Frank_Thomas

WFAN Sports Radio ‏@WFAN660 5m Report: Masahiro Tanaka is expected to choose his #MLB team no later than Wednesday.

@RobertMurrayMLB tanaka had asked his followers to send a photo for his profile pic. A bunch came in, and he tweeted "can't decide"

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 21, 2014 -> 08:17 AM) Yes, go figure a CUBS fan thinks this. Tell me, what does Ty Youngfelt do? Why are we quoting him, he of the "if it's Tuesday in America, it's Friday in Japan" ? I'm actually deleting the post, seems his "friends" posted it to get a rise from twitter universe. Sorry guys.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 21, 2014 -> 08:08 AM) That makes zero sense. It's Tuesday in Japan, not Thursday. And Friday night in Japan as opposed to 6PM tonight stateside are two days apart. Ya I didn't understand either. But it is Wednesday there I think not tuesday. Correction: it's 11 PM there. About to be Wednesday

Hold on to your butts: @TyYoungfelt: Currently Thursday, 7:30pm in Japan- have been told word will come in no later than 9p Friday in Japan or 6p tonight stateside...here we go Right when Hahn goes on CTL and announces he's bringing his talents to the South Side

I mean really how do the Cubs make one the man, in the next say 3 years?? By running him out every 5 days with a minor league offense ( I know we're not much better), putting a sub par defense behind him, and then brining in that pathetic bullpen to save and hold his leads? I mean really? If he chooses the cubs he can say he's a competitor but really he chose the easy way out with the most money. Because of all the teams the cubs have the least amount of chance for sustained success in the first 3-4 years of his contract. By that time he will be an afterthought to the next Japenese star and another Cub player the cub faithful turns on because of a huge salary and lack of results.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 21, 2014 -> 06:07 AM) How would this guy know this? I mean, how many people could have been in the room when Theo made his pitch? Seems to me that this Ty Youngfelt would be exposing his source by making this statement. I think this guy is full of s*** as well. He very well may be, however almost all the Cubs mouth pieces have echoed the samething, their pitch was he can be the man on a team with a great future, as well they have said the Cubs contract will be 7 years and north of $135 Personally, I think its a poor sales pitch and half assed. I do sales for a living, this guy knows he's the man. If I'm him I want to know how youre going to make me the man. At least the Sox can say, we have the best pitching coach in the ML, he has taken guys with 100% less stuff than you and made them all-star pitcher, we are going to make you the man by putting you behind an already nasty SP in sale, who can help take the pressure off you the first year and let you hone your craft. We ate going to make you the man by marketing you to the Asian and non Asian markets in Chicago and the Midwest. In fact we have a ticket packaged named after you. I just think the Cubs came with weak sauce and if this guy goes there, I don't want him anyways. And if the Sox or someone else did offer a 4/$100 million contract with let's say an option or 2 for 2018 and/or 2019. I'm not sure how his agent isn't advisin him to take it with the possibility of becoming a FA again at 29. Either way I'm glad the Sox made a push, and this shorter contract makes sense for the club and goes along with the history of contracts given to pitchers on this side of town.

Maybe the 4/$100 offer that's was rumored is true. It kinda goes with the Cespedes contract.

Ty Youngfelt ‏@TyYoungfelt 57m Theo in Tanaka pitch:"...you'll be our Kershaw, our Sabathia..."they know his personality,felt best approach was to sell him as 'the man'... Ty Youngfelt ‏@TyYoungfelt 14m @bpaoni Unchanged from my sources... Cubs high team, Dodgers w/lower, competitive offer focused on better geo/roster, Yanks getting creative Ty Youngfelt ‏@TyYoungfelt 11m Did hear that 1 team has an 'Oakland/Cespedes' type offer on table (really high AAV, really short contract) although MT seems uninterested Ty Youngfelt ‏@TyYoungfelt 9m @TyYoungfelt Hate 140 characters:to clarify at 1point such offer on table,Tanaka @ time uninterested, focusing on long term-not type to move

