad as any team in baseball. I could easily see them justifying an overspend by seeing it as an investment. The Tanaka signing would be the perfect way to get realistic Cubs fans excited again. The notion of “Wait til 2015 or 2016. We swear these prospects will pan out and we’ll compete. Just keep giving us your money…please.” is getting old.
I feel like the Cubs would have to make a ridiculous offer to even have a chance, if the rumors of him wanting to be on a World Series contender every year are true. Cubs don’t exactly have the best track record in that regard…
Edwin Jackson young?
He was 29 last year so yes he is still relatively young. He debuted in the bigs at 19 so he has been around forever, but he is still young.
Chicago hasn’t had their annual “attempt to land big pitcher, acquire big pitcher, turns out we didn’t acquire him” moment yet this Offseason. (Dan Haren, Anibal Sanchez)
Dan Haren is still a big pitcher?
He was at the time they were pursuing him.
And look at the year he had that year! Granted Marmol was terrible but it saved the Cubs 5 million and Haren wouldn’t have helped them
With a starting rotation of sabathia, kuroda, nova phelps and Pineda. Yanks staff is in shambles. Lost arod and cano. Jeter is broken down has been. Rivera retired. Yanks are most desperate team and will overpay for him.
They also added Ellsbury, McCann, and Beltrán. Way to pick and choose.
McCann has not played 150 games since 2009
He also hasn’t had a DH slot for him to rest.
They better get Tanaka.
He was actually coming off a shoulder injury if I remember correctly.
Back and hip issues actually. Haren’s back had actually been bothering him since mid 2011.
And going farther back, the Eric Bedard and Jake Peavy rumors ran amok.
The only way I see the Sox getting back into it is if they free up money by trading Danks back to the Rangers and freeing up money.
The title should read,
Cubs Pushing Hard To Drive Up The Price For Tanaka
Not necessarily. I think if it comes down to money, Cubs got him. I could see Tanaka taking less to be closer to home (west coast team) so it really depends on what he really wants. Money or location.
Or a Championship
Definitely forgot to add that. Could be a big driver on where he goes.
I think what we’re seeing is Casey (Agent) driving up the price of Tanaka. In a few days, he’ll take the highest offers to the team(s) Tanaka prefers and see if they are interested in matching.
He’s got almost all of the big market teams in on this guy, plus some smaller market ones. He doesn’t need to drive up the price with false leaks.
The Cubs need him more than anybody else, it is just a matter of how much they are willing to overpay for him
Yankees need him more.
How so the Cubs have no solid starters other than Wood and MAYBE Shark
And all of their pitching prospects are in low ball
The Cubs should go sign 2 starters for what they think they would pay for Tanaka.
The Cubs don’t need two starting pitchers. They need a frontline starter. The jury is still out on Tanaka in terms of his ability to be that pitcher, but he’s the only free agent that even has a chance of achieving that.
You forgot Garza.
Garza is not an ace. He can be a #2 on a team vying for the playoffs, but if you want to win the World Series, then he’s probably best suited as a #3. Just an opinion, though…
With Garza, if he’s pitching well, you just have to start bunting the ball right at him and run wild.
We’re talking about a starting pitcher who has spent his entire career in the AL East and in hitting environments. And he’s walked away from that with some pretty good numbers despite those hostile environments. I’d like to see how those numbers are skewed by a more pitcher friendly environment.
Because the Cubs management has sold a long term build and if they don’t land Tanaka they continue the call for patience. The Yankees do not have that luxury. They promise their fans a playoff team every year and right now they have an 80-85 win team and Tanaka might be the one move that can get them better and younger. The Yankees need him worse than the Cubs. The Cubs signing Tanaka would be the difference of competing in 2015 instead of waiting to 2016.
It’s the difference between the Yankees trying to extend their window another year or two and the Cubs trying to open theirs a year or two early.
Well put.
Well put by both of you. If it’s for who needs him more than 2014 it’s obviously the Yankees. For the long run, probably both equally is fair to say?
They lost Canó and Granderson but they also gained Ellsbury, Beltrán, and McCann. Let’s look at the whole picture; those weren’t insignificant upgrades.
I dont call those upgrades but if they were they would be marginal upgrades and they do nothing to address spot 3-5 in the rotation, an injury prone/older lineup, and a rag tag bullpen.
If McCann, Ellsbury, and Beltrán are “marginal upgrades” for you, then you’re not really following baseball.
If the Mets’ pitching pipeline continues developing talented starters, I see them as a good trade partner for the Cubs and their middle infield depth.
Tanaka isn’t old enough to be a Yankee.
Haha, it’s funny how people cite how old the Yankees are when they are not even the oldest team. The world champs have the oldest team. The 2nd oldest team? The previous world champs. Yankees are 3rd.
Hey hey hey, get those facts out of here. You’re ruining a perfectly good joke!
Hey I like the joke too and gave him a thumbs up. Just pointing out the fact anyway.
so I guess being only the third oldest team makes them young…
Or that older teams generally have been better in the postseason was probably the point he was making
What Steve said
Nope, it just means some of the oldest teams can win it all too and it’s been shown.
fair enough…
There’s a reason the Yankees get more ink as an old team than the Red Sox or the Giants, even though the average ages of the teams are similar (and all on the high end). It’s because the Yankees good players have been almost exclusively older players.
McCann and Ellsbury should help some this year, but they’re still going to be depending on the likes of Kuroda, Jeter, Teixeira, Soriano, etc.
Ha exactly. He’ll still be a Yankee but in about 8-10 years.
Tanaka isn’t old enough to be a Yankee.
How is that?
Aren’t you a yankee fan? If you don’t think we need another starter then please tell me how we’ll be good. Besides cc and kuroda we have no one, nova is a coin flip.
