Report: Japan may hold on to Tanaka
Major-league teams hoping to land Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka may have to wait another year.
The Rakuten Golden Eagles plan to wait until at least after the 2014 season to make the right-hander a free agent, according to the New York Post.
Japanese players are usually not posted for free agency until after their ninth season and Tanaka is entering his eighth season.
New posting rules place a $20 million cap for major-league teams to bid on international players for the right to negotiate contracts with them. The old rules did not have a money limit. Because of the new rules, Rakuten's ownership may keep Tanaka for another year.
The Texas Rangers paid a posting fee of $51.7 million to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to negotiate with right-hander Yu Darvish, and gave him a $56 million deal before the 2012 season.
Tanaka, the best pitcher in Japan, went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA this year.
The New York Yankees are reportedly among the teams interested in signing him.
