Tanaka shuts out Mets to improve to 6-0

Congrats Tanaka-san on your first MLB complete game, first shutout, and first hit. You had as many hits today as Derek Jeter, and unlike Jeter you actually hit the ball out of the infield.

I have to admit I was wrong about this. I thought Tanaka would struggle when he first got to the MLB, but he's done very well so far. Let's see if he can keep it up.

Two points, though:

I really dislike how the media always brings up Tanaka's incredible unbeaten streak last regular season WITHOUT mentioning the fact that he blew it in Game 6 of the Japan Series. Of course, he deserves all the credit in the world for a historic season, but that Game 6 loss somehow never gets mentioned, and is a very important detail when talking about 2013. The media loves a good hero story, is all.

danako: Derek Jeter, and unlike Jeter you actually hit the ball out of the infield. Can't wait until he retires. He's been consistent, but I'm very sick of the way the media portrays him as the ultimate team player. His characters is very overrated. If he was a team-first kind of player, he wouldn't have announced his retirement until the end of the season. But he didn't - he announced it first, to ensure that every city he goes to throws him a big farewell ceremony. Stupid Yankees...

Tanaka has been the Yankee's saviour thus far this season. What an amazing performance tonight and so far this season.

I really dislike how the media always brings up Tanaka's incredible unbeaten streak last regular season WITHOUT mentioning the fact that he blew it in Game 6 of the Japan Series.

Total BS! This clip from the NY Daily News' report on today's game is typical:

"Tanaka (6-0), who threw a season-high 114 pitches and is unbeaten in his last 42 regular-season starts in his native Japan and the majors. He hasn’t lost a regular-season game since Aug. 19, 2012, although he dropped a game in last year’s Japan Series."

I haven't heard one report where they didn't mention it.

Typical Yankee-hater BS and as for Jeter not being a team player because he announced his retirement before the season began.... Puh-leeze. He's the heart of the team, the captain and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone actually playing the game who had a bad thing to say about the guy.

I hear what you're saying, but Jeter has been a valuable part of baseball for 20 years. In a sport that has been tainted by PEDs, he has been scandal free.

In todays broadcast they mentioned how Tanaka saved the final game of the J-series with no rest. The starting pitcher threw 7 scoreless innings The only time that game was in doubt was when Tanaka came in, giving up 2 hits and 2 long fly ball outs. The manager later remarked that Tanaka said he was fine to pitch. I'm pretty sure that if he had donated a kidney in the morning, he would have said he was fine to pitch in the evening.

cdanr, I agree, BS. From the New York Times : He is 34-0 in that span in the regular season, with his only defeat coming in a complete-game loss in Game 6 of the Japan Series. In fact this has been repeated so often (during broadcasts as well, as danako pointed out) that I think all Yankees fans know about the fact that he lost in game 6 but came back with a save in game 7.

Typical Yankee-hater BS and as for Jeter not being a team player because he announced his retirement before the season began.... Puh-leeze. He's the heart of the team, the captain and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone actually playing the game who had a bad thing to say about the guy.

Yawn. Typical Yankee-lover BS. Plenty of people have had bad things to say about him, including when he forced a much more well-suited SS (Rodriguez) to move to 3rd instead of being the "heart of the team" captain and doing what's best for the team by going himself.

This clip from the NY Daily News' report on today's game is typical: "Tanaka (6-0), who threw a season-high 114 pitches and is unbeaten in his last 42 regular-season starts in his native Japan and the majors. He hasn’t lost a regular-season game since Aug. 19, 2012, although he dropped a game in last year’s Japan Series."

That's exactly what I'd like to see more of. Maybe you're seeing more American-based media than I am, and that tends to be different? My comment was more regarding Japan-based media, which frequently doesn't mention it.

I'm pretty sure that if he had donated a kidney in the morning, he would have said he was fine to pitch in the evening.

Haha, no doubt!

seems like the yankee's investment is paying off. he's practically a bargain compared to what other pitchers are making.

let's hope that when he starts losing games the NY press don't eat him alive. stay strong and positive ma-kun!

@ricky, of course they will eat him alive. In NY, you're only as good as your last game. Btw, was nice to see Dice-K pitch the previous day and get a win in long relief. Hope he has a couple good seasons left in him.

Plenty of people have had bad things to say about him, including when he forced a much more well-suited SS (Rodriguez) to move to 3rd instead of being the "heart of the team" captain and doing what's best for the team by going himself.

When the Yankees picked up A-Rod in 2004, Jeter had already been the incumbent shortstop for 8 years (4 World Series rings at that point) and there was never any intention of moving Jeter. Jeter's weakness was on ground to his left. A-Rod's increased range allowed Jeter to give up ground to his right to Rodriguez and cheat to the left. It improved the infield defensively.

A-Rod must have liked it at third base since we all know he signed the 10 year contract extension in 2007 that the Yankees ended up regretting.

A-Rod is on 50 games suspension. I only watch Angels game and sometimes Dodgers but sport reporters often mention Tanaka signing made Yankee sport attending high yet when they mention attendance report on Halo's Anaheim Field and Dodger Stadium.

The Original Wing - if you're going to mention his complete-game loss in the Japan Series, then you should also mention that he pitched a scoreless ninth inning the next day to pick up a save in game seven.

Tanaka has been doing great, but keep in mind that this is the first time these teams have seen him. The real battle will be when they see him for the second and third times. (Just playing Devil's Advocate - I believe the guy is the real deal.)

@rickyvee, Darvish makes less than half of Tanaka's salary and so is more accurately called a bargain. Tanaka coming in as a rookie and commanding a salary in the top ten of all MLB players is proving to be good value, but not a bargain. Luckily, the Yankees don't have to pay their former highest salaried player this year, bcoz...

A-rod is out for 3x longer than Toshiko thought. It is a full seaon: 162 games plus the playoffs. A record PED suspension. Almost Pete Rose or Donald Sterling territory.

nyydave1961: That's fine. I'm not on a smear campaign - I'm pushing for balanced reporting.

@torafusu: You are right, Thank you.

Alex Rodriguez was banned for all 162 regular season games and the playoffs for the 2014 season The suspension is 49 games less than the original 211 game ban he was given last year Perez was arrested in 1994 for drug possession and in 1998 for grand larceny and possession of a firearm Club manager, with close ties to Beyonce and Jay Z, has a 'lot of power' inside rap mogul's Roc Nation Sport

A-Rod will be almost 40-years-old by the time he is allowed to play again

Without A Rod, Yankees seem to be doing very fine. Maybe Tanaka's wish to be on Worle Series may come true?

With Sabathia out, the New York Yankees are an aging club that is injury prone and with a rotting core. They need to look for another reliable veteran starter. Yankees have already thrown in the towel for this year. They have no chance for the playoffs. GM should start trading early and rebuild like the A's with youth. My hats are out to Jeter for many years of great plays.