Source: LoHud Yanks 1/17/2014 via Nikkan Sports 1/21/2014 === The latest on Masahiro Tanaka from Tuesday, January 21, 2014. Tanaka threw his fastball, slider, cutter, fork, and curve during his thirty-nine-pitch bullpen session on Monday. [Daily Sports 1/21/2014] Tanaka threw what may have been a rising cutter while playing catch with Rakuten Eagle Manabu Mima on Monday (he threw it just once). Of the thirty-nine pitches he threw in the bullpen, eighteen were breaking balls. [sports Hochi 1/21/2014] Tanaka started throwing the cutter partway through last season. He was not happy with it and continued to work on the pitch into the off-season. The MLB baseball is changing some of the properties of his pitches. His two-seamer had added sinking movement, in addition to its normal horizontal movement. His cutter is also probably benefiting in a similar fashion by adding "rising" movement. [sponichi 1/21/2014] Headlines from the US via Japanese media. From the New York Time's David Waldstein: ...But there is a feeling in some circles that the Yankees will not be outbid. One official with a National League team involved in the negotiations, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said his team believed that the Yankees would "do what the Yankees do and bid more than any other team." Tanaka, though, does not have to choose the team making the highest bid. Under the new posting system between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball, Tanaka can negotiate freely with interested teams and, regardless of the money, select the club he prefers to pitch for. The deadline to come to terms on a contract is Friday afternoon. Source: New York Times 1/19/2014 via Nikkan Sports 1/21/2014 From ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers: ... Going into the weekend one major league source told ESPNChicago.com that the Cubs were willing to go as high as $25 million per year for between 6-8 years. Another source indicated the years were right but the price was lower. Both agreed the Yankees would be the stiffest competition unless the Los Angeles Dodgers blew everyone away at the last minute. Source: ESPN Chicago 1/19/2014 via Sponichi 1/21/2014 From the New York Daily News' Andy Martino: ... Agent Casey Close and the interested clubs have conducted a remarkably private process, striking for its lack of leaks in an industry where information usually sneaks out somewhere. Close has declined to comment on any aspect of the process throughout, and on Sunday he continued to do so. Although Tanaka’s deadline is Friday, it is more than possible that he will choose a team earlier in the week. That would allow time for details of the contract to be finalized, and for a physical examination to take place. http://yakyubaka.com/2014/01/21/1212014-go...ka+(Yakyu+Baka)

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 03:39 PM) Because honestly youre more likely to find the clue to Tanaka's signing in a My Little Pony episode than on twitter at this point. This is not an American signing where a player/family slips, Tanaka is likely playing this extremely close to the vest so there is almost no chance of a direct leak. Anything you are seeing now is more likely subterfuge from the American clubs. Lets be realistic, only Tanaka and his agent know until he makes a decision and he has very little incentive to let it be known he is down to 2 teams, unless he is trying to get more bidding. Okay you're right. Then we are better off blowing up this thread if no one can post speculation or pass information that is conjecture on people who are paid to do so. Open up a thread about my little pony, I'm sure that thread will also get to 120 pages. I just don't get why this board is turning in WSI and how people blow up posts about this topic. I'm fine not posting it anymore, I'm just saying it was never like this on this site.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 03:37 PM) Good grief what is with you today? FT35 simply said the tweet was mentioned on Waddle and Silvy, nothing more, no defending. Have a beer and lighten up. Thanks bud, I'm glad someone understands I'm not trying to talk s**t. A beer or chill with Mr. Danks.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 03:29 PM) Dude, you are still defending this Loxas asshole. Stop. His track record is garbage. BRUCE LEVINE HAS A BETTER TRACK RECORD. I'm not defending , S**T. I'm defending me posting it to this board. You said after someone posted his recent busts, that we shouldn't post anything else. It's not good enough for Soctalk Tanaka thread, home of Cox, erections, my little pony, and Star Wars characters. But it's good enough to get a shout out as news on Waddle and Silvy. That's all I'm saying man. Personally, just by this dudes picture he's a typical cub tool. But doesn't mean he isn't worth a post hen he tweets something about the guy this thread is about. He may be a asshole as u say, don't know him. But he blogs for a team that has interest in the same player as us. I post it, with good reason say what u want about Loxas and the content of his tweet. But don't criticize the guy who is posting information actually realvent to the topic at hand.

