The Official 'TANAKA' Thread

[Stradling]

All things considered, the Angels have to be a distant third most likely if this report is true. We don't have the money that the Dodgers or Yankees have. We don't have the room under the tax that the Yankees have. We are the one team of the group Tanaka has probably never heard of. We aren't the only team on the west coast, or even in LA. We don't have a Japanese player. While we probably do need more him than the Dodgers do, I don't think we need him quite as much as the Yankees.

The Yankees have about the same amount of room under the "cap" as we do. Name the Japanese player currently on the Dodgers? To say that Tanaka has never heard of the Angels is asinine. We signed Hasegawa well before most teams were signing Japanese players, and we also had Matsui, even if it was for only one season. Not to mention the Angels have Pujols, who may not be what he once was, but he is still one of the top five right handed hitters in the history of the game. We also have Trout, who is probably the best player in the world. So I am guessing he knows who the Angels are. One more thing about who we are, Tanaka is 25 years old, which means he was born in 1988, the last time the Dodgers won a World Series, so I doubt he remembers that. I do agree that we don't need him as much as the Yankees, but that doesn't mean it is a done deal. If you ask me the Yankees needed Cano more than Seattle, but where will Cano be for the next ten years?

[Stradling]

It's funny how we're saying that now, but 3 years ago Moreno was stingy with his money and wouldn't sign anybody worth the while (Beltre anyone?).

Yea, that was the end of the line the for Reagins era right there. I think a lot of us thought it was an overpay considering perceived injury issues and overall his lack of performance on multi-year deals. I also don't know if many people inside or outside of baseball saw the crazy increase in salaries coming. Beltre's contract seems very reasonable now, but when he signed it, not so much. Man oh man, what could have been.

[mancini79]

At this point the Dodgers have the best chance to get to the World Series. And it's not even close.

 

Kershaw

Greinke

Ryu

Tanaka

And a bunch of other #5's

 

I remember when the Angels were going to the WS for the past 2 off-seasons.

[Ohtaniland]

A huge TANAKALAND sign wouldn't hurt.

[mancini79]

A huge TANAKALAND sign wouldn't hurt.

 

That is a lot of halo'd "A"s there. Lets get international and create a Japanese sign also.

Edited January 12, 2014 by mancini79

[Stradling]

Claude, they need to make that part of his contract, that should make his family feel at home. Except I doubt they will be sitting in right field. Wait, you gave up your season tickets. Damn it, now he won't be coming.

[Homebrewer]

From Bob Elliot of the Toronto Sun

Elliott's source also outlined what Tanaka will be seeking from potential suitors. "Tanaka wants to go to a World Series, wants a city where his family will feel at home since they don’t speak English. He has a desire to be on a team with potential to win and loves the pressure."

But seriously, where else could he fully experience the cap tipping and page turning that are essential to success in MLB?

Lets hope his advisers point out the advantages of these intangibles, or we don't have a chance in hell.  

[Stradling]

That is a lot of halo'd "A"s there. Lets get international and create a Japanese sign also.

Do it, make the logo, have Chuck send it to Gretzky, that way it can get around the Japanese media.

[JAHV76]

I still don't understand why the Dodgers would sign another big contract for pitching when they already have a large payroll committed towards pitching. Are they going to DFA Beckett?

[Ohtaniland]

That is a lot of halo'd "A"s there. Lets get international and create a Japanese sign also.

 

Mancini I would definitely do a reversible sign that we could flip over to read in Japanese.  

[YouthofToday]

Well, I agree that if both teams decide they have to have Tanaka then we will get outbid. But to disregard the Angels ability to sign a big name free agent is silly. As of next year the Angels have the second highest TV contract and Arte has shown that he is willing to spend money. Hell, in my opinion that is what he does best, not necessarily in the best way, but it certainly shows his commitment to winning.

The Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers all have larger deals per year.

[AngelsLakersFan]

Well, I agree that if both teams decide they have to have Tanaka then we will get outbid. But to disregard the Angels ability to sign a big name free agent is silly. As of next year the Angels have the second highest TV contract and Arte has shown that he is willing to spend money. Hell, in my opinion that is what he does best, not necessarily in the best way, but it certainly shows his commitment to winning.

 

Angels may have the second highest tv contract (tied with Texas) but the Dodgers have the biggest, and the Yankees own their own network so they aren't included, and probably are making significantly more.

[Ohtaniland]

Claude, they need to make that part of his contract, that should make his family feel at home. Except I doubt they will be sitting in right field. Wait, you gave up your season tickets. Damn it, now he won't be coming.

 

If they sign Tanaka I will be on the phone with the Angels ticket office the same day. I believe that Tanaka is a game changer.

