But the posting fee is a serious money penny.

Bill:
While the ardent followahs of the Moneyball theory when collective puke when they hear what I'm about to say, I just can't help myself...

 

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Bill:
With a name like Tanaka the dude just has to be good.

 

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Mike:
Seriously. It doesn't so much roll off the tongue as does leap off the tongue with a karate chop to the neck.

 

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Bill:
It's a name right out of a Bond movie.

 

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Mike:
Yeah, I can picture the scene in M's office...

 

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Mike:
M: Our scientists, 007, have found that the recent so-called arctic vortex was not naturally occurring. Moreover, they've discovered an anomolous spike in seismic activity from a small island off the coast of Japan.

Bond: Tanaka!

M: Indeed, 007, that is our worst fear.

 

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Bill:
And if the Yankees sign him, please strap me to a table and castrate me with industrial lasah.

 

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Comments

[Harwich Rich]

But Al,didn't Bobby V already do that to you back in 2012??

[redsoxnumba1]

II certainly hope the Sox go after this dude hard!! All our starters are in their 30's several mid-late 30's. Need young arms and a young partially proven arm who throws heat first we just have to get him!

[James]

Once again, you have made my day. Thank you! Keep on keeping on!

[Cmdrflake]

Envision the bridge of a cruiser in WWII
Lt. (JG) Flunky: Sir, ten bogies coming on bearing 232, ten thousand feet.
Admrial (Who is John Wayne): Tanaka! Make to Henderson! Bogies at ten thousand, ten miles east of Cape Ballgame an' give 'em those bearings, an' keep 'em comin!! Come to general quarters!
Every officer: Aye aye, sir.
Admrial: (To audience, otherwise they'd lose track of the plot after dozing off...) All right Tanaka, your play.

[Chairman Meow]

If you can make head or tail of that then you are too much like my butler for comfort.

[soxinsix]

I think the old WWF used to have a wrestler named Tanaka who tag-teamed with Mr. Fuji. Not sure if he could pitch though.

[yazbread]

The trouble with Asian pitchers is you spend $60M on a signing fee and then 6 or 7 years later you want to spend another $60M.

[dustbunny44]

On the one hand, great talent, potential great arm in the quiver, continued focus of Japanese fans and their paddles. On the other hand, there's Daisuke and the feeling we took a national treasure and somehow the fire went out on us. But being in play drives up the cost for whoever decides to pull the trigger, so do it!

[louclinton]

@soxinsix

Professor Toru Tanaka, an obsession of my childhood, along with Marcel Cerdan,Johnny Rodz, Lou Albano(later managed Cyndi Lauper) and "Angelo Savoldi of Parsipanny, New Jersey" God, did I think Parsipanny NJ was a far-off exotic locale when I was 10. Mr. Savoldi died at age 99 last September.

More on Tanaka I remember him as featuring "The Sleeper Hold", but now that I read about him, he was the salt-in-the-eyes guy.

[soxinsix]

Great stuff, LC. Loved the salt-in-the-eyes move.

[ponch]

Irabu, Igawa, Matsuzaka . . . I'm just sayin'.

[Kaz]

If he came here, he'd have a miserable home life (his wife wants to go West Coast) and his arm would explode after half a season of pitching and we wouldn't see him again for 15 months after Tommy John.

[SAC]

Ahh so. HB is brilliant today! Let Detroit take Tiger Tanaka. We'll keep Kissy Suzuki. YOLT.

[Harwich Rich]

What were the name of the twins in Austin Powers??

[buckner was framed]

lc, Tanaka was no match for Chief Jay Strongbow, however. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it

[Cmdrflake]

Ah, we are forgetting the Sheik! The original salt thrower, back stabbing SOB, but then we go to Gorgeous George, who was copied by the WWF in "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, whom I drove to an airport with his mortal enemy George "The Animal" Steele, both real guys, that were good tippers, too! RIP guys.