I asked how do they need him (and they do need him) more than the Cubs? I never said they didn’t need him or another starter.
How is that?
But honestly if the Cubs can get him and he maintains his skills he had in Japan I believe it will be a good investment as the Ace of the staff
I’m not against signing him at all. They need him if they want to compete in 2016
The cubs aren’t even close to contention, please elaborate on their higher need?
No pitching prospects above low ball, growing frustration amongst their fan base, and would have 2 seasons under his belt when they are ready to contend
If you consider AA low ball then fine… Cubs top pitching prospects were all in high A last year and most will start or spend a majority of their seasons at AA.
Exactly so more than likely that means at least 2 years away
The angels are way to quiet that’s something to look out for
As an Angel fan, I want to like this comment, but Idk man. Dipoto and Moreno have both confirmed we never met with him (which is crazy weird). We may just be going for Garza, which works I guess.
Doesn’t mean they never spoke to his agent? Smoke screens maybe? Their just way to quiet knowing they need SP
quite possible, givin their track history of swooping in stealth mode. Honestly as long as the dodgers don’t get him, ill be content. I would say I feel the same for the Yankees, but even with him I don’t see them being the threat that they used to be.
Maybe the Angels can sign him by adding another location to their stupid name, they can be the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Japan
Those reports mean nothing. The Angels have their ways of making people think one thing and then they surprise everyone.
Yes, but JeDi usually is a lot more vague when he surprises people. This time they both just flat out said no. I hope I’m wrong, but it just seems like Garza is more probable
Buster Olney just tweeted: Angels continue to insist privately that they are not seriously involved to other teams in the Masahiro Tanaka negotiations.
Smokescreen? I guess we’ll all know soon enough!
Somethings up with them. This seems to be the way they have gone about things” we have no money” bam pujols. moreno seems prideful as an owner not to go all out for the third time and make a big shock.
The angels are way to quiet that’s something to look out for
I’m back to saying the Tigers should trade Scherzer and push for Tanaka thanks to the Kershaw extension. Scherzer isn’t at the same level but I think an extension is out of the question now. Get something out of him while they still can.
And to save what people have already said: All the expensive long term deals will soon catch up to the Tigers, especially with their lack of prospects. Phillies were in the same situation until they signed that TV deal. Verlander will be paid more in the upcoming years, they have to worry about Miggy soon, and they still need to pay some of Prince Fielder’s contract. Regardless of Scherzer having 1 year left, teams will pay a lot for a Cy Young, especially one who pitched very well in the playoffs.
Signing Scherzer to an extension is very unlikely (Most of Boras’ clients reach free agency) and is near as risky as signing Tanaka but for less money because of his possible asking price and because he has been dominant for a year and a half in him prime. If the Tigers are able to trade him, they could get a top prospect and maybe a few other players in which the team they traded him to can easily replace within the next 2-3 years by offering him a qualifying offer. The Diamondbacks are looking for an ace and they have a lot of starting pitcher depth. I could see a reunion.
Great post. Makes rational sense.
I would add that Scherzer does NOT need to be traded.
Why not sign Tanaka and have both for 2014? Tanaka can take Fister’s spot in the rotation for one year and Smyly (and his minuscule ERA) can stay in the bullpen, which is still a weakness for the Tigers.
Even including the $20MM posting fee, Tanaka will cost less than Scherzer in AAV over 5-7 years. That being stated, the Tigers will have to overpay to get Tanaka to NOT go to a E/W Coast team.
I think that its probably close to 50/50 chance that Tanaka at ages 25-30 will outplay Scherzer at ages 31-36.
At the end of 2014, let Scherzer walk, get the good sandwich pick…. or if they are lucky, maybe a “too good to refuse” offer comes in at the trade deadline for Scherzer.
In 2015+, Tigers can move on with a “Big 3” of Verlander, Sanchez and Tanaka with Smyly, Porcello and Ray all maturing to take the last two spots.
Except every move they have made this offseason has been about shedding salary. Probably to have money to resign Miggy and Scherzer. If you are the Tigers you know what you have with Scherzer, you have no idea what you are getting with Tanaka. Granted if a Wil Myers type deal presented itself, they would have to strongly consider it
1. Fielder was made for LONGTERM salary relief.
2. Fister was made in part to make up the $30MM the lost with Fielder short/mid term ($30MM payments to Rangers). They now have THREE potential roster spots locked in at/near the league minimum.
3. They now have money to sign Miggy and Scherzer OR they can sign Miggy, keep Scherzer for one year (at a “discounted” arbitration number) and get Tanaka longterm.
4. I truly think it is debatable whether an “early to mid 30s” Scherzer will be better than “mid to late 20s” Tanaka over the next 5-7 years. You do NOT know what you are getting in a 34 and 35 year old Scherzer. Almost 100% certain, that he will not be good as the 29 year old Scherzer.
Really wish the Mets made a push for Tanaka. It would make a lot of sense even with Colon already on the books now.
I can see the argument against it. The Mets currently have Colón, Niese, Gee, Wheeler, and Mejía. Out of those guys, Gee is the only one that would be a clear downgrade over Tanaka. This doesn’t include Matt Harvey, who’s out until 2015 due to TJ and Noah Syndergaard, the third best righty prospect in the game after Archie Bradley and Taijuan Walker.
Of course, you always need pitching depth and realistically, the Mets *should* be in a position to drop the money on him but right now, between where they are on the win curve, where they are in terms of organizational depth, and their current finances, it wouldn’t be a rational move.
