Free agent starters have largely been held up by Masahiro Tanaka, but Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't let them hurt his asking price. Want to sign the right-hander? It'll still cost you $14MM annually. While we wait to see how that plays out, here's the latest on the Japanese sensation..
- Braves president John Schuerholz says that he's not in on Tanaka but that his club did their "due diligence" on him, tweets Jim Bowden of SiriusXM.
- The Angels may be a long shot to land Tanaka, but history shows us that they shouldn't be counted out, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. Some would argue that it doesn't make sense for the Halos to spend big. On the other hand, Gonzalez writes that this is as good a time as any to splurge, because Tanaka is a free agent at a relatively young age, has more upside than any other available pitcher, won't cost a Draft pick, and the Angels badly need high-upside starting pitching.
- Tanaka will meet with the Cubs and White Sox this week, likely in Chicago, tweets Luke Stuckmeyer of CSNChicago.com.
I would like to see Tanaka in a Halo uniform but I must say his proposed 100+ million dollar price tag significantly diminishes his “high-upside.”
I’d love to see a Sale/Tanaka rotation on the South Side!
Thinking the same thing. The sox have a good amount of money left, more coming off the books next season and could still trade a pitcher and out fielder to free up even more room. Heck just trade away john ranks for salary relief. A sale/tanaka/Quintana/ Johnson/ danks(if not traded) rotation is potentially awesome. And a young core of sale, tanaka, Quintana, Johnson, Davidson, eaton, Abreu, Garcia is a very very good core for a long time. Just offer him a 100 million dollar contract for 6-7 years and get it over with.
It’s not necessarily the money that would surprise me – it’s the years. Reinsdorf has long shied away from giving pitchers long-term deals with Mark Buehrle and Chris Sale being the lone exceptions. In Buehrle’s case, Reinsdorf took care of him because of the WS trophy he helped bring to the south side – and in the case of Sale … well, the money is such that there’s not much long-term risk involved in that deal.
He did allow Kenny to go 5 years with danks. I could see rock Hahn saying to. Him ” look this kid is 25, has never had any health issues, has good mechanics and a ton of tallent. He would instantly upgrade our rotation which is already very good. We can win another World Series with him behind Chris. Let me go to 6 years at 120. It’s a ton of money but we will make it back in the ticket sales he will help bring and he will help move the white sox into an international brand. ”
I know jerry does not like going over 4 years for pitchers but every once and a while you have to do it. I’m not saying this kid is going to be a beast but he should be very very good. And getting him along wit he other young players on the sox they will be able to hopefully compete this year. And seriously going 6 years isn’t crazy for jerry to do. And it allows tanaka to get one more big contract if he performs to his potential.
This would be ridiculously awesome if we signed him
Thinking the same thing. The sox have a good amount of money left, more coming off the books next season and could still trade a pitcher and out fielder to free up even more room. Heck just trade away john ranks for salary relief. A sale/tanaka/Quintana/ Johnson/ danks(if not traded) rotation is potentially awesome. And a young core of sale, tanaka, Quintana, Johnson, Davidson, eaton, Abreu, Garcia is a very very good core for a long time. Just offer him a 100 million dollar contract for 6-7 years and get it over with.
I’d like to see Sale/Tanaka both in Seattle! 🙂
Gotta dream big
I would rather keep the prospects and go in with Felix/Iwak/Tanaka/Walker/Paxton. Maybe get a bat instead of Sale (who I doubt is available). Need those OF bats….
Walker and paxson is where the talks start from a white sox perspective if you want sale.
It’s about time he meet with MLB teams, I’m getting kind of impatient with this guy.
Am I the only person who thinks $14M is a little ridiculous for Jimenez?
These daily reports are a little out of hand, write when something actually changes
So you’re asking MLBTR to only function about half the time?
Here’s a suggestion: just don’t read the post…
Here’s a suggestion: just don’t read the post…
I say he goes to Yankees Dodgers or Rangers.
M’s have a shot too.
M’s have a shot too.
I hope the Rangers pass on him…don’t see them throwing any more money at big contracts…they have plenty right now!
Yes, but this is a young, pretty well proven healthy guy, so why not try and go in on him?
Those contracts aren’t that big though. And the rewards discount they got with Fielder’s contract gives them more room. If the Rangers got Tanaka, they could potentially have a deadly 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation.
don’t forget Holland who is a sleeping potential #1….they would have a serious 1-3. And i even think so now if Harry comes back healthy.
Cool!!! About time Tanaka started having sit downs with clubs.
Will be fun to see what kind of offers get leaked in the next couple weeks.
I think to sign Jimenez 5 and 65 will get the job done.
In today’s free agent market I expect it.
Latest: 30 Teams Bid 20MM on Tanaka; free to negotiate with all of MLB.
There was no need to ask Schuerholz if the Braves were in on Tanaka. We fans already knew we wouldn’t be in the bidding for a top free agent unless he was a complete bust.
I’m genuinely excited to see who lands this kid. More than that, i hope he ends up being as fun to watch as Darvish has been.
I know their styles are different, but I think Tanaka’s going to be a blast to watch.
Tanaka will sign with the Astros.
I guess we could look at which teams have the biggest need at starting pitching, and also have the money to take on such a contract. The Yankees, of course. The Dodgers don’t really need him, but they still have the money. Rangers have some flexibility and could use a big addition to their rotation. Angels have a combination of need and funds. Mariners could also use some pitching upgrades but in light of recent posts their front office might have to sell it to their ownership. Throw in the Cubs. Throw in the Mets. Who knows? Then, there’s the mystery team. Could be a team none of us predicted. We’ll see.
I honestly think the cubs will be the mystery team. Not sure if they will end up with him. Everyone is counting them out but out of all the big market teams that have said to be ‘in’ on him they probably have the most payroll flexibility (without going over any luxury tax). Not that I think that would stop say the Yankees from going over because I absolutely think they would. But Cubs probably have the mindset that they are hopefully close to calling up their position players that are supposed to make their team young and cost controlled but have no pitching depth besides a few guys in the minors. They will probably pitch the idea of coming to the cubs and instantly being the ace or their staff.
GMs always have to sell big contracts to ownership. Why is that a red flag with the Mariners?
And even though Baltimore could use him, I have a feeling the GM is simply saying, “Nah.”
Tanaka visiting Chicago with the coldest weather in 40 years.
If the Jays ink Jimenez, then by year’s end it’ll be Jimenez throwing to Jimenez. Then we’ll get to hear Buck Martinez mispronounce their names over and over making for some great TV.
Personally I’d love to see the White Sox as dark horses, the Angels as a third evil empire or the Mariners as favorites over the obvious candidates of the Yankees/Dodgers for Tanaka-San. A combo of Sale/Tanaka or Weaver/Tanaka would be pretty fun.
Of the teams with the most money to spend, the Yankees are the most desperate with the most to lose if they don’t get him. That doesn’t mean he’ll sign with New York but the ownership will bid high and either get him or drive the cost into the stratosphere for any team that does. That means any team without a pressing need will likely back away. The Angels have a pressing need + the money so they’ll be in. The Phillies have a pressing need and a very lucrative TV deal so they could be a surprise team. The Rangers are fairly solid without him but are always fighting for media space in Texas so that might be classified at least as a mini-need and they do have the cash to go fairly high.
The Dodgers have a lot of money but the need isn’t as great so I think at some point they’ll back out. The Cubs will likely make a big play if Theo views Tanaka as the centerpiece that he thought Schilling was prior to the 2004 season. It will certainly be interesting to follow.
It was rumored that Tanaka may be raising the 12th man flag in Seattle vs the Saints on Saturday. That would be awesome.