Masahiro Tanaka news: NPB officials coming to New York to resolve posting system issues By Tanya Bondurant | SB Nation -- 15 minutes agoMLB and NPB executives will try once again to resolve issues with a new posting system that would allow MLB teams to pursue Masahiro Tanaka this offseason. Officials from Nippon Professional Baseball will be in New York this week to try and resolve ongoing issues over the new posting system that would allow MLB teams to bid on Masahiro Tanaka later this offseason. Tanaka is widely seen as the best available pitcher on the market this winter, and will only be made available once a new system is in place. Talks between MLB and NPB fell through last month, delaying the time frame for when Tanaka can officially put himself on the market for bidding. It seemed, for a moment, that the deal falling through might prevent the Japanese phenom from making his way to the United States for the 2014 season, but officials are hopeful that a deal can be made. According to Jon Heyman, Japanese officials are looking for a move that would come close to mirroring the recently expired agreement that would have teams blindly bidding on a Japanese player before exclusive negotiating rights are awarded to the team bidding the most money. Various other systems, including one that would allow the player to pick between a set number of teams, were discussed, but it seems that the outcome is most likely one similar to the old system if a new deal can be struck at all. If MLB and NPB cannot work anything out, Tanaka wouldn't be able to post and the Yankees would lose one of their top targets of the offseason. The winning bid for Tanaka, which wouldn't count against the luxury tax, could be in the $75 million range, which would exceed the record of $51.7 million paid by the Texas Rangers for the rights to negotiate with Yu Darvish two years ago. The Yankees could have some stiff competition in the battle for Tanaka with Heyman speculated that the Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, and Rangers, among others, could all be involved in the bidding. Many of those teams appear to have plenty of money to spend, which could force the Yankees to really go all in if they hope to land a pitcher capable of improving their shaky rotation, which they desperately need. All that is, of course, dependent on NPB and MLB officials finding some kind of common ground on what the details of the next posting system will be during their meetings. If no decision can be agreed upon, the Yankees will have to go back to the drawing board for ways to land top flight talent without being able to develop it themselves and not paying a fortune via trade or on the open market. __
What would be so wrong about putting them in the bullpen? Bills will have to start there anyway. And if Beckett gets pissy, trade him or send him down. Their money is off the books so it would be good for them to work out any kinks coming back from injury in the bullpen.
other than we already have sort of a crowded bullpen? lets stop thinking they manage the team as if it was MLB The Show... they are not gonna be simply ok sending over $25M to the bp, where they already have League burning cash...
this exactly plus these guys can either accept a bp role or go fuck themselves neither is owed anything see wally pipp
there's going cheap (signing Capuano and Harang) and going nutcase-cash-burning-mode crazy... again, NOT MLB THE SHOW!!! lets be realistic, at least a little bit... and about going cheap, I guess you didnt noticed how 2 of our key bench players have signed elsewhere... or how they are going with a rookie as backup catcher (not that I like any of the backup options that are out there)... or you havent seen the team president saying they wont be everyone's sugar daddy forever... but I guess GG has a cash printing machine somewhere...
I 'hear' what they say but until a decision is made that shows them to be more parsimonious than prudent I'm sticking with the 'GG can afford anything' storyline. And losing Skippy and Punto falls under prudent... no true loss there...
They are owed millions of dollars and have major league contracts and cant be sent down without permission if healthy. Otherwise we have to pay their salaries and release them. In traditional Dodger form we will probably try to keep them on the DL as long as possible or until needed.
no true loss??? I guess you want Dee Gordon as your bench SS... or maybe Michael Young and Miguel Tejada... the list of available 2B/SS players is terrible... I dont see a lot that would be an upgrade over Punto or Skip...
Who says we're playing the Show? Realistic, okay. Bills will not be here by June. Let's be realistic about that. He had Tommy John. He needs a long time to recover. He will most likely get an innings limit. What better way to use an innings limit, than to convert him to a bullpen guy? Beckett is a question mark. We have no idea how he will do. He hasn't pitched in a long time and may not be ready. If we're being realistic, we have one more spot on our rotation. And we may lose Wilson. And our bullpen can be shaky. Maybe having them as bullpen guys isn't so bad.
Bills had TJ in May or June, so he should come back ( and I mean pitching in a ML game, not rehab) by May or June. What more pitch limit than a month off??? And how is he gonna get arm strength pitching 2 innings every 3 or 4 days??? And how is it to protect his arm sending him up and down to warm up 2 or 3 times a game??? He's not used to that work style. Almost the same as for Beckett, adding that he will be ready for ST. But say they do send them to the bp. You run the bp with 2 long man? Makes no sense. They will start.
Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports tweets that MLB and NPB officials are meeting today to discuss the new posting system. Baseball America's Ben Badler adds that teams are operating under the assumption that an agreement will be reached, and Tanaka will be available (Twitter link). Badler feels some news will be announced in the near future. Tim Brown@TBrownYahoo MLB meeting today with Japanese league officials to further discuss flawed posting system.8:53 AM - 26 Nov 13 Ben Badler @BenBadler MLB teams are operating under the assumption we'll get a posting agreement and Tanaka will be available. I expect we'll have something soon.10:50 AM - 26 Nov 13 __