Lol this one is priceless! WTF Bruce.... https://mobile.twitter.com/MLBBruceLevine/s...369965705719808

The Loxas tweet was also mentioned on Waddle and Silvy

This one is just for you Whitesoxfan: https://mobile.twitter.com/TomLoxas/status/...357433561546752

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 01:52 PM) Oh for f***'s sake dude, I said I appreciate it. Quit with the sob story. I'm just pointing out that, within a stretch of about 8 posts, you totally flip flopped. You said "looks like it's over" to some fanboy Cubs fan posting that it's between the Cubs and Yankees. Post updates all you want, just be prepared when people shoot them down, especially when it's a Cubs fan posting the update. No I was summarizing what the tweet was saying. And I'm not sobbing or flip flopping. Every time I post something from a blogger, beat writer, what-not. I almost always back it up believe its for what it's worth. I was trying to spark a conversation about what this topic is suppose to be about, Tanaka. And posting relavent tweets from other peoples bloggers beat writers etc involved, is a part of it. And it looks like doing so many more people have checked it out since the convo is back about Tanaka and not the pathetic conversations the past few pages. and we can discuss the recent tweets from these guys. Idiots, cubs fans, whatever when other people retweet them, including MlBTR a few days a go I was just posting and u got all pissy swearing about it being from nobodys. I agreed with you, till you said I flip flopped. My stance on this process has been the same.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 01:45 PM) REALLY? I appreciate you posting this stuff, because it's relevant, but every single time, I or someone else will point out that it's conjecture, speculation, and bulls***. No problem. I won't post any more conjecture. Please, go back to talking about star wars and erections.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 01:40 PM) Dude's a f***ing Cubs fan. I could tweet out "hear it's down to #Dodgers, #Yankees, and #WhiteSox" and have as much credibility and bias. It's a bulls*** report. SERIOUSLY, nothing is coming out until pen hits paper or, at the very least, he is actually near a decision. Like I said man, I'm just posting stuff I find. It's a lot better than the last 20 pages of cox, and star wars conversations. I don't buy it either but just trying to pass along the info.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jan 20, 2014 -> 01:32 PM) It's all speculation at this point. This isn't an American free agent who could potentially be surrounded by guys who could leak information. He is in Japan and has a tight inner circle that has no motivation or incentive to give "favorites" or "front runners." I am confident that Hahn submitted a competitive offer and I hope that the meeting was compelling. That's pretty much all you can ask for now. You're absolutely correct. But the leaks are coming from the teams sides. Somone in the Cubs and Yankees are leaking $ and terms which then leads this tweeters to hypothisize, im guesssing. And I think it's ironic you're hearing the most comin from the two teams who are most desperate for Tanaka.

This dude tweeting his "source" says Yankees willing to outbid everyone for Tanaka, and also doesn't believe LA interest is there based on their payroll inflating north of $250 million by signing him... https://mobile.twitter.com/DavidWaldstein/s...323314177773568 I'm just posting stuff I find, that's why I say TIFWIW. But within the next 25-48 hours much more will be leaked cause he's going to make a decision by Wednesday to give him time to Fly out and finish medicals for the teams doctors. The last time it was a private doctor, when he flew out to LA to take a physical and meet with interested teams. I just find it interesting how quiet we have been, I mean quiet. Don't know if it's good or bad. But my good gut feeling is starting to dampen, I'm beginning to think he's going to sign elsewhere as expected.

Well... TIFWIW.... But it may be over for us... https://mobile.twitter.com/TomLoxas/status/...336944038395904 Tom Loxas reporting its down to NYY and CHC. Another Cubs dweeb reporting the same: https://mobile.twitter.com/CubsDen

