Email a copy of 'Quick Hits: Epstein, Cespedes, Tanaka, Arb Hearings' to a friend
Loading ...
By Jeff Todd | at
Email a copy of 'Quick Hits: Epstein, Cespedes, Tanaka, Arb Hearings' to a friend
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
hide arrows scroll to top
MB923
“that the club views its new acquisition as “a really solid, consistent number three starter.”
Lot of money for a #3 starter.
LazerTown
Cashman never really says much. I would have been more surprised if he said he views him as an ace.
MB923
They sure paid him like one though.
LazerTown
NY salaries are different though. Where other teams may be only willing to shell out $5M for a WAR, Yankees can afford to go above that if it’s a real upgrade. Maybe he is only a 3 WAR pitcher, so like $8M a WAR, but that makes sense in the game for NY. It would be an awful deal for a smaller market team to shell out, but NY can afford the risk, if they see the upgrade. The biggest gain though is that there shouldn’t be any decline years if he is as good as expected. Whereas with CC they got some stellar years, but now have to pay for some of the decline seasons.
DerekJeterDan
CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Masahiro Tanaka
Tanaka is the Yankees #3 starter.
That doesn’t mean his talent level or upside is of a #3. Cash is smart, he’s setting the bar low because Tanaka’s floor is a #3 but his upside is much higher.
Also, is it just me or do Theo Epstein’s comments come across as very bitter?
MB923
If he was smart he wouldn’t make what is, IMO, such a silly comment.
I don’t think Epstein’s comments sound bitter at all. I disagree with him though that, unless Tanaka is a bust, that the $175 million will cost him them more in real terms. I didn’t hear the interview, and maybe he mentioned this in it, but they are very likely to benefit with increased revenue from advertising, corporate sponsorship, and Japanese tourists (unless, as I mentioned, Tanaka is a bust).
Tko11
Fifth largest contract for a pitcher ever, if he remains a #3 then I don’t see how you can view this signing in a positive light. So much risk involved.
DMiles5149
Just because they’re trying to temper the expectations early on doesn’t mean they think he’s going to max out at a #3. Cashman’s being smart about it. Don’t put too much pressure on him early. And trust me, if he outpitches Kuroda and Sabathia, he won’t be the #3 in the playoffs should the Yankees make it. People are making too much out of words like always. Tanaka has enough to worry about, Cashman’s just trying to lighten the burden. That’s it.
DerekJeterDan
Agreed. If Tanaka flops even to the level of a number 3 its a failure. Yankees should be expecting 1-2 type numbers right from the start. Anything else is risky and shows poor judgement by Yankees Ownership.
bobbleheadguru
Dave Dombrowski just said the same thing about the upside potential of Robbie Ray (the prospect acquired in the Doug Fister trade).
GMs new MO:
Underpromise, overdeliver.
DMiles5149
He’s quieting the expectations. Nothing more, nothing less. They obviously view him as more than a #3 by paying him what they did. But as they’ve seen first hand in the past, putting too much pressure on a guy, especially coming from another country, is never a good thing.
raymondrobertkoenig
Epstein should do more to improve the Major League product in Chicago.
JustFatOlMe
That’s what he is saying; there isn’t anyone to “buy” to improve the product.
Mikel Grady
Cubs will be like a thief in the night. When league realizes how great the call ups become it will be to late and nobody will catch them. There is only one champ each year. No amount of free agents would achieve that for cubs. I can wait 2-3 years until we are competing every year. 3 bad seasons bring 3 top 5 draft picks. Cardinals doing it the right way. What’s wacha and miller cost vs kershaw and tanaka? They were in World Series this year other 2 were not. Theo bashed in Boston for long contracts, now he passes and gets bashed? It’s one or the other. He is just stating facts that yanks and dodgers can spend money like water. It is whAt it is. Cub fans support their team win or lose we don’t have to over spend so our fans don’t cry and jump ship
SierraM363
20+ million a year for a solid number 3. Everything really is more expensive in NY.
Way to set expectations low Cashman.
ed27
Totally agree
cedarandstone
Cespedes is talented but his production last year. Pretty ugly numbers – 240/292/442.
bobbybaseball
As a Cubs fan I hate to admit this, but it sounds as if even Epstein is questioning his own strategy, given the restrictions and new rules. However, another trend that is hurting even the teams willing to spend on high-priced free agents is the trend toward signing guys early to huge extensions, thus taking them off the market in future years. Still, it comes down to drafting & developing your talent and using is wisely in trades to fill the gaps.
ed27
Cashman is really lowering the expectations of Yankee fans. If he, and management, viewed Tanaka as a solid #3 they would never have committed the $$ they did to the contract. Far better to sign two guys from the group of Garza, Santana, Jimenez, Arroyo, etc. because one of them likely would have pitched to a #3 level. I think the Yanks expect much more. If Tanaka becomes a guy who wins an average of 14-15 wins a year with an ERA in the high 3’s (about what I would expect from a #3 guy) it won’t be a disaster but I don’t think it will be worth the investment New York made.