Umm actually, you can make a very good argument that Tanaka is probably better than all of those guys you listed except Harvey…perhaps Bartolo too but ehh. Niese is extremely overrated. ERA+ of 95 and his career WAR is only 4.6 in 704 innings. 3.4 of the 4.6 came in 1 season. 5 other seasons a Combined 1.2 WAR
Oh, you absolutely can make that argument, but until he actually starts dominating Major League hitters, I’m going to wait on that judgement. Any guy who throws 93 without any movement on his fastball is going to need to make adjustments for Major League hitters. That said, I did use the term “clear upgrade”, and it’s still not apparent that Tanaka would be a “clear upgrade”.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Frank “The Negotiating Ninja” Wren is in on this and we find out that the Braves were pushing for him too
I would. They have their own players to worry about locking up.
Yeah, I don’t think that’s realistic. Now if the Tigers were to swoop in on Tanaka (see above), then I _could_ see Wren making a play for Scherzer.
While the Angels would be better with Tanaka, their success in the 2014 season depends more on a bounce back by Hamilton and Pujols than a the signing of another SP. I really think that if Tanaka’s price exceeds their budget they should focus on retaining Trout and adding more SP depth (Capuano or Maholm type pitcher not Garza).
Their 2014 season depends on their pitching. Even if Pujols and Hamilton had 25 HR / 90 RBI seasons they’d be fine. Think about how high their whole offense’s OPS+ was last year, and compare it to their playoff years from 2002-2009. Some of those years they had an OPS+ below league average. Pujols and Hamilton having good years is more of a luxury than a necessity. They need to not lose Weaver for 2 months, and take away Blanton’s keys to the rotation for good. Those 2 things I think created a major domino effect in 2013.
While I agree with you that the Angels do need another SP, the AL West was much weaker during those playoff years.
Because the A’s and Rangers didn’t have any pitching. In 2013 it was the other way around.
Everything went wrong with them in 2013 losing weaver n vargas for a long period of time n burnett hurt them alot, they look to build on that late run last year with better SP and a to 5 offense. Moreno needs to pull the trigger on this weaver,cj,tanaka/garza looks solid
Exactly, the halos definitely need an elite starter to contend. That’s just the bottom line. The AL west is stacked and there going to need all the ammo that they can acquire heading into this season.
His wife wants to live in Southern California. Need I say more? Dodgers or Angels.
Nothing changes the mind faster than money
True, but we’re already expecting a 9-digit contract for Tanaka. My bet is if an East Coast team and a West Coast team are only a couple million or a year apart then West Coast team still has the advantage.
Or your wife!
Third times the charm with huge contracts, huh Angels ?
Not sure…. ask the Dodgers
Anybody have an idea of Tanaka’s timetable? When he’s going to make a decision?
Next Friday is when the 30 days end
I would love for the cubbies to land Tanaka, while he has said he’d prefer to pitch on the west coast – I have very little doubt that should he choose Chicago, he and his family would LOVE it there!
Theo got Dice-K to Boston, can he get Tanaka to Chicago? I think the fan base would fall in love with this guy. The attention it would draw would be good for the Cubs, not to mention his marketability.
To be fair, he got Dice-K to an established Boston team based on a blind posting fee and exclusive negotiating. It’s apples and oranges.
Prepare for another emotionally draining season Angel fans.
He’s not going to the Cubs. The team isn’t good enough and likely won’t be good for the next few years, it’s not one of the destinations he would like to go to and I just don’t believe they’ll get into a bidding war with the Yankees and Dodgers who seem to have unlimited cash.
I disagree.
“Team isnt good enough and likely wont be good for years” – Tanaka makes the team better, and the Cubs have a top ranked farm system. All that young talent will be up in the show in the next 2-3 years.
“Just don’t believe they’ll get into a bidding war with the Yankees and Dodgers who seem to have unlimited cash” – Even though they have said they won’t be outbid and would offer him a 9 figure salary.
“It’s not one of the destinations he would like to go” – primarily his wife, but lots of $$$ could change that.
You just proved my point saying that the young talent will show up in a couple of years. If it takes 3 years for this young talent to develop and make it to the big leagues than that’s possibly 3 years of average baseball for the cubs. Then you can add a few more years of development as a pro in the major leagues. Also, all of that young talent your talking about it based on potential. Potential doesn’t always lead to success, especially at the major leagues. There will likely only be a couple really good players in your current top 10 prospect list.
As far as offering Tanaka a 9 figure salary, the Yanks and Dodger will be offering the same amount. Based on all of that, there’s a good chance he won’t go to the Cubs and even if he does, there’s still so many holes in that roster that won’t make them playoff contenders until that farm system starts paying dividends in 3-5 years.
You make some good points, Zac. Well said.
Talent starts showing up this year and next year. Baez, Bryant, Alcantara, Hendricks, Watkins, Grimm Ramirez and Vizcaino should all be up this year. Bring in a rebound by Olt, Jackson and/or Vitters can also provide some help.
That’s one top 5 prospect and another likely top 10, and a third top 100 all up THIS year. Vizcaino and Olt were both in that mix last year and if they return to health could provide the same type of impact. That’s not even a year away yet alone 2. Soler also stands a good chance at a September call up and will certainly be up some time in 2015. 2015 should see guys like Almora, Soler if not earlier, Edwards, and Johnson.
Castro, Barney and Rizzo should all bounce back after bad years. Also look at the cubs expected record from their Pythagorean they should have won about 75 games last year.
That’s not even a year until prospects start showing up. I expect 2014 will be the year we get better after the trade deadline and 2015 we’ll be ready to compete. That’s one year of being on a mediocre team, that if he’s what he’s cracked up to be, might be around .500.
If you look at weighted Pythagorean Cubs were better than the Yankees. Meanwhile, Yankees appear poised to take an already historically old roster and get even older. Their signings don’t exactly replace what they even lost in Cano and Rivera.
Certainly the Cubs are in position to compete more over the next 6 years than the Yankees.
