Video: Masahiro Tanaka Puts On the Yankee Pinstripes

Feb 11, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees new right hand pitcher Masahiro Tanaka smiles during press conference at Yankees Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

It’s official: Masahiro Tanaka has been introduced as a member of the New York Yankees.

In a Tuesday press conference, the new Yankee starting pitcher put on the pinstripes for the first time. As revealed quite awhile ago here on CTTP, Tanaka will wear #19.

In a very short time, Tanaka has already gotten a pretty healthy dose of that New York media, including the New York Post. Late Monday, the Post cracked wise about the pitcher shelling out $195,000 to charter an airliner so his poodle wouldn’t have to be stowed with the baggage.

Of course the Yankees themselves would never feed the hype machine. Remarks from Brian Cashman were totally low key.

“This would make The Boss proud,” the Yankee GM said. “This is Yankee big. This is Steinbrenner big.”

Way to downplay the signing, Cashman.

Temper expectations? Nah. Forget that. Build those expectations higher than the Empire State Building. That’s what New York is all about. Dreaming big. Setting yourself up for a massive, massive fall.

Tanaka himself says he is prepared for the whirlwind of playing in New York.

I feel ready. … Now that I’m here and wearing this uniform, I really feel that I have become a member of the New York Yankees,” the pitcher said.

But he won’t really feel like a Yankee until he’s getting cursed out after a bad inning. That’s the true initiation.

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