Yankees Grab Tanaka

Masahiro Tanaka has agreed to sign with the New York Yankees for $155 million over 7 years.  The 25 year old starter had a 2013 season in Japan that got the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Astros, and many others chasing after him as well. Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA, showing himself as a the piece the Yankees desperately needed. With the Tanaka signing the Yankkes have now spent $491 million this offseason, with their big additions to offense with $45 million to Beltran, $153 million to Ellsbury, and $100 million to McCann.  After building the offense back up due to Cano bouncing, the Yankees were need of some help in the starting rotation. With Sabathia coming off a high ERA season and Kuroda getting up there in age, Tanaka is what the Yankees are hoping to be the answer in AL East.
There is some question though if $155 million is to much.  This is the kind of contract Sabathia got joining the Yankees, Greinkie after the Cy Young award, Cain after the Giants took the World Series. The thing different between those guys and Tankaka is they each have good experience and have shown they can take on major league batters. Tanaka has never pitched in MLB so this is quiet a commitment. The Yankees are hoping to see him put up the same kind of numbers as in Japan. Darvish put up great numbers, but was only given $60 million in his big contract.
The bidding was intense, and I actually expected the Dodgers to come out on top, though they jus signed Kershaw. We don't know who actually had the highest bid and if Tanaka went for the money or the location and team.  With LA being the closest to Japan and currently a team looking to dominate the NL West for the next few years, the Dodgers must have offered a low contract compared to the Yankees, or Tanaka must just not like the idea of playing for them. With a 2.33 ERA career ERA and 99 wins, Tanaka looks to be a good edition and what the Yankees hope to be the key against Boston.
With Tanaka now signed, we will see everyone else fly off the shelf. Prepare to see Santana, Cruz, and many others get the contracts they have been looking for.