You can list all the prospects you want. As a Sox fan with a farm system just as good as the cubs, I’m not overly excited about the potential talent because like I stated earlier, it’s “potential”. I look at what my team is now and don’t daydream about what we could be because a majority of prospects don’t become stars in the mlb. If you look at each teams 10 ten prospects over the years, many only have a couple top 10 ten prospects that actually perform to their potential.
In the end, you’ll likely only have 1-3 really good players from your current top 10 list. That’s not enough to put you in the playoffs in a years time. It’s still a process and will take more than this year or next to start seeing small results. Because of that, the Cubs will not be able to compete more over the next 6 years then Yankees, who besides the lack of pitching have a solid batting lineup that includes established players like Elsbury, Beltran and McCann. Remember this is a team last year that had the most injuries in baseball and still competed for the AL East crown before finally finishing at 85-77. With the money they have, the Yanks will always compete.
You are seriously going to claim the Sox have a farm that is as good as the Cubs? Have a nice day.
The Boston Red Sox? Yes they do.
I’ll agree with you on that one. Cubs and Red Sox both have great farm systems.
OK, thought you were talking about the Sox on the other side of town. Its also been a lot of top prospects that have kept the Red Sox competitive over the years. Still wouldn’t claim the Sox are as strong as the Cubs but it’s at least not as absurd as the claiming the White Sox have as good a farm.
Yankees new solid batting lineup isn’t even replacing what they lost in Cano. You have Ellsbury, I like him but he’s not an impact bat other than 2011, he gets by a lot with plus defense, something that’s not going to be sustainable into his 30’s. Catchers don’t age well unless their moved to a different position and McCann hasn’t seen 130 games the last three years and has been in fewer games each year. And Beltran already into his upper 30’s. Together they put together 5.2, 2.8 and 2.4 WAR for a total of 10.4 War. Cano provided 7.6 WAR. Now Yankees could have easily filled the other two positiosn with two 1.4 war players instead. And all the players signed are not exactly climbing the productive scales. Throw in that they lost a 1.9 WAR from Rivera, which should be given more weight because he pitches in highly leveraged situations and Yankees added nothing over last year. Their team will now have to know what it’s like to worry in save situations.
And again right now the Yankees might break the record for the oldest roster in history, not exactly a recipe for success.
With hitters Bogaerts, Cecchini, JBJ, Swihart and Betts, to go a long with pitchers Ranaudo, Owens, Barnes and Webster, many analyst including Baseball America believe the Sox farm system is actually better than the Cubs. Go looks for articles, a majority if not all would agree with me.
White Sox are not even in the team picture on Tanaka.
There the only team confirmed to have met with him, of course I agree, I don’t expect them to be serious.
I was talking about the RED sox.
I think this argument is like 2 supermodels arguing who is better looking, I feel like Boston is the team I would most like to be the GM of based on their current mlb talent along with their minor league talent and their strong financial backing
But in the same sense The cubs are well positioned to win for the next 10 years both financially and talent wise, though the current team is below average they have bright points in their future just Like Boston, In 5 years time I could see a Cubs Redsocks World Series that would be magnificent.
How nice of the Angels to inform other teams.
Maybe the Angels doth protest too much?
Exactly my good man.
Tanaka’s wife has been quoted as saying she prefers west coast. Could influence his decision.
CHC/NYY offering a ton of cash could influence his decision too
But we aren’t dealing with a stay-at-home mom here. His wife has a professional & successful career in Japan. My money is on the West Coast.
Hopefully Seattle sneaks in and pulls a Tanaka out of their hat. But I’m going to say he’ll be West Coast bound somewhere: LAD/LAA/Seattle
A lot of speculation about the west coast because of her career. People automatically think LA because of Hollywood. His wife is an entertainer in Japan, not the states. She’s not trying to crossover to be a Japanese pop star in America. She’ll be working, touring mainly in Japan so she will be going to Japan A LOT. Seattle is the closest so they have that going for them.
If the angels are serious about never crossing the luxury tax line, as Arte has claimed, then they will need to choose between signing Tanaka/Garza and extending Mike Trout. I would chose extending Mike trout over signing Tanaka/Garza any day!
exceeding the luxury tax is a forgone conclusion with any Trout extension. might as well go over beforehand with Garza/Tanaka.
Trout extension will not take them over luxury tax line if it is signed after opening day 2014. Blanton and Wells come off the books next year. That means if they don’t sign another big FA deal this offseason they could sing Trout to a 30 Mil a year deal and still have some room to pay arbitration raises without crossing the luxury tax line.
Well, even if the Cubs don’t get Tanaka, at least they are going after him hard to prove to all the “fake” fans out there and so called baseball writers (Passon) that the Cubs aren’t cheap and they aren’t just going to throw money around because we are a big market club. Going to sign guys who they felt fit their long term plan in which Tanaka would being 25 years old. The Cubs are going to start competing in 2015, for sure if all or at least most work out at the major league level. I think there’s a good chance Baez and Bryant could be in the majors this season around June or July. Lets go Theo, get Tanaka!!!
Supposedly there isn’t a consensus in the Yankee front office about whether to go “all in” on Tanaka because some think he may not be all that he is hyped. I have the solution–ask Brian Cashman what he thinks and then do the OPPOSITE. He has been wrong on virtually every free agent pitching signing over the last decade: Kevin Brown, Javier Vazsquez (twice!), Jaret Wright, A.J. Burnett, Kyle Farnsworth, etc. If the “opposite strategy” worked for George Costanza on Seinfeld it just might prove effective for Cashman.
Actually Brown and both Vazquez tours were trades. Sabathia, Kuroda, and Pettitte all seem to have worked out.
That is true but remember, he thought they could help the Yankees and evaluated them as positive additions which was more to my point. Sabathia was a no-brainer and was brought on board because of the vast financial resources of the club. I will give you Kuroda–that was a nice job. However, I do remember him being against the signing of Rafael Soriano (the Steinbrenners forced his hand and he went public with his opposition) and if it hadn’t been for that move the Yankees would never had made the playoffs in 2012.
