which they were defeated by the U.S in London. Throw in th

TOKYO -- Masahiro Tanaka says he chose to play for the New York Yankees because they appreciated him the most among the many teams in the majors who were chasing the prized signature of the star Japanese pitcher. "They gave me the highest evaluation and are a world-famous team." Tanaka said at a press conference in Japan on Thursday after agreeing to a $155 million, seven-year deal with the Yankees. Tanaka said he was "relieved" the deal was done and looked forward to standing on the mound at Yankee Stadium. When asked what his goal will be, Tanakas response was direct: "To become World Champions." In addition to the personal deal with Tanaka, the Yankees must pay a $20 million fee to his Japanese team, the Rakuten Eagles. His agreement calls for $22 million in each of the first six seasons and $23 million in 2020, and it allows him to terminate the deal after the 2017 season and become a free agent. Asked to deliver a message to Yankee fans in English, Tanaka said he plans to let his performance on the field do the talking. "I dont speak English so Ill just have to win the trust and confidence of the fans with my performance on the field," the 25-year-old right-hander said. Big league teams had until Friday to reach an agreement with Tanaka, who was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year as the Eagles won the Japan Series title. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros all said they were among the failed bidders. Tanaka said he consulted with 2013 Rakuten teammate Takashi Saito and Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish about life in the major leagues before deciding on the Yankees. "Everything will be new and challenging," Tanaka said. "But I have to rely on the ability that got me this far." Tanaka was 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with the Eagles, striking out 1,238 in 1315 innings. Yankees official has tracked him since 2007, scouting 15 of his games. The Tanaka deal caps an off-season in which the Yankees added catcher Brian McCann and outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. The four big deals totalled $438 million. "Were going to do what weve got to do to win," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "We had to make sure we had enough pitching to go together with our new lineup." Tanaka receives the highest contract for an international free agent and the fifth largest deal for a pitcher, trailing only those of the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw ($215 million), Detroits Justin Verlander ($180 million), Seattles Felix Hernandez ($175 million) and the Yankees C.C. Sabathia ($161 million under his original agreement with New York). Tanaka replaces the retired Andy Pettitte in the Yankees rotation, and joins Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Ivan Nova. Cheap Nike Shoes ." One game is checked off, 15 remain and the next one to get crossed out could come Tuesday night when the defending champion Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. Clearance Nike Shoes . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. https://www.fakenikeshoeswholesale.com/ . Argentina, who have yet to beat New Zealand in 17 meetings, rocked the All Blacks with an early converted try to backrower Juan Manuel Leguizamon and led 7-0 after five minutes. But Smiths double in the 23rd and 26th minutes - when Argentina was reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of hooker Eusebio Guinazu - turned the tide of the match and set up New Zealands third straight Championship win. Fake Nike Shoes . The Toronto Blue Jays star won his second consecutive Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL on Monday after votes by fans and a panel of Hall of Famers were tallied. Fake Nike Shoes From China . He made that dream a reality Wednesday night. Olt, who grew up in Branford, Connecticut, attended UConn and made a nearly 2 1-2 hour trek to Boston a handful of times to watch the Red Sox, belted a two-run homer, one of four hit by Cubs in a 16-9 rout that completed a three-game interleague series sweep.The 2014 FIFA World Cup is nearly behind us, a tournament thats been repeatedly called the best of all time. And Canadians have bought in, consuming the games on radio and television, mounting flags to their cars and following the news from Brazil with great anticipation throughout. Theres only been one thing missing for fans in this country – Canada. No matter how big a soccer fan you are, theres just no doubt the tournament would take on a different kind of appeal if Canada had a stake in the game. The diversity of teams being followed across the country over the past month is a reflection of the mosaic that is Canada, which is fine. But wouldnt it be a heck of a lot more fun if we all had a common rallying point, from one coast to another? Our struggles in mens soccer are well documented, with just one World Cup appearance in 1986, despite the fact that participation levels for soccer players in Canada surpassed hockey during the late stages of the last century. The national mens team is currently tied with Bahrain for 110th in the world. Fortunately, the state of things in the womens game couldnt be more different. Which is why there will be a much different dynamic surrounding the 2015 FIFA Womens World Cup which will take place next summer in Canada. For while this will be a tournament about hosting the world in a global game at venues in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Moncton, Winnipeg and Edmonton next June and July, it will also be about showcasing and getting behind Canadians in the sport of soccer. Team sports tend to get overshadowed at the Olympics. But there is no doubt the most compelling story of the 2012 Summer Games in London was Canada winning bronze in womens soccer. The Canadian women losing in dramatic -- and controversial -- fashion against the United States, and subsequently defeating France to win a medal were two of the most memorable international sporting moments in recent Canadian history. Throw in the fact Canada possesses a world-class star player in Christine Sinclair and you have the kind of dynamics behind which an entire country can rally. Canada currently ranks seventh in womenss soccer worldwide, ahead of such traditional soccer nations as England, Italy and the Netherlands, countries our men couldnt touch on their best days.ddddddddddddSo the optimism about what Canada might accomplish is based on more than just the 2012 Olympic result and the fact that the tournament will be played here. At the top of the heap in womens soccer is the United States which, besides being the tournament favourite, also represents Canadas greatest rival. What will it be like when Canada and the U.S. play next summer? What kind of television audience will it draw? Well consider the factors that could make this one of the marquee events on the Canadian sporting calendar next season. First, the proximity of the U.S.to Canada means the U.S. will have a strong contingent of supporters along with them. Then there is the recent history, the bitterness of the Canadians and the raw feelings over the manner in which they were defeated by the U.S in London. Throw in the fact that the Canadian team is comprised almost exclusively of players who got their training in the U.S. and you can understand why the familiarity of this rivalry makes it so intense. But the real payoff to having the Womens World Cup is what it may mean to the sport of womens soccer in Canada in general. Weve seen the effect that the womens national hockey team has had on the growth of the sport among young girls and women. By its very nature, soccer is a more accessible sport than hockey, which means the potential to seed future generations of womens soccer players is immense. Its one thing to present the worlds game to Canadians and tell them to pick a country to get behind. Its something completely different, and far, far more compelling to tell them they can get behind their own. Soccer isnt a new game in Canada, and from widespread participation to the emergence of Major League Soccer in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal to the technology that allows fans to follow it around the globe, its become a significant part of the sporting fabric of Canada. But safe to say we have never experienced the sport like we will next summer. ' ' '