Mashahiro Tanaka Yankees: Star Japanese Pitcher Spends $200k On Flight to NY; Holds First Press Conference
Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is already getting comfortable with his new seven-year, $155 million contract.
The pitching star flew from Tokyo, Japan to New York City with his small entourage of his wife, three others, and a dog, but it wasn't your everyday trip. Tanaka chartered out a massive Boeing 787 jet, a price tag that totaled nearly $200,000.
A Japanese baseball official said to SBS in Australia that Tanaka wanted to go all-out on his trip to New York in order to arrive for Spring Training "in the best of form."
A spokesperson for JAL told the New York Times that the flight would be turning around and heading back to Tokyo without any passengers.
As far as Tanaka's job in New York, he held a press conference on Tuesday to mark his first appearance as a Yankee. He slipped on the uniform and began answering questions from the media.
"Now that I'm here and wearing this uniform, I really feel that I have become a member of the New York Yankees," he said, according to the Yankees blog for Lohud.com.
Tanaka was asked how he would be handling the fans as well as the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox.
"Just by watching over the television of the Yankees Red Sox games, you can see how intense the games are. I'm very much looking forward to playing in that environment," he said. "I've heard that this place is, it can be very harsh to you at times. Just wanted to put myself through this environment and see where I can get to with my ability."
What do you think about the Yankees taking a risk on a player that has never played in the Major Leagues before? Do you think they were smart in signing Tanaka before any other team did or do you think it could come back to bite them? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!