Pettitte was also looking to come back to New York. I also take him to task for the horrible minor league system that has produced very few players over the last 5 years.
Can I add that the Cubs think they are close to winning a title because of 6 minor league prospects, none of which are pitchers…. You realize that pitching is more important and harder to find? Maybe get at least 1 ++ starter on your roster, then worry about winning 75 games, and then you can strive for a playoff appearance – baby steps for the baby Bears.
You mean like adding Tanaka? And actually, Cubs have two top 100 pitching prospects; two others just on the outside, one which was previously a top 50 who was injured and could regain his status if he shows he’s healthy; and several other young arms with high upside, anyone of which could climb the ranks this year. That’s more top arms than the Sox, who have one ranked in the bottom portion of the top 100.
And who said Cubs won’t be willing to add pieces to solidify the team once some of these guys show up? Rather wait to see which of these guys show up before filling spots and blocking prospects.
haha the White Sox have the best young starter in the MLB (Sale), and one of the 5 best lefties in baseball, who is also under 25 years old (Quintana), and a righty who is very highly regarded in Erik Johnson (Who has shown an ability to get batters out in the big leagues). The White Sox have the best pitching staff in the MLB since 2005, using Xfip and +era, and that has a lot to do with Don Cooper and Herm Schneider. Betting against Erik Johnson, given Coopers past success, is not something I would recommend. So the White Sox have their first three rotation spots filled with extremely talented pitchers, under the age of 25, who are under control for 6+ more years. They don’t need much more than that… Danks is said to have recovered a lot of his arm strength finally as well.
The Cubs have been rebuilding for 5 years… The White Sox, in one off-season, acquired nearly as many top 100 position player prospects via trade or signings as the Cubs spent 5 years to acquire. Every person I speak to around the league, which is plenty, will tell you the Cubs system is pitching dry and there isn’t a sure thing there. Travis Wood is the Cubs best pitching piece going forward.
I don’t disagree that the numbers favor the White Sox pitching, but you have to overemphasize numbers in regards to Quintana. He gets by with deception and will probably regress as he ages faster than other pitchers. Talent wise, he’s at the lower end of the spectrum.
In reality, the only thing separating those teams is Sale. He’s one of the top five pitchers in the game and certainly the top young lefty. If Tanaka wants to win, the White Sox are clearly a better choice than the Cubs because it’s so hard to get players as good as Sale. Lots of prospects are just as talented, one in thousands reaches their promise the way Chris Sale did.
Not sure how a team in the bottom 4 in wOBA is in position to compete sooner. Takes more than just pitching to compete. All the players they acquired are just as risky as any prospects. The two from Arizona, their numbers are inflated between Arizona and AAA from playing in extremely hitter friendly parks. NO one has very reliable scoutign reports on Abreu. Some think there are huge question marks about his ability to hit MLB pitching. Of course he could also be an impact bat as well. Gotta have more than one pitcher and a bunch of maybes to compete in this league.
And again Cubs have more in terms of pitching and hitting on the farm than the White Sox. Pretty sure the odds on top 10 prospects are a little better than 1/1000 of performing like Sale.
White Sox were an 87 win team the year before with the same roster. Hitting and defense in baseball tend to be erratic and unpredictable year to year. Pitching is the most reliable side of baseball. The White Sox went from the best defensive team in baseball to the worst in one season. Variance is probably a big reason why. That being said, the White Sox lineup is entirely different than last years. Is it risky? Sure, but with that rotation and bullpen you don’t need a top 10 offense to be great – you can be middle of the pack.
Or perhaps you had several over performers the year prior on an aging roster. I actually won a bet with several White Sox fans that the Cubs would be better last year and not because I thought the Cubs would be good.
If you’re not sure it’s because you aren’t paying attention to transactions. If you think that Abreu’s ability is in question, it is probably because your opinion is the same. His power is still plus plus power, which is something no one in your beloved pedobear lineup can produce.
Sure his power potential is pretty high but this is a guy that scouts have only been able to see a couple of times sporadically throughout his career. Read some scouting reports there are a lot of people questioning his ability to hit MLB pitching.
And you realize the Cubs have a batter that hit more home runs in his final year at college than anyone in over ten years and the most of any player since the league turned to composite bats. Baez hit almost 40 HRs last year in the minors. That’s two players with plus plus power potential coming to the Cubs lineup soon.
Go look at Quintana’s WAR last year. He also throws 91-93 MPH from the left side which is hardly deceptive. Quintana had a WAR of 5.4 which puts him just outside the top 10 in all of baseball. Quintana is one of the most underrated assets in MLB. His WAR was top 20 last year, and top 5 for lefties. People love over powering stuff, which I understand, but Mark Buehrle was arguably one of the 5 most valuable pitchers in the game from the day he walked into the league until this year. His combined WAR puts him in the top 5, and his production (Wins/ERA+ and XFIP) grade out very well.
Quintana has better stuff than Buehrle and works fast. Look at the spike in his K rate last year from his rookie year and I think you will be surprised how good he is. Many don’t know who he is, or know much about his production, so it’s a bit shocking when you actually compare his numbers to other pitchers. Quintana is one of the best #2 pitchers in the MLB.
Also, pitchers who rely on deception and location last longer than hard throwers. Quintana doesn’t rely on his stuff solely to be successful…. that bodes well for a long and consistent career.
FTR, Average Fastball Velocity of 91.2 is not a soft tosser from the left side.
91-93 is his four seamer with little movement. WAR is a number that does not evaluate deception versus talent, it only evaluates production whether it comes from either. Nothing you said countered the argument. Deception is subjective, because it’s based on opposing hitters ability to see the ball out of a guys hand. The last time there was a poll on it, AL hitters pegged Quintana more than any other pitcher.
