TANAKA TO BRONX DOESN'T SOLVE EVERYTHING

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Masahiro Tanaka, the prized Japanese right-handed pitcher is a Yankee. The price tag for the most sought after arm in some time, $155 million over seven years. Yet before you die hard Yankee faithful start planning your October victory parade, it's important to remember that Tanaka does not solve half your problems.  Before you begin your hateful comment creation, let me explain. The 2014 Yankees are shaping up to be the  IF team of the year.

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It is true the Yanks had to sign Tanaka, considering their desperate needs for arms and their complete lack of interest in free agents like  Bronson Arroyo and Matt Garza. However in signing the Japanese star they are continuing the very practice that put these dominant franchise in ruble just a few short months ago. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been throwing the dough around at Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran and now Tanaka. Some impressive names indeed, yet it's amazing how quickly  those who follow the team so closely are distracted.

Fact: Robinson Cano left the building. Jeter is well passed his prime, and ARod is gone.
Question: Who is to play the infield? Ryan, Johnson & Roberts?

Fact: Gardiner, Ellsbury & Beltran are collectively a serious upgrade in the outfield. If they can stay healthy, they should be fun to watch. However that is a big if. Both Ellsbury and Gardiner have had durability issues in their young careers and although Beltran has been a stud in recent years, be mindful of his progression in age. 

Fact: McCann is a far better catcher and hitter than Chris Stewart.
Fact: So was Russell Martin who will make $7.5 million compared to McCann's $17 million. Certainly McCann will provide more offense, my point is that extra $10 million could have been used at third or second.

Fact: Robinson Cano pitched just as many Major League games as Tanaka, sure he looks good on film against Japanese hitters, but truth be told nobody knows for sure how good, if at all Tanaka might be. In Cano you had one of the best hitters in the game today, and they let him walk. For some reason people just want to dismiss that fact, as if it will not even phase the club. 

Fact: David Robertson is not Mariano Riviera, but hey who is right? Wrong in 2012 when Riviera was out Robertson got the nod at the closing spot and did not fair well at all. The only difference in 2014 is Rafael Soriano is not in the Yankee bullpen to save the day as he did two years ago. 

The Yankees need a complete revamp, that begins with a multitude of mid level signings not an overwhelming grab at overpriced market gauging talent. With Jeter on the way out Texiera questionable and ARod completely out of the mix it was more important then the experts what you to  believe for the Yanks to have retained Cano. The fact of the matter they are better however still may not be good enough. Assuming Sabathia rebounds, questions concern Kuroda's ability to pitch deep into the season and well the jury is still out Pineda, meaning even if all these IFS pan out, we still don't know IF Tanaka can pitch effectively in the bigs. IF the Yanks are content with just throwing money at the issue, they must go all the way and fill the holes. Stopping short will not have the desired outcome the Bronx faithful expect.