Finished wrapping the last present. Waiting for everyone else to get up to open presents. Funny how much later you could sleep in when the youngest person in the house is 15 as opposed to, say, 7.
Christmas is probably just another Wednesday in Japan, but it's a big day for Japanese ballplayers here in North America.
The big news is a report that the Rakuten Golden Eagles have agreed to post RHP Masahiro Tanaka. He'll draw the new, discounted maximum posting fee from a number of major league teams.
You'll see the list of the usual big-spending teams, primarily the Yankees and Dodgers, along with the Diamondbacks and most of the American League West -- Angels, Mariners, Rangers -- as the leading candidates to sign Tanaka. He's listed as 25 years old, and I think I short-changed him on his 2013 ERA in an earlier post. It was 1.27, not 1.37.
Also, in an earlier post I indicated that the AL West as a group seems to be downplaying mobility in their outfield defense. That could make it even more desirable for them to sign one of the best pitching prospects from the Eastern Hemisphere before their opponents do. Actually, I'd expect a number of teams to put up the relatively cheap posting fee -- less than 40% of what the Rangers paid for the right to negotiate exclusively with Yu Darvish. What would it hurt for an aspiring team of limited means such as the Pirates or Royals -- or the D-backs, for that matter -- to make a splash by coming hard in the open competition for Tanaka's services. They wouldn't have to pay the fee or the contract amount with Tanaka until he signs.
And when the other available pitching is headed by RHPs Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana and Bronson Arroyo, Tanaka will come at a higher premium than Darvish's 6 years and $60 million.
Tanaka isn't the only Japanese player in the spotlight. Over there on the edge of the stage is infielder Munenori Kawasaki, who re-signed with the Blue Jays. Kawasaki made a name for himself with his oddball, flaky antics captured on social-media video than with his .229 batting average. Seems like a good guy to have around a clubhouse, though.
Merry Christmas/happy holidays. Like Munenori-san, I know how to cover my bases.
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