WARs problem is it judges on actual production.. Hmm, not sure why not allowing some silly “I don’t think he has good stuff” bias to overcome actual results is a bad thing.
Heres some further proof.
From rookie year to 2nd his k rate went from 5.3 to 7.3 per 9. That’s a significant increase.. I guess he got more deceptive? No, he has a good fastball (no clue why you think 91-93 with a 95 peak is a weak pitch), and locates very well – 2.3 walks per 9, also improved from rookie year. Batters hit 237 against his “weak” four seam last year. He didnt have an abnormally low babip to suggest he was lucky, and his LOb% sits at a nnormal level. There’s really not much deceptive about his success. Being hard to pick up is a ++ and will never change.
Do you really not understand the difference between production and ability? Do you really not understand that production is a function of more than just ability? Quintana’s production has been phenomenal. It has not been due to good pitches. He has 2 average pitches and three minus pitches (and one minus minus). He is effective because, despite being a junk baller, guys don’t see his pitches until later. Which is good, but generally hitters catch on faster with these guys than guys with plus pitchers. That’s the point I’m making. I’m not trying to take away what Quintana has accomplished, only pointing out that the continued production doesn’t project based on his physical abilities.
How is trading for Garza and giving up the best pieces in your farm rebuilding? By that logic the Sox have been rebuilding 6 years. Sorry the rebuild has only been going on two years now.
I’m not saying the current Cubs rotation is better than the Sox, you were mentioning farm systems were you not? And the Sox rotation isn’t exactly great. They weren’t even top 20 in xfip last year and they are only tops in the AL not MLB in xFIP , there are 7 NL teams with better numbers. And I wouldn’t start counting on a guy that’s a bottom of the top 100 prospects just yet I don’t care who the coach is he still has to perform, there’s only so far coaching can take you. And last I checked Quintana and Sale were not prospects.
And there you go with the Cubs system is pitching is dry. I just told you why it is not. Sure it’s hitting heavy but we are also better than the average org in pitching prospects, which includes the White Sox. Most organizations would like two pitchers in the top 100 and a handful not far off.
Cubs also have one of starters with the best Stuff in baseball out of Samardzija and in his third year as a starter there’s a good chacne his durability remains and he puts up a good season. Depending on what happens he’ll either be extended or traded for a pitcher who is a top ~15 prospect or equivalent. Their asking price was actually two ~top 25 pitchers plus a third prospect from Toronto.
White Sox had their worst season in 25 years last year so hardly a good barometer. Quintana and Sale were in the top 20 in WAR, and they’re under 25. Don’t you think that’s a little better than a prospect? Sale was never a prospect because he was so good he came straight to the Big Leagues. Hector Santiago was an AVERAGE relief pitcher in the minor leagues (wasn’t a top 20 White Sox prospect). Last year, under Don Cooper, he turned himself into a starter that was good enough to acquire Adam Eaton who was a top 50 prospect. Erik Johnson throws 95 MPH with a + off speed. If you were a betting main, you’d be foolish to bet against his success as long as Don Cooper is the pitching coach in Chicago.
Maybe on Johnson, but not next year. I think you’re in for a big disappointment next year. You have 2 starting pitchers you can count on. You’re hoping for the other 3. You are also “hoping” on your catcher, third baseman, second baseman, 3 first basemen, center and left fielders. Seems like too much hope to be a serious contender. Although I don’t think they’re done. I’d be shocked if they don’t try to move Dunn.
There will be growing pains with Johnson, no doubt. I think you are discrediting John Danks – while it is unprecedented to return to form following his shoulder surgery, it is possible. Word around White Sox camp is he’s back up near 92-93 with his fastball. If that’s the case, then he’s back to being a 4-5 WAR pitcher.
I agree 100% that there are a ton of question marks, and that it takes something magical for all the pieces to come together and fit in year one, but it’s far from impossible. That being said, it’s a possibility which was not the case last year. Youth can lead to exuberance and success or it can lead to failure. That being said, at least the possibility for success is there this year – I was not overly optimistic about last year and for good reason.
For the record, all the Abreu hate did not present itself until the Sox got them. One of the biggest Abreu haters was Peter Gammons, and he claimed the Red Sox said his bat speed was too slow and they didn’t want him…. then it comes out that the Red Sox had the 3rd highest bid. They were simply jealous, in my opinion, and used their baseball cronie (Gammons) to release their bitterness. He said they had questions whether or not he could hit a big league fastball… yet they offered him 65 million dollars. Yeah, OK.
Kershaw is probably considered young too…
Sale is a year younger, but more importantly, sale has thrown 600 fewer innings. Sale at this service time has been about as productive as Kershaw was his first 500 innings in the MLB. Clearly, Kershaw is better at the moment, but put Sale in the NL and his numbers are closer and closer.
At 1100 innings Kershaw is more of a veteran than young guy with a ton of room to improve – not that he has to as he already might have had the greatest first 1000 innings in MLB history.
Young implies age. One year younger doesn’t make much difference. They are both aces and highly coveted by other teams. Sale is great, definitely one of the best in the league (top 5 sp) but Kershaw is on his own the best SP in baseball, one of the best ever.
Read this today…
When you break down their careers by 200-inning chunks, Sale has returned an average WAR of 6.52, compared to 5.46 for Kershaw. The difference is that while Kershaw took some lumps as a 20-year-old rookie, Sale has never been anything except excellent.
Phil Rogers piece today.
