This should be the week that the Tanaka saga reaches the end. Tanaka must sign by Friday and there are suggestions today that his destination might be known by Wednesday so all the medicals and documentation can be completed in time.
There are several stories around the interwebs that claim to know what is happening. A couple of these stories have come from Japan. The Blue Jays have not been mentioned as being in the race, is that true or is it AA operating in secret? The stories suggest that Tanaka will sign a six year deal at $20M per season. Is that in the Jays budget and are the years do-able? Another story suggests that Tanaka s looking to play in a big city and/or for a winner. With a lot og big clubs bidding it seems like a long shot that Tanaka will come to Toronto. It would seem that the Jays would have to add a 7th year or go to say $22M per season (not couting the $3M per season going to Tanaka's club) to sign him. I am very doubtful that the Jays would do that.
A resolution of the Tanaka sweepstakes should clear the field for Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Sanatana. AA suggested last week that he was waiting for the prices to come down, will they?
There has been very little notable baseball news since before Christmas, this week should get baseball back in the news.
At the start of the off-season the Jays had a surplus of bullpen arms. AA said back in 2013 that those bullpen arms should get more valuable as the off-season progressed. Well there is just a month left before spring training, if AA is going to deal he should be doing that soon.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20140119204410252