New York Mets can pursue international free agent Kensuke Tanaka-MLB Update
International free agent, the second baseman, Kensuke Tanaka can become a right fit for the New York Mets.
Given the fact he is strong defensively, the Mets can help their 2013 season campaign immensely by having him.
His offensive numbers in the Nippon Professional Baseball are extremely impressive.
Furthermore, he wants to replicate those in the Major League Baseball.
At the moment, Tanaka is looking forward to join some major league club.
It remains to be seen whether he has been approached by the teams yet or not. His incredible offensive and defensive credentials suggest he will be hired shortly.
All depends on the amount of money that he is asking for.
Considering the fact he is unaccustomed to the major league, the Mets can sign an inexpensive contract with him.
Convincing him at something which the Mets can afford cannot be a big problem for them.
The Mets have not revealed their intention regarding him yet. If they follow the policy of wait and see, they might find him vanished from the market.
For financially weak organisations like the Mets, international free agents that are unfamiliar with the culture of the major league are ideal options to pursue.
There is one downside of Tanaka, which is the fact that he is not good at hitting mammoth home runs.
While he can connect regularly at the plate, he cannot be expected to produce gigantic hits and win matches for the team singlehandedly.
Talking about his decision to play for the major league, Tanaka has stated he wants to be a part of the place where players from diverse backgrounds come.
"I started thinking about the majors about four years ago and little by little, my feeling to go grew stronger", Tanaka said. "Playing in a new environment can become a plus for a baseball player…I would like to play baseball in a new place while coming
into contact with all kinds of cultures."
Tanaka can have some clubs approach him during the on-going offseason.
It will be interesting to see which team he plays for during 2013 and how the Mets react to his presence in the free agent market.
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