Well that’s just not really true, in most prospects list they have C.J. Edwards as their number 5 or 6 prospect. The main guy they got from the Rangers for Garza. Also, a lot of list have 3 pitchers in their top 12 prospects. Yes the Cubs are loaded more for hitters, but the pitchers are coming and their 4th overall pick this year will most likely be a pitcher
BA has Edwards as #3 ahead of Soler and Almora, likely in the top 20 in baseball but most would have him as the 5th on the Cubs like BP who will have him in the bottom of the top 50 in baseball.
Exactly. Plus the number 4 pick this draft coming up will be a pitcher most likely and I might be wrong on this one, but I still think the Cubs are going to trade for Price. Get Tanaka and he works out well got our self a pretty good rotation
Could be a pitcher but I could also see them continuing the trend of taking position players as they are safer picks and going heavy pitching after that.
Well, looking at the upcoming guys in the draft, theres only one hitter I think I would take over a pitcher and that would be Alex Jackson who is a catcher and that’s one spot where we are weak at. Seen stuff that he could be as good as Posey
Maybe going in but baseball hasn’t even started yet, a lot of movement will occur between now and next year. Catcher is another position they might be hesitant about using a high pick on. And they’ll probably draft the best player available rather than going after need. Even the most advanced draftee won’t be up until late 2015 at the earliest. A lot can change over that time period. Some prospects will rise, others will fall and others will become top prospects.
As per Bill Plunkett:
#Dodgers 2017 payroll is already $156 million — for 9 players
impressive. most impressive.
Already broken the payroll record by about 10 million not counting 5 players. This is why I doubt they will be so serious on Tanaka, especially since the Kershaw extension, which added another 10 million compared to what would have been expected through arbitration..
Dodgers can operate at a $320 million dollar payroll and still pay a 50% luxury tax and still make a profit. They pull in $340 million in TV money, add another $120 million in ticket sales, another $80 million in stadium concessions , and maybe $20 million from advertising. They are pulling in over half a billion a year. Please don’t tell me they can’t afford Tanaka next Friday , and Hanley by spring. They can and will make those moves if Tanaka and Hanley want to be in LA and still be able to make future moves if they deem necessary.
Yankees still pull in more than the Dodgers and they’ve never spent. Didn’t know they Dodgers were trying to not run a profit and that they didn’t have other expenses other than the team. From what’ I’ve read, the TV money is more like 200 a year after the negotiation. I’ll believe the dodgers will spend that much when I see it.
They have about 37 million coming off the books next year in Beckett, Billingsley and Haren and are also looking to trade Kemp and save another 21 million (or whatever portion they don’t have to eat).
Still have to deal with this year’s payroll. And even with that money coming off the books, they still have 180 Million committed next year on 13 players. Not sure of the exact arbitration situation on LAD’s hands but I’m sure there will need to be some room in the budget for Arbitration figures and perhaps signing a free agent or two next year. If they sign Tanaka, their payroll next year will be over 200 million on 14 players. Sure they could try to clear some of Kemp’s salary but how much is a team really going to eat of that, when he’s locked up through 2019.
Last I heard the TV money would average about 250 million after revenue sharing. That’s an average over 25 years so the front end is probably well below 250 million, and last year they had 100 million in media rights.
Can you tell us what the entire Houston payroll is?
Tanaka is not going to the Cubs. They don’t have a good enough team so Tanakas endorsement opportunities in Japan would not be as great. Big money in endorsements for players in Japan who succeed in MLB, especially if they play for a good team.
Pretty sure Tanaka is going to end somewhere on the West Coast. The news on the Mariners front has been deafening silence, and makes me wonder if they are in. While their team is not good either, the Japanese are used to the Mariners from the Ichiro days, and in the early days they were pretty good, and with Cano and some prospects and the SP’ing with Tanaka they could be good again,
Still, I think the Dodgers or Angels get him. Yankees still befuddled by 189.
Dodgers have 240 million committed this season already without a full 25 man roster. They don’t really need pitching. They’ve even downplayed their interest in him. LAA basically just came out an announced they were not in the running. Same with Oakland. Seattle would be the most likely West Coast team but are they really ready to commit this huge salary between two players?
Yankees might be the favorite depending on their willingness to throw their plans away for resetting the Luxury tax.
In Chicago he gets the promise of being the Top guy in a large market. Considering he’ll be with any team for at least 6 years it would be smart to look at the overall health of the organization not just what they will be doing this year. Cubs will be competitive by next year or 2016 at the latest.
Yeah, l guess that’s the only way the Cubs land him, if the Yankees and Dodgers are not really committed. Theo is pretty smart and a good salesman, so I might be wrong here.
It all comes down to whether Tanaka wants to win now, or PROBABLY win later. Just because you have a top ranked farm system doesn’t mean you’ll have a winning team later. Just look at the Angels a few years ago…
Angels traded away everyone except trout from their farm system. If LAA hadn’t they would have trout, Corbin, segura, Skaggs and Trumbo still
Who’s saying the Cubs won’t do the same? I still think about the Dodgers trading Carlos Santana for Casey Blake, ugh.
I think Brandon Wood was highly ranked a few years and was a huge bust.
Wood is the reason I’m scared that the Cubs hang on to Baez right now.
Or it could come down to money, which Cubs have as much salary room as anyone.
Good post. Would anyone be surprised if he took the best offer now then in five years when it’s time for another contract then go where he has the best chance to win? Get all you can now because who knows what could happen..
Come on Ms, open up those coffers and pull off another coup this winter. You have the money. You have the need. You have the desire. Do you have the will?
Their silence could be a sign they are in on him. Sometimes the quietest teams on a given player are the most serious. Cano alone seems a bit of a waste, and the clock is ticking on winning with vintage King Felix.
I hope the Cubs don’t sign him.That’s all they need,another Soriano-type contract.
Cubs could sign him and by the end of his contract he’d still be about as young as Soriano. Had the Cubs signed Soriano to that contract at age 25 you would have no problem with that.
