Japanese pitching superstar Masahiro Tanaka is expected to earn upwards of $100 million when the bidding process among Major League Baseball teams is all said and done. According to Rakuten Golden Eagles president Yozo Takibana, Tanaka said he would like to help out the Golden Eagles, with whom he played for seven years in the Japan Pacific League, by donating money to help improve the stadium.
Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times is reporting that the commissioner’s office will be intent on enforcing a new provision in the posting system which limits the amount of money a posting team can receive, directly or indirectly, is $20 million. MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said, “We are intent on enforcing all the provisions of the agreement.”
Tanaka will draw interest from just about every team, as it costs nothing to speculate -- only the winning team is responsible for paying the $20 million posting fee. However, the Dodgers, Angels, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Cubs, and Mariners are among the teams expected to pursue Tanaka the strongest.
