Captain & Tanaka: Derek Jeter says he's 'quite an addition' to Yankees
Derek Jeter takes batting practice before the Yankees' game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. (July 26, 2013) Credit: AP
The Captain is pleased.
Derek Jeter praised the Yankees on Friday for their signing of Japanese righthander Masahiro Tanaka to a seven-year, $155-million contract.
"The game is pitching," Jeter told The Associated Press at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa, Fla. "If you have great pitching, you always have an opportunity to win. From everything I've heard, he's going to be quite an addition to our team."
Jeter, who is working his way back from an injury-wrecked 2013 season, is the last link to the most recent Yankees dynasty, now that Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte have retired.
The Yankees have spent $450 million this offseason on Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and three other free agents in an attempt to reach the postseason after missing out in 2013. And that doesn't include the $20-million posting fee that will go to Tanaka's Japanese team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles.
"Our team has been known to make financial commitments to a lot of people throughout the course of the year," Jeter said. "Any time you have ownership that's willing to spend money and trying to do whatever they can to make the team better, it feels good for us as players."
The Yankees on Friday posted a picture on Twitter of a pinstriped jersey with No. 19 on the back with the caption, "The Yankees pinstripes are ready for Tanaka."
Tanaka, 25, went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA for Rakuten last season.
