Well, that was an interesting way to wake up this fine California morning. For better or worse, the Yanks won the Tanaka lottery paying dearly for the privilege, naturally. Will he be Yu Darvish or Kei Igawa? Or best of all, Hiroki Kuroda, whose career has been so enduring? I’m going to think positively and figure that he’ll be a great fit for New York. (As I said, I just woke up; I’m always in a good mood first thing in the am.) I know his wife will love NY, minus the current weather. With $155 million, she can buy a lovely estate in CT or Westchester and shop at Bergdorf’s and Neiman’s 24/7 and dine at the best restaurants. What’s not to like? Plus, the Yankees already have a translator or two on staff and both Kuroda and Ichiro (and Matsui when he visits) to smooth the transition. Exciting!
I just read the good news and was about to write to you, Jane. The pitching is much more solid now. WooHoo. GO YANKEES!!!
Way to go Yanks! Now everyone can quit whining about $189 million.
Please do not let the missus visit NYC until the contract is signed. Beyond miserable cold!
What great news to wake up to! Seems like the Yankees got most of the free agents they wanted this off-season. We’ll still have to see about this guy, but I don’t think you go 24-0 by accident. I know it’s in Japan and it’s not the AL East, but I think that says something about his fight more than anything. I’m sure he didn’t have his best stuff in every game, so we know he’s probably not one to give in.
I’m interested in what Piñeda’s got this coming season too. Hmmm…
I do wish there wasn’t that opt-out clause after 4 years, but I guess it’s standard these days with big-money free agents. I’m interested in Pineda too, YankeeCase. If he can regain his form, it’ll be a damn good rotation.
…and hopefully we can use the A-Rod money to pay for Tanaka’s first season.
I am filing this under POSITIVE!
I needed that warm info on this bitter cold winter day!
Hi Jane & Fellow Baseball Fans…
I just wrote on facebook that my burning question is…Will Joe G. call him Massey? You know he has a thing for adding a “y” on names. Tanky just doesn’t sound right ..LOL. Hoping Massey will be a Darvish/Kuroda type a guy and not an Irabu/Igawa. Yankees haven’t had success recruiting Japanese players. They did good with Chin Ming Wang but he was from Taiwan. I’m also hoping Pineda can bounce back to the player he once was to help this team win. Anyway, the team is starting to look good on paper …let’s hope that translates onto the field with HEALTHY players this season. I can’t wait for the games to begin. I’m in Yankee withdrawal…I want my baseball. Who cares about the Super Bowl !!
Signing off from chilly New York….
Go Yankees 2014 !!!
I should have said the Yankees haven’t had success recruiting Japanese “pitchers” …they had great success with our guy …Hideki Matsui ala Godzilla. I still miss him …I LOVED him and hated when he went to the Angels especially after his AMAZING WS. I was so happy the Yankees held a special day for him this year and I’ll never forget them giving him his WS ring when the Yankees opened at home against the Angels in 2010. Both the team and the fans let Hideki know how they felt about him … :) I was so happy I was at the game.
Go Yankees 2014 !!!
I think it’ll be “Massy,” Peggy. LOL. He called Matsui “Matty” so it seems likely. (You’re right; “Tanky” doesn’t work at all.)
peggy, the massey thing made me laugh out loud.
i am so happy because we needed pitching and i was getting worried with the season just around the corner but i am fearful of getting too excited. i remember singing dream weaver over and over when we got jeff weaver and i was excited about kevin brown and randy johnson and kei igawa so i am cautiously optimistic. let’s hope he’s more darvish than matzuaka. let’s hope pineda becomes as ace as well. at least we have something to be excited about.
sports radio boston is going crazy saying now that we went over the payroll tax we will throw all caution to the wind and sign jd drew and balfour or rodney and they went on an on. i wish we didn’t have to hear about spending so much this off season but i am glad we upgraded.
Cashman basically nixed the idea today of any more expensive free agents, Barbara, so I wouldn’t pay any attention to all that. (I’m sure you meant Stephen Drew, since JD retired.)
This morning, mlb.com posted a fascinating photo. It was taken at Yankee Stadium in 2006. A team of all-star high school baseball players from Japan was visiting Yankee Stadium, and the picture shows them meeting (and being greeted by) Matsui. Of course, a prominent member of the team was Tanaka. The comment: “Foreshadowing?”
Well, I was pretty sad last night. We were watching The Grammy Awards show, which was spectacular… and who was sitting in the second row right in front of the stage behind J-Z and Beyonce??? Robinson Cano. What?! Oh well…we’re building a find team and as long as they mostly stay healthy I think we have a good shot at the post-season, even without Robbie. Also, I watched the outdoor hockey game between The Rangers and New Jersey at Yankee Stadium. It was beautiful. And my team won. And it made me really wish for warm weather and baseball season. GO YANKEES!!!
You thought the Grammys were spectacular, Diane? Yikes, I guess we have different tastes in award shows. Anyhow, yes, Cano is in a new orbit now. Our glimpses of him will always be reminders of his Yankee days and what might have been, but oh well……..
i don’t know if the tanaka signing or just the time of year but i am itching for baseball. starting to count days