Your daily update from Japan: [1/20/2014] Masahiro Tanaka News and Notes by Gen on Jan.20, 2014 @ 5:41 pm, under MLB The latest on Masahiro Tanaka from Monday, January 20, 2014: Tanaka attended Takeshi Yamasaki's retirement party on Sunday. He did not provide any updates about his posting. ... The Yankees, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Cubs, and White Sox have reportedly submitted formal offers. The offers may have been six-year deals over 120 million US dollars. ... He was testing new cleats made for the harder mounds in the United States during his bullpen session at the indoor training facilities at Kobo Stadium on the 18th. The new cleats are black with white and gold stripes. They are from ASICS. ... Tanaka has spent time working on his lower body this off-season in preparation for the harder mounds in the United States. [sanspo 1/20/2014] Tanaka tossed about forty pitches, including breaking balls, in the bullpen today. He did not speak to reporters after his workouts. 2nd round draft pick Yasuhito Uchida caught the session. [sanspo 1/20/2014] ... According to Nikkan Sports, he threw thirty-nine pitches in the bullpen. [Nikkan Sports 1/20/2014] Munenori Kawasaki would like to see Tanaka perform some Momoiro Clover Z dance steps. Not necessarily for the benefit of the fans, but for Tanaka himself. Perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek. [sponichi 1/20/2014] And some headlines from the United States... CSN Chicago's Tony Andracki provides some quotes about Tanaka from Saturday's Cubs Convention: ... Pro scouting director Joe Bohringer has been familiar with Tanaka since he saw the young right-hander in Japan while working with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008. Bohringer and the Cubs have seen Tanaka every year since, including the 2013 World Baseball Classic, where he competed against some of Major League Baseball's best players. "Any time we had a chance to see him get in an arena like that,” Bohringer said, “where we knew he was facing major league caliber players and watching his success or failure, that gives us a better idea of how he would actually be if we translate it to the major leagues. Tanaka is still a prospect. But because he's played at such a higher level of competition, it makes us feel a little more comfortable with our overall evaluation for how it's going to translate." Source: CSN Chicago 1/18/2014 CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney has a bit more: "I think any team in baseball would love a 25-year-old starting pitcher," said Jason McLeod, the vice president of scouting and player development. "We've scouted him extensively over the years (through) our pro scouting staff and a lot of video work that we've done on him. So the evaluation process is complete. "He's obviously talented. We understand — I think everyone understands — that’s not the same level of competition (in) Japan. But he's a talented pitcher, and I'm sure the team that gets him is going to be happy." Source: CSN Chicago 1/19/2014 Tanaka wants to play in a city that has a Japanese population and the Cubs will do what they can to sign him. From CBS Chicago's Bruce Levine: ... Tanaka is known to want a city to play in where the Japanese population and its culture is vibrant and readily accessible for him and his wife. The dollars are of course a deciding factor in the 25-year-old pitcher’s final decision. Bidding teams learned early in the process that the price of poker would begin at six years and $100 million. Many have speculated that Tanaka could receive as much as $150 million from the winning bidder. Those figures however have been driven by media speculation more so than actual knowledge of the contract talks. ... A source for this story said the Cubs will use every ethical strategy they can to get Tanaka to say yes to their offer. Indications are club has told the pitcher he would be their ace and grow with the top rated minor league talent that is starting to make its way through the system. A source from the Japanese side of this said Tanaka has the type of personality that would accept the challenge of being the lead man on building a young championship team. Source: CBS Chicago 1/19/2014 via Nikkan Sports 1/19/2014 The Cubs may have offered Tanaka a seven-year deal. From Chicago Now's Tom Loxas: ... I was told tonight the industry buzz places the Cubs offer in the neighborhood of $160 million for 7 years. That offer does not include the $20 million posting fee, I'm told. Source: Chicago Now 1/19/2014 via Nikkan Sports 1/19/2014 The Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmyer thinks the Cubs are "long shots." ... Despite reports that continue to call the Cubs front-runners for Masahiro Tanaka, signing the 25-year-old right-hander is a long shot for the team, which remains skeptical of its chances even with an aggressive effort. Source: Chicago Sun-Times 1/19/2014 via Nikkan Sports 1/19/2014

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jan 19, 2014 -> 06:27 PM) Here is an article on Chicago's Asian population: http://goldsea.com/Air/Issues/Chicago/chicago.html Unfortunately, it's mostly Chinese Here's some more: A Portrait of Japanese Americans in the Chicago Metropolitan Area Compared with the West, South, or Northeast regions in the US, the Midwest region has both the smallest Asian American population and the smallest Japanese American population. However, nationally Illinois has the sixth largest Japanese Americans population (27,702 individuals) and is the top state within the Midwest. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION As might be expected, the vast majority (85%) of Illinois’ nearly 28,000 Japanese Americans lives near Chicago in the following counties: Cook (includes Chicago), DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will. (See map below) If you really want to take the time here's a link with more about the Japense population in IL. Over 17K in Cook county. http://www.cjahs.org/CJAHSDiscoverNikkeiCensus2000.pdf

Things could get interesting late tonight and tomorrow if this is true; Tanaka's decision should come Tuesday or Wednesday to allow time for further medical exams to take place prior to the Friday deadline, an AL scout tells David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com (via Twitter). MLbTR