Steinbrenner gushes over Tanaka; has spoken with agent

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. — Hal Steinbrenner said Wednesday that he spoke recently with Casey Close, the agent for Japanese free-agent pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, to “express that he’s a great player. A lot of respect for him.”

Close, who represents Yankees captain Derek Jeter and many other high-profile players, has succeeded so far in keeping his Tanaka negotiations remarkably private. Steinbrenner, here at the Major League Baseball owners’ meetings at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort, wouldn’t even address a question of whether a Yankees contingent met with Tanaka during the right-hander’s recent visit to the United States.

Yet Steinbrenner made clear how badly the Yankees want to add Tanaka, whom they scouted extensively last season, to their starting rotation.

“I think a lot of teams are interested,” said Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ managing general partner. “This is a great, young pitcher. I’m sure he’ll come here and do great things with someone. We certainly have an interest. I believe we need another starter. But we’ll see what happens.”

The Dodgers are viewed as the Yankees’ prime competitor, the Dodgers signed ace Clayton Kershaw to a seven-year, $215 million extension. It’s clear that if the Yankees sign Tanaka, their 2014 payroll will surpass the $189 million luxury-tax threshold, which they had desired to stay under. If Tanaka signs elsewhere, the Yankees have a chance to meet their payroll goal.

“You’re trusting Sherman’s math,” Steinbrenner countered with a smile, referring to The Post’s ultra-popular Yankees Payroll Tracker and baseball columnist Joel Sherman. “Maybe we’re over 189.”

Either way, Steinbrenner said, the payroll goal hasn’t and won’t impact the Yankees’ pursuit of Tanaka. And if they don’t get Tanaka, Steinbrenner said, the Yankees will look at other free-agent options, though they aren’t believed to be enthusiastic about free agents Bronson Arroyo, Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez or Ervin Santana.


Joe Torre, MLB’s executive vice president of baseball operations, said he remained hopeful of adding expanded instant replay for the 2014 season, including the “challenge” system for managers. However, Torre hinted the additions might not be as dramatic as initially anticipated. Specifically, all safe/out calls may not be subject to replay.

“The one thing I can say is, I’d rather add more later than to have too much of it really affect our game,” Torre said.

He indicated that adding safe/out calls on plays at the plate was the first priority.

In the collective bargaining agreement approved during the 2011-12 offseason, the owners and players signed off on adding fair/foul boundary calls as well as trap plays in the outfield. Those figure to be the basis of the new system. As Fox Sports reported last week, the players have yet to sign off on either expanded replay or a change in the rule on home-plate collisions.