I would love to do something like they do in Seattle for King Felix. The stadium needs some buzz.

[AngelsLakersFan]

The Yankees have about the same amount of room under the "cap" as we do. Name the Japanese player currently on the Dodgers? To say that Tanaka has never heard of the Angels is asinine. We signed Hasegawa well before most teams were signing Japanese players, and we also had Matsui, even if it was for only one season. Not to mention the Angels have Pujols, who may not be what he once was, but he is still one of the top five right handed hitters in the history of the game. We also have Trout, who is probably the best player in the world. So I am guessing he knows who the Angels are. One more thing about who we are, Tanaka is 25 years old, which means he was born in 1988, the last time the Dodgers won a World Series, so I doubt he remembers that. I do agree that we don't need him as much as the Yankees, but that doesn't mean it is a done deal. If you ask me the Yankees needed Cano more than Seattle, but where will Cano be for the next ten years?

 

I'm assuming that Arod suspension is going to be upheld by the feds, which should give the Yankees over $30 million in space below the CBT threshold, which is about twice what the Angels have right now. I'm not sure the Angels can sign Tanaka and not go over, while the Yankees should have no problem.

Hasegawa and Matsui are not comparable to Tanaka. The demand for those two was minimal, and the market is entirely different.

 

The Angels do have the star power that other teams lack, and that could be a boon to us, but at the same time I don't think we can argue that the Angels are better. Maybe better than the Yankees but no way are they better than the Dodgers right now.

 

Your point about Cano is probably the most important factor. Cano went to the highest bidder, and Tanaka will probably do the same. To me this makes the Yankees most likely, because they have the need and the money. I'm not sure the Angels have the money. We could get lucky and find that Tanaka really wants to play in the LA area, and while the Dodgers have more money to spend they don't need Tanaka like the Angels do, so perhaps they don't bid as high.

[EnglishCop]

Does it involved a hot female stripogram? Perhaps Amy Pond in the first episode of the Matt Smith Doctor Who era?

 

As per a discussion with EnglishDA, the current penalty in place states that a violator must deliver fellatio to a sweaty Mike Napoli in the Red Sox clubhouse.

 

We've determined that this would be to your liking and have decided to change the penalty structure.

[Glen]

I still don't understand why the Dodgers would sign another big contract for pitching when they already have a large payroll committed towards pitching. Are they going to DFA Beckett?

 

 

Doubtful, but they have something like $36 million coming off the books next season.  They can suck it up for this season if they sign him.

[Stradling]

MLB Network yesterday said the Yankees would have about $15 million to work with under the CBT, after the Arod suspension, of course they could have been wrong. Cots agrees with you, but I don't know if it takes into account the average of the contract, and not just this years salary.

[Halos of Anaheim]

i hate that japanese report so much

Can't blame someone from Japan for not wanting to live in Seattle.

[Ohtaniland]

I still prefer my brilliant "Butcher Shop" idea painted in red paint to resemble blood.  Whenever Tanaka gets shelled that could be the flip side.

 

The "Butcher Shop" sign comes if they don't sign Tanaka. 

[Chris]

Time to bring in the big gun of Angels Japanese alumni:

 

Shigetoshi Hasegawa

 

Time to get Shiggy wit it!

[nando714]

Time to bring in the big gun of Angels Japanese alumni:

Shigetoshi Hasegawa

Time to get Shiggy wit it!

Break the bank and hand him a Matsui snuggy

[Dave Saltzer]

Here's a thought that may work in our favor: with the Angels he will be the ONLY Japanese player on the team, making him the center of attention for the Japanese press and will have a very compliant local press core to deal with here. In New York, he will play second fiddle to Kuroda with the Japanese press while having a hyper critical local and national press core. Here, there with be far more drama made of match ups with the Rangers and Yankees with him as the Star. If the money is more or less even, that may make a difference. I hope we get him.

[Ohtaniland]

Here's a thought that may work in our favor: with the Angels he will be the ONLY Japanese player on the team, making him the center of attention for the Japanese press and will have a very compliant local press core to deal with here. In New York, he will play second fiddle to Kuroda with the Japanese press while having a hyper critical local and national press core. Here, there with be far more drama made of match ups with the Rangers and Yankees with him as the Star. If the money is more or less even, that may make a difference. I hope we get him.

 

He would also be the only Japanese player on the Dodgers roster. The only thing that would work in our favor is to offer more money than the Dodgers or the Yankees.

[Tavon Brown]

Lookie what we got here.  Now Tanaka narrows it down to 3 teams.    But some people on this site still most likely think it is a longshot that the Angels sign the guy when we are in the final 3 teams.  LMAO

[SoWhat]

L-o-l

Edited January 13, 2014 by SoWhat