Actually,I wouldn’t have had a problem with him at all if he would have played as well as he did his last year the whole time.
With the cheap/young player plan that Theo/Jed have in place, the Cubs can afford an albatross contract. Not hoping it turns out that way, but isn’t the end of the world.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Cubs came close last year with Anibal Sanchez.
The Tigers can thank them for driving his price up 20%.
In retrospect, it may still have been worth it though.
Not saying they’ll get him, but I wonder how much good will would come from signing Tanaka? There are lots of anxious Cubs fans out there who have been upset with the teams long-term approach.
Considering their low payroll, it makes sense to get him. I think the potential of getting a young ace is worth the risk of him being a bust. It’s not like the Cubs are near the luxary tax and signing him will only increase the chances of the rebuild being finished sooner. If he busts, it’s not like it will completely kill the team.
Who will give a better ROI on a 5 year contract: Tanaka, Scherzer or Price?
Nobody knows what Tanaka will be in M.L.B ,
Price will be solid but expensive
Scherzer in my opinion will be locked up the cheapest and appears to be just starting to tap into his full potential.
I say Scherzer for best return on investment over a 5 year term, while acknowledging my prediction could easily blow up in my face.
I’d be surprised if he lands with the Cubs, but I learned never to underestimate Theo. For that to happen the Yankees and Dodgers would have to be not very committed to landing him. The Dodgers really don’t need him, while the Yankees seem more in love with 189 than winning, so maybe the Cubs do something innovative like offering him a 10/200 million deal with an optout after 6 years and all the perks he gave Daisuke.
I’m sorry but I’m pretty sure plan 189 isn’t in effect if they are going after Tanaka. Hal CLEARLY said it’s a “goal, not a mandate”
I don’t know why people keep talking about the 189 like the Yankees are 100% set on it. Like you said Hal said it’s a goal not a mandate. Plus I think they’ve given up on it already unless they don’t sign tanaka.
People who follow the Yankees know this. The media really over-exaggerated the whole luxury tax thing. I remember when Cashman and Hal first mentioned the tax and how they would like to get under it. I remember the day Hal Steinbrenner went on the Michael Kay show and said “189 is a goal NOT a mandate” It hasn’t changed since then, and it won’t change now.
Maria,
Is that you in your profile picture, where’s the Yankee hat? Lol
Common Jimmy Dog, focus brother!
obviously Toronto will win the Tanaka sweepstakes
I applaud your enthusiasm.
Thank you Maria, You seem alright until the point I realized your a Yankee:)
ouch!
I realize I shouldnt hate the fans, but I just hate the the whole bloody game.
Part of me feels like this “push” is saving face before this guy pops for the Yankees or Dodgers. Feels a lot more like a college athlete recruitment than a free agent negotiation.
Until I’m hearing some numbers, like, Cubs willing to go 18 mil a year over 6 Yankees are at 5 over 15 or something…I have a hard time believing that the Cubs can “blow away” the Dodgers or Yankees.
Additionally, I have a hard time imagining this guy signing without visiting Chicago.
Tanaka already visited Chicago
The visit was in LA I believe
So far the Cubs are the only known team that is making a big offer. It is unknown if another team will make a big offer or if Tanaka will leave a lot of money on the table to play for another team. A team may feel that he is too big a risk at a high price.
But, but, but the Cubs are going to get a 500 million dollar Jumbotron and then they are going to blow away the field with a truly amazing offer. I say they can’t do it!
Unless, they have a fundraiser and sell Harry Caray “Take Me out to the Ball Game on a “Collector’s Edition” 8 Track! =P
I doubt money talks in this situation. His Wife prefers the West Coast over any place else. That’s L.A., LAA, S.D, Oak, Seatte, SF.
Money always talks, people are overplaying this wife situation.
Could be wrong but to me the Cubs rumours feel the same way the Jays rumours were about Darvish. So much buildup likely destined for big disappointment.
I doubt the city matters a whole lot, even if he says so after he signs. He’s gonna spend 50% of his time at home during the season and will then head back to Japan for the remaining 4-5 months of the year. Summer weather in all these cities is sticky hot. The wife angle sounds weak to me, no matter where he ends up they’re gonna be able to afford to fly her wherever she has to go. Proximity to Japan probably matters little as well. How often is he going to fly back and forth and how much does the extra few hours really matter if he has to fly from the east coast? Even the Japanese community thing probably doesn’t really matter. Darvish gets on just fine in Texas and ditto for the remaining Japanese players in the league. Other the maybe Arizona (and I could be wrong here) all the interested cities are very cosmopolitan.
It will come down to money and a chance to win, in that order.
I don’t see tanaka signing anywhere besides with dodgers or yankees… Or maye a sleeper team.. But a contending team not the cubs
As a Cubs fan, I don’t want Tanaka on an overpay.
I agree I don’t want him on an overpay but what’s an overpay. I’ve seen some reports claiming he’s way over hyped and other reports claiming he’s as good as advertised, possibly best Japanese pitcher to come out of the NPB. For that I’ll have to trust the scouting departments on the team to pay a fair value and hope they aren’t signing him to make a little noise.
Would everyone be clamoring for this guy if it were Hisashi Iwakuma? That’s who he seems to be a comp for instead of Darvish. Iwakuma is a good pitcher no doubt, but I wouldn’t say he’s a $15-20M/ yr pitcher.
I wouldn’t mind the number 3 pitcher in terms of ERA in the AL on the my team.
Knowing what they know about him now Iwakuma likely gets more than 20 million at age 25. He’s another reason why the bidding is so insane on Tanaka.
if tanaka has a big ego he will be the ace of the staff. could be cubs if it up to his wife L.A big market teams L.A or N.Y weather and travel to japan and comunity L.A its prety logical.
if i were you tanaka i would I would do L.A