Masahiro Tanaka is supposed to be a star. After all, he went 24-0 last season in Japan, and he seems to have all of the tools necessary for success. Read this analysis by our own Adam Wells if you want a more technical breakdown of this phenom, but let me give you a few highlights.
He throws a fastball that tops out at 97 mph, a devastating splitter and a serviceable slider. He is only 25 years old and has plenty of time to get even better. I’m sure that that is some of the justification behind his seven-year contract. The New York Yankees get him through his prime, and they will be off the hook before he begins to get very old.
All of that being said, I am not sure about this contract. The $155 million over seven years plus a $20 million posting fee is an awful lot of money, and for a team that has spent approximately $500 million this winter, I don’t think it was the best use of its money.
Let me provide you with four key reasons why I think this deal could end up becoming a major waste of money for the New York Yankees.