[LT Profits]

Japanese pitcher was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings last season.

[Ghenghis Kahn]

the cubs? great, it's like the bermuda triangle for pitchers...

[wwraymond]

I think he is a #3 starter at best in mlb. He's definitely going to get overpaid thanks to what Darvish did. Should be interesting to see what he does.

[wwraymond]

the cubs? great, it's like the bermuda triangle for pitchers...

Great avatar, who is it? The cubs pitching staff?

[LT Profits]

Overpaid perhaps, but Darvish turned out to be a legitimate stud and he never had a year like Tanaka just had when he pitched in Japan.

[Deuce]

Will be like 99% of overhyped Japs. All flash until debut and are gone in a few years. PASS

[byronbb]

[I/O]

the cubs? great, it's like the bermuda triangle for pitchers...

lol

for anybody

[Chi_archie]

fuk
u
do
me

[Straight Cash]

the cubs? great, it's like the bermuda triangle for pitchers...

He will be injured and out of the league in 5 years.

[pavyracer]

He is going to be better than any of the pitchers Cubs have right now.

[Big Bear]

He is going to be better than any of the pitchers Cubs have right now.

absolutely.

I sure hope the Cubs don't get him. That would be such a waste of talent.

I was hoping a contender would get him.

[BigSpoon]

absolutely.

I sure hope the Cubs don't get him. That would be such a waste of talent.

I was hoping a contender would get him.

Yeah, weird decision to sign for the Cubs if true.

[Chi_archie]

impressive stats in Japan

[Rangers901]

I swear a large majority of people on SBR truly don't have a damn clue about sports in general.

Are people really saying that Japanese pitchers in the majors typically account to nothing? Really?

Yu Darvish
Dice K (although a shortened career, he was phenomenal during his tenure)
Hisashi Iwakuma
Koji Uehara
Junichi Tazawa

All of the pitchers stated above have filthy stuff, and all but Dice K are currently enjoying tremendous success in the league. Masahiro Tanaka will certainly earn his spot on the list by the end of the season.

[shaunovery]

Cubs not a good fit i would say

[jjgold]

Does not matter so now they lose 90 games instead of 95

One of worst baseball franchises that ever lived

[LT Profits]

Yeah, weird decision to sign for the Cubs if true.

He has no say I don't think, teams "bid" just for the opportunity to negotiate with him and only the highest bidder gets to do so. Then his choice is either sign with that team or stay in Japan, If he signs for MLB, that team pays the bid fee to his Japanese team.

[broadway6]

Will he bring a Japanese goat to get rid of the black one at Wrigley?

[broadway6]

He has no say I don't think, teams "bid" just for the opportunity to negotiate with him and only the highest bidder gets to do so. Then his choice is either sign with that team or stay in Japan, If he signs for MLB, that team pays the bid fee to his Japanese team.

Rules changed. I believe each team can bid 20 million to negotiate. The 20 million is non refundable and goes to the Japanese club.

[LT Profits]

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score is hearing from industry sources that the Cubs "will outbid the field on money and years" for Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka.



Tanaka's signing deadline is January 24 at 5:00 p.m. ET -- this Friday evening -- so the heat is officially on. The Diamondbacks, White Sox, Yankees and Dodgers are the other confirmed bidders for the 25-year-old starting pitcher, who went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings last season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles. His first major league contract is expected to be worth more than $120 million over six years, and that doesn't include the $20 million posting fee that must be paid to Rakuten.


Source: Bruce Levine on Twitter

Jan 20 - 3:56 PM ET

[LT Profits]

Rules changed. I believe each team can bid 20 million to negotiate. The 20 million is non refundable and goes to the Japanese club.

Gotcha, so it's simply a case of the Cubs having the biggest offer on the table.

[cubswin]

Maybe the Cubs are planning to move to Japan , maybe then , they can be over 500

[oiler]

u could get a whole staff of pitchers like him and they still wouldn't win

[bobby heenan]

I swear a large majority of people on SBR truly don't have a damn clue about sports in general.

Are people really saying that Japanese pitchers in the majors typically account to nothing? Really?

Yu Darvish
Dice K (although a shortened career, he was phenomenal during his tenure)
Hisashi Iwakuma
Koji Uehara
Junichi Tazawa

All of the pitchers stated above have filthy stuff, and all but Dice K are currently enjoying tremendous success in the league. Masahiro Tanaka will certainly earn his spot on the list by the end of the season.

point taken....but to say dice-k was "phenomenal"??? ...he was phenomenal in 08....thats about it

[bobby heenan]

i still remember going to dice-k's first career start at fenway....he real well too....unfortunately he faced felix hernandez who had a no hitter through 7.....

[Grits n' Gravy]

Dice-K a phenom? Put down the drugs. He had tremendous run support throughout his career and still blew games.

[Big Bear]

I swear a large majority of people on SBR truly don't have a damn clue about sports in general.

Are people really saying that Japanese pitchers in the majors typically account to nothing? Really?

Yu Darvish
Dice K (although a shortened career, he was phenomenal during his tenure)
Hisashi Iwakuma
Koji Uehara
Junichi Tazawa

All of the pitchers stated above have filthy stuff, and all but Dice K are currently enjoying tremendous success in the league. Masahiro Tanaka will certainly earn his spot on the list by the end of the season.

i haven't seen anyone say Japanese pitchers don't amount to anything...

but I agree they do really well in MLB especially in their rookie season...

until MLB hitters have seen him a bunch and have a good scouting report on him and try to find his tendencies they won't touch this guy.

He is an ace caliber pitcher this season. Guaranteed.

[ChalkyDog]

I don't understand the pickup for the Cubs. Maybe this signals Theo believes the Cubs are closer to contending than even some of the more optimistic projections.

[Rangers901]

Dice-K a phenom? Put down the drugs. He had tremendous run support throughout his career and still blew games.

Yes, Dice K had phenomenal stuff.

If you take a look, he had numerous seasons where he gave up less hits than innings pitched. He was prone to giving up the long ball, which is really what ultimately led to his demise. His ERA was inflated because of this.

If you look at the other pitchers I listed, all are enjoying great success in the majors as we speak.

With the unfamiliarity factor there, I expect Tanaka to make a lot of major leaguers look silly this season.

His splitter is in a whole other galaxy.

[bobby heenan]

Yes, Dice K had phenomenal stuff.

If you take a look, he had numerous seasons where he gave up less hits than innings pitched. He was prone to giving up the long ball, which is really what ultimately led to his demise. His ERA was inflated because of this.

If you look at the other pitchers I listed, all are enjoying great success in the majors as we speak.

With the unfamiliarity factor there, I expect Tanaka to make a lot of major leaguers look silly this season.

His splitter is in a whole other galaxy.

guys career whip in boston was 1.4......the guy averaged less than 6 innings a start.....guy ran counts full almost to every other batter.....guy could walk the bases loaded without getting an out lol

[Dirty Sanchez]

Japanese pitcher was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings last season.

Once someone tells him they suck..and they'll never see the playoffs...he'll smarten up

[Otters27]

Hope this guy ends up being a beast. Would like to see someone break Bob Gibsons record one day

[MikeTizzy]

incredible talent, Japanese has all the fundementals down these days.

[Grits n' Gravy]

guys career whip in boston was 1.4......the guy averaged less than 6 innings a start.....guy ran counts full almost to every other batter.....guy could walk the bases loaded without getting an out lol

This is on point.