How will Masahiro Tanaka's workload impact his value in MLB?

Every long-term signing of a pitcher carries risk, but this one carries more than most, because there are so many unknowns for so much money. Cain, Hamels and

Tom Verducci | Dec 27, 2013

How will Masahiro Tanaka's workload impact his value in MLB? /

Masahiro Tanaka posted a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings for the Rakuten Golden Eagles last season. — Masahiro Tanaka posted a 1.27 ERA in 212 innings for the Rakuten Golden Eagles last season :: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images

Every long-term signing of a pitcher carries risk, but this one carries more than most, because there are so many unknowns for so much money. Cain, Hamels and Greinke had established track records in the majors and familiar workloads when they signed their contracts. Tanaka has never pitched in the majors and has thrown more innings than anything we've seen in the modern game. A major league team will fork over more than $100 million for a pitcher who was developed and used in ways that never would have happened in the United States.

Published Dec